Two young Gambian international footballers say they have faced racial abuse from opposition players while turning out for an Edinburgh club. Talented George Cole, 17, and Ousman Sonko, 18, who play for amateur side Tynecastle Star, say they have received racist taunts from rivals. The teenagers - who played for Gambia in last year's Under-17 World Cup, where they knocked out Brazil - have already caught the eye of Hearts and other professional clubs.

Tynecastle Star manager Andy Gibson said the club was set to lodge a formal complaint with the Scottish Amateur FA (SAFA) over the allegations. He has vowed to report any future incidents to the police and pull his team from the pitch if he sees any of his players being targeted. Mr Cole claims he was racially abused by players from Ayrshire side Mauchline United during their Scottish Amateur Cup third-round clash at Peffermill on January 6. However, Mauchline's club secretary, Gordon Thomson, said that he was unaware of the alleged incident.

Mr Cole, who left Africa to pursue a career in European football, today said he was determined not to let racism affect his game. He said the taunts began after he was awarded a penalty and one of the opposition players hurled a torrent of racist abuse at him. "Then many players started and someone told me to get back to my own country," he added. "I did not want to retaliate because I just wanted to play football. "Football is my life. I don't know anything about any kind of job, I know only about football."

Mr Cole, who went on to score a hat-trick during the tie, which Tynecastle lost 4-3, said he later became "very angry" about the racist taunts and reported them to his manager. Mr Gibson has condemned the players who allegedly hurled the abuse, adding: "If this happens at any of our games in the future I will, without hesitation, stop the game and remove Tynecastle from the game. The players or committee responsible will be reported to the police."

Mr Cole, who has been at Tynecastle Star for just six weeks, said it was the first time he had experienced racism in Scotland. However, his teammate Mr Sonko claimed he had already been the target of abuse during Lothian and Edinburgh Amateur League matches.

He said: "The first time it happened was a few months ago. I was playing very good and making problems for the other team. "He [an opposition player] was trying to annoy me so that I don't play anymore.. "I told him 'I know you just want to provoke me' but he kept on saying it, so I just ignored him and kept on playing. "It happened another time when I was playing very good too. It happens when I'm playing very good."

Mr Gibson said the most recent allegation was to be reported to the league, which will in turn report it to the SAFA. The SAFA said that if and when it did receive a complaint, it would be treated as a "serious matter" and fully investigated. National secretary Hugh Knapp added: "If we receive a written report we would carry forward an investigation from there." Mr Cole and Mr Sonko, who both live in Wester Hailes, are seen as rising stars in the amateur game.

Mr Gibson said: "Last summer they played for Gambia in the Under-17 World Cup in South America. "As a club we have connections to a higher level and will mention them to professional and semi-professional clubs. "Gambia is a very poor country and, with high hopes and expectations, they have left the country to try and be professional footballers in the UK. "Both boys are very talented for their age and indeed Ousman has already spent a week training with Hearts in November."

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