> 
>> The function org-footnote--allow-reference-p seems to be restrictive.
>> Does it need to be so restrictive?
>> 
>> 1) Why not allow a footnote at the beginning of a line?
>>      (unless (bolp) ...
> 
> It would be a footnote definition, not a footnote reference
> 
>> 2) Why not allow a footnote at the end of a headline?
>>      ((memq type org-element-all-elements) nil)
> 
> It was a bug, fixed in 7584200bb88b7995b87f065320886b0813de22dd. Thank
> you.
> 

But a footnote at the end of a headline breaks LaTeX export. LaTeX needs an optional title as follows, to be able to include footnote in headline. 

http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/47380/how-can-i-have-a-footnote-with-an-url-in-a-section-title <http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/47380/how-can-i-have-a-footnote-with-an-url-in-a-section-title>

How does one get that in Org?

Vikas