On the agenda this morning: praise for Dundee United fans, a rebuttal over the Inverbervie cockerels and a plea to keep the identity of Scottish regiments.
Magnanimous United support a credit to club
Sir,-As a long-time fan of Ross County, I would like to congratulate Dundee United for their Scottish Cup victory.
They were the only SPL team who gave our team the respect they deserved and, in doing so, did not allow us to get into the game on Saturday. We wish you all the best in Europe next season.
The day was terrific mixing with your fans before and after the game, enjoying the banter, your fans applauding our players as they collected their medals and, similarly, ours applauding your worthy winners.
The rest of Scottish football should look at this example and consider that this is true sportsmanship.
What a superb example to set for the young fans of both clubs. Hopefully we shall meet again in future finals but maybe we can win next time.
Stephen Mackenzie.Auchmore,Muir of Ord.
Sporting example
Sir,-We are Ross County fans who attended the cup final.
Despite our disappointment, we would like to thank and congratulate Dundee United on their fans.
They were friendly before and after the game, shaking our hands, wishing us luck before and commiserations afterwards. Their colourful and vocal support on the day added to our enjoyment. We met up with many in the pubs after the game and they were a credit to your club.
The meeting of these teams gave us a reminder of what football should be about. Yes, we had passion but we also all had respect for each other’s team.
Maybe Celtic and Rangers fans should remember this.
Good luck to Dundee United next season and maybe we will meet in the Premier League soon.
Robbie and Anne Macrae, Alison Cameron, Liz Sawers.Golspie,Sutherland.
Return of sanctuary
Sir,-Regarding Mrs Geddie’s letter Live and Let Live (May 18) I think she misunderstands the circumstances surrounding this cockerel story.
It was reported in a previous Courier article that these cockerels crowed 34 times in the space of three minutes and were a constant source of noise.
Surely no comparison, then, to the dawn chorus.
I am sure the “small-minded” neighbours, denied the sanctuary of their gardens for the past two years, will be as delighted as their young owner that Gobi and Rooster have found a new home.
Ann Alexander.Starforth Cottages,Panmure,Carnoustie.
Blinkered philosophy
Sir,-Whilst it is good that the Scottish secretary of the National Secular Society, Alistair McBay (May 18), acknowledges that there are sins and problems that have always existed, it is more than a little disturbing that his only solution to these is to “kick organised superstition and voodoo into the long grass.”
I was unaware that voodoo was such a problem in Scotland but let me suggest that the Christian way of dealing with sin, through the forgiveness and love of Christ, is considerably better than Mr McBay’s let’s name-call and then get rid of anything that does not fit in with narrow, fundamentalist atheistic philosophy.
(Rev) David A. Robertson.St Peter’s Free Church4 St Peter Street, Dundee.
Unacceptable racism assertion
Sir,-I have no wish to enter into a lengthy dialogue with one who evidently possesses the rare and admirable quality of always being right.
However, the casual way in which George K. McMillan brands me and my fellow Scots as violently racist is no more acceptable than racism itself (May 17).
He has no right to lay those allegations and absolutely no foundation for doing so.
An apology from him would be appropriate, though admittedly somewhat unlikely.
Setting that issue aside for the moment, Mr McMillan evidently missed the point of my letter and made the fundamental error of assuming that I was writing in support of Flower of Scotland as a national anthem.
While others were thanking me for putting his gas at a peep, I could not help but feel a certain inevitability that he would not lay his pen to rest for long.
The content of his letter was almost an irrelevance and usually is but the bone of contention is the frequency with which they appear.
My offer of a large sock (freshly laundered) still stands.
Ian J. Angus.9 Steading Place,Arbroath.
New threat to Black Watch
Sir,-So, as predicted in 2005 by the Save The Scottish Regiments campaign and supporters, phase two of the total destruction of Scotland’s military heritage is soon to begin.
This is, of course, not a new development as such, but part of a plan that was devised some years ago and is being rolled out in parts.
Watch as another two battalions are axed and then see the total loss of the remaining three battalions, including The Black Watch within the next 18 months.
It is the goal of the army chiefs to sanitise and remove any pride in being Scottish and instead replace it with a faceless and meaningless branding.
I do not believe this is for anything other than malicious purposes.
What happened to the promises to retain the identities of the former regiments? Instead all we are seeing are the deaths of more famous Scottish regiments.
Clearly, until Scotland is independent, we can expect no mercy from the UK chiefs of staff, let alone politicians south of the border.
Jeff Duncan.PO Box 10083,Dundee.