Letters to the Editor

Imagine being denied the chance to watch a Bulls match in your own home as you live in a Bradford postcode but live miles away from Valley Parade, say in Skipton?

Pubs in the area who rely on sports fans coming to watch the game will also lose out. They pay Sky TV more for the subscription than we do in the home and would be hit hard if sports get blocked from their screens.

But would it stop with Rugby League though? Football clubs may also want in on the act causing a lot of soured relations with local clubs and the people who should be supporting them.

This idea is ridiculous, extremely hard to implement and Mr Caisley should concentrate on running his team rather than coming up with daft ideas that could damage the reputation of the club.

Fred Ward, Bullroyd Avenue, Bradford 8

SIR - I have been a Bradford Bulls fan for numerous years and have held a season ticket for the last nine seasons, apart from the 2002 season. I subscribe to Sky television so I can watch any games screened on it while looking after my young daughter.

I believe that people can be Bulls fans without having to attend the games. I purchase items from the Bulls shops and I feel that I am therefore contributing in other ways.

What about people who are severely disabled and cannot get to the games, or people who have been for years but are getting older and frailer and do not feel able to attend due to their health?

Being able to watch the odd game on Sky has been a bonus to me while I have not been able to attend.

I have every intention of attending the games possibly in the 2004 or 2005 season when I will be able to bring my daughter with me, but at this moment I am so annoyed with Mr Caisley's comments that I may have to re-think the situation.

Katy Hanson, Medway, Queensbury.

SIR - Re Chris Caisley and his remarks on a TV blackout to increase attendances. I was more taken with the comments of the landlord of the Drop Kick pub and media officer Sam Grundy.

I gather it's expensive for the so-called fans to come to the centre of the city, park up and pay to enter the ground.

True fans support their sides not just when they play across the road. Funny how they never bothered for the last 60 years or so when everybody else had to go to Odsal on the outskirts of the back of beyond to watch the game.

I believe in their hour of need with Odsal finished and every fan needed that the hardcore support would be the first there, but then it's all of 15 minutes away so we can't expect them to put themselves out to that extent.

If they reach the grand final or next season's Challenge Cup Final, no doubt they will all turn up with colours proudly flying. Yet they can't make the trek to Valley Parade. Fans? Surely not.

Tony Redgrave, Claremont Grove, Wrose, Shipley.

SIR - I read with astonishment Chris Caisley's recent suggestion for increasing attendances. The Bulls' inability to attract larger attendances is surely down to their complete disregard for their non-corporate spectators.

The club moved to Valley Parade without consulting the fans, bought a rugby union team with no consultation, and employ the most downright aggressive stewards in the sport.

This, together with club shops that don't sell match tickets or indeed anything, and a 60 per cent ticket price increase just to have the pleasure of sitting worrying if your car's going to be still there at the end.

Also moving to Friday has more or less stopped me and countless others from being able to attend. I don't particularly want to cart my daughter around Manningham at that time.

Trying to blame Sky when he is just about to re-negotiate a TV deal is just irresponsible. It's about time the other board members told him to belt up before the damage is irreparable.

Michael Lightowler, Tree Top View, Queensbury

SIR - I keep in touch with events in my home town by looking at the T&A website every evening. I was impressed to see that the Council turned down a licence to open a lap-dancing venue. I thought what a refreshing change.

Here in London every borough has its strip joints and table-dancing venues, which are then advertised in every local paper (full-page, graphically illustrated). I often think what a shame that these seedy places gain so much publicity for all to see.

I think Bradford Council should be applauded for maintaining decent morals.

A C Clark, Porters Avenue, Dagenham, Essex.

SIR - M Fairclough's presumption (T&A, July 23) that Bradford suffers less crime than Leeds has to be the epitome of naivet!

All he is doing is moving from a crime-ridden, run-down area of one city to an evidently quieter area of another. Both cities have equally good and bad areas.

However, published statistics would suggest that Bradford's level of crime is somewhat higher than neighbouring Leeds, despite the latter having a larger population.

Twelve years away from Bradford is going to be a huge culture shock for Mr Fairclough on his return!

Sue Wall, Roydstone Road, Thornbury.

SIR - As webmaster of the City Gent magazine's on-line service, I would like to congratulate John Dewhirst on his excellent article in the T&A (July 25).

I've moved from Bradford to Durham recently, so perhaps I can look at things from a different angle. What better way for Bradford to bounce back again, than a sporting club which is powerful, marketed correctly, and nurtures the talent of young Bradford sportsmen and sportswomen?

Adding to John's comments, if such a scheme were to come about, it is important that the facilities are available to people from all ends of the social scale, ensuring that sport really is "for all".

Finally, from City's point of view, a football academy is essential if we have serious ambitions to make it back to the Premiership. Hopefully, by offering talented youngsters a chance to make it with their home town club, it will prevent other clubs benefiting from the "Best of Bradford".

Chris Armstrong, Church Lane, Shadforth, County Durham

SIR - With reference to the letter from Iain Morris (T&A, July 17) suggesting that the age at which people may drive should be raised to 21 as in America. This is not always the case. In Colorado, from where my wife and I have just returned, the age at which young people can start to learn to drive is 15 years and three months.

If any person under the age of 21, which is the age at which alcohol can legally be drunk, is caught in possession of alcohol, their driving licence is revoked, whether or not a vehicular offence has been committed.

E L Roberts, Heath Terrace, Bradford 3.

SIR - How sad that this year's Bingley Show has been cancelled. Last year it was cancelled due to foot and mouth disease, this year, due to...well, you tell me.

The show committee must have known about the access difficulty after the 2000 show. So why leave it so late? It's a shame for the competitors and visitors that the show won't take place. I for one will miss my annual visit.

Let's hope the committee can get the show on track for 2003, at whichever site they decide to use.

Mrs Lyn Holmes, Northcliffe Close, Thornton.

SIR - I am looking for autographs of footballers of the past. Can anyone help me to find the autograph of Eddie Parris who played for Bradford Park Avenue and was also a Welsh international in 1931?

I am trying to put together an album on footballers with autographs, photos and paper cuttings.

If anyone can help it will make a 67-year-old football fan very happy indeed.

R Mursell, Blue Cedars, 5a Coppice Hill, Bishops Waltham, Southampton. SO32 1AG.