Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Make Craig Brown manager of the year.
Why? Because after Aberdeen were put out of the Scottish Cup by Hibs at the weekend he actually blamed his players and by default himself for picking the team.
As far as I could gather he didn’t blame the referee or the linesmen (sorry, assistant referees), the weather, the pitch, lucky breaks of the ball or whatever.
He actually blamed his players and said they had a ”softness” about them.
An amazing statement in today’s climate.
And no, I am not getting at Neil Lennon of Celtic, who again had a go at the referee for decisions in the other semi-final.
He is only one of many who seem more intent on picking up on what they perceive to be see as referees’ mistakes rather than the inability of their players to win a game. For instance, Alex McLeish was livid over a penalty awarded to Manchester United in Sunday’s televised game.
Right or wrong isn’t the point here United scored three more goals, so even if the penalty was written off it was still 3-0.
There are those who will say, ”but it was given so early it put Aston Villa at a disadvantage”. Rubbish!
They weren’t good enough on the day, as was proved the longer the game went on.
Alex McLeish has been involved in football for too long not to know that.
So, full marks to Craig Brown for his honesty on this occasion. It would be wonderful if the ”habit” spread across the football playing world.
Ian Wheeler.Springfield,Fife.
Two-wheeled law-breakers just ignored
Sir, – Fiona McMillan, like many motorists and pedestrians, has suffered from the bad manners of some modern cyclists (‘Two wheels (can be) bad’, Letters, April 16).
I had a similar experience to hers when I met up with a two-abreast column of cyclists just beyond Scone Aerodrome on the way into Perth. I and a dozen other drivers were forced by their determination not to go single file to stay behind them all the way to the Wheel Inn in Scone, where, appropriately, that’s just what they did.
I cycled everywhere as a youngster and was taught to walk my bike in the gutter in heavy city centre traffic and to go single file when in a group unless on a wide, open road in the heart of the countryside with only light traffic.
Anything goes with today’s cyclists. Riding in pairs is the least of their offences. The most dangerous are the antics of adult cyclists riding on city centre pavements, cycling the wrong way along main streets and using bikes after dark without lights.
On occasion, I have seen would-be trick cyclists doing wheelies back and forth across the front of a double column of cars waiting at traffic lights in a one-way street or, more frequently, weaving their way among pedestrians using a pedestrian crossing.
What gets me is that the police never seem to intervene, even when the law-breaking takes place while a police car is passing.
George K McMillan.5 Mount Tabor Avenue,Perth.
Written out of history
Sir, – When Jimmy Black became housing convener, the Derby Street multis in Dundee were in sound condition, a quarter of the tenants had not yet moved out and most wanted to stay.
Councillor Black seemed keen to retain the flats, and acknowledged the need for more social housing. He says (Courier, April 13) that he ”campaigned long and hard to save the multis”, so why are they being brought down, and who was he campaigning against?
When the previous Labour council put forward the original demolition plan, there was no opposition from the SNP, inside or outside the council.
Councillor Black’s involvement started when the SNP took control of the council, when he had to campaign against his own party leadership, which decided not to reverse the demolition decision, and against the council officials who were determined not to go back on their plans.
The only people who consistently campaigned against demolition were the tenants, whose futures were ignored by the demolition plans and who now seem to have been written out of history.
Sarah Glynn.Former secretary of the Derby Street Multis Residents’ Association.
Change of name soon?
Sir, – Earlier this year First Minister Alex Salmond reiterated that the Queen would remain head of state north of the border even if Scots vote for independence in the referendum planned for autumn 2014.
Since then I have waited for a backlash from the large number of republicans within the party, with even a demand for Alex Salmond’s removal as leader, but there has hardly been a murmur.
In light of such, can we therefore expect an announcement soon that the Scottish National Party (SNP) is to be renamed, and will in future be known as the Scottish Royalist Party (SRP)?
Neil McKinnon.Tulchan Garden,Glenalmond,Perth.
Hypocrisy over pensions
Sir, – I read the Rev John Cameron’s comments on public sector pensions (Letters, April 16) with astonishment.
He rambles on about how much their pensions cost the public purse.
Who pays or will pay for his pension?
The general public, private workers, public workers, pensioners, children anyone, in fact, who gives money readily to the church.
His hypocrisy, it would seem, knows no bounds.
J Smythe.Strathdee Terrace,Dundee.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.