FOOTBALLERS visited a library yesterday to chat to children about life on the pitch and the books they read off it.

Darlington Football Club winger Neil Wainwright and football in the community officer Kevin Stonehouse were at Newton Aycliffe Library to meet a group of youngsters from a book club.

Young readers who attend a new Football Focus Group at the library got to meet the Quakers pair, who also signed autographs and handed out tickets for tomorrow's home game against Peterborough.

The group hold monthly meetings on Saturdays where they read books and take part in quizzes and match predictions.

Mr Wainwright answered questions about his playing career at Darlington, Sunderland and Wrexham, and said he had found talking to the youngsters interesting.

He said: "I really enjoyed it. It's something a bit different, to come and do this."

Quakers' longest-serving player, who made his 200th appearance last week, added that he wished a similar club had been around when he was growing up.

He said: "I read quite a bit. Something like this would have been good. It combines books and football. It would have been ideal for me, two of my biggest interests."

Library assistant Tracy Byers, who leads the group, said: "I think boys think that the library is not a cool place for teenage boys, but things like this help change that view."