MAY I respectfully suggest that RJ Stewart (Fans With Laptops May 29) himself needs to do some research on the meaning of the word "provincial" he uses in his letter about the Old Firm raiding players from such sides.

The only non-provincial sides in Scotland are Hibernian and Hearts i.e. from the capital city. Even Partick Thistle, difficult as it is for me to accept, are a provincial club.

Dan Guidi, Glasgow

England for World Cup 2010? Get real
THANK goodness we will be spared having to watch England at Euro 2008 this summer.

Having just listened to Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Lee Dixon and Alan Hansen (a Scot) smarm their way through the BBC's coverage of England's 2-0 win over the United States I was reminded of just why I laughed so much when Croatia knocked Steve McClaren's side out of the qualifiers back in November last year.

Listening to Messrs Lineker et al waxing lyrical about England's performance in what was essentially an end-of-season borefest, one would have thought Fabio Capello was the answer to all their prayers.

From what I could glean from the match, England will be as boring and predictable under Capello as they were under McClaren, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Kevin Keegan before him.

From where I was sitting, it looked like the USA were so tired that the England ladies team would have beaten them. There is no doubt that the influx of foreigners in the Barclays Premier League is to blame and the sooner England supporters wake up to their team's shortchomings, the better for all concerned.

Kevin Smith, Largs

Brooks is to blame
CAN I be the first to say that Brooks Mileson seems to have escaped much of the criticism for the sorry demise of Gretna.

The blame for the club's inevitable demotion to the Irn-Bru third division lies solely at the door of their former owner and his slapdash approach to throwing money around before pulling the plug without any financial safeguards in place. It's a disgrace.

Ross Wilson, Dumfries