PFA Scotland chief executive Fraser Wishart weighs in with the players perspective of violence on match days ("PFA Scotland demand SFA and SPFL act after missiles", Herald Sport, March 5). He suggests " any form of abuse – physical or verbal – is totally unacceptable ..."

Perhaps on the verbal issue contesting players could assist by tempering their own conduct on the field of play. Fans become incensed with repeated incidences of jersey tugging, stealing yards at throw-ins, fly foot-stamps in tackles, diving and the like.

The much-criticised referees do their best but with better sportsmanship displayed the flow and standard of the game would improve. Such co-operation would surely assist in returning our football grounds to places of entertainment for the majority of football spectators.

Allan C Steele,

22 Forres Avenue, Giffnock.

Honours that are undeserved

IT was regrettable to learn that after so many years the area around the old White’s chemical works is still polluted ("Tens of millions needed to clean up Clyde's 'Brockovich disaster", The Herald, March 4).

My late grandfather had heavy horses and was the main contractor for White’s until the 1930s. He was quoted as saying that “the work was not fit for man nor beast”. As has been reported, John White was rewarded with a title and allowed to walk away from the toxic mess he had created.

Today with the exception of a few worthy cases, gongs and titles are still doled out to a motley crew, Sir Philip Green of BHS being a prime example.

NJ Morrison,

Millig, 29 Colquhoun Street, Helensburgh.

Reinforce stop and search

THE 1953 Prevention of Crime Act was intended to combat the carrying of knives and knuckledusters, given the rise of post-war street crime and gangs such as Teddy Boys. Supported by the 1863 Offences Against the Person Act and backed up by the right of police officers to "stop and search" it was effective and easily enforced.

Sadly in recent times "stop and search" has been crippled by the bien pensant with their "faux-equality" and "institutionally racist" nonsense.

I have also been aware on my visits to New York of the constant NYPD police presence. It was once considered far more dangerous than London – a situation now reversed – so it's difficult to accept the Government’s “reassurance” that the absence of police officers on our streets is not a significant cause of the rise in knife crime. ("Family plea as teenage girl’s knife murder sees city death toll rise to 18", The Herald, March 4).

Rev Dr John Cameron,

10 Howard Place, St Andrews.

Doubts over the BBC's vetting

I ATTENDED one or two BBC radio debates in 2014 in the lead-up to the independence referendum and remember thinking that the online vetting of audience applicants, including myself, was cursory to say the least (Letters, March 5). This impression was confirmed when I attended the debates and noted that the audience appeared to be packed with independence supporters, many of them, I suspect, SNP activists.

I do not think BBC claims of careful audience screening should be given much credibility.

Gus Logan,

2 York Road, North Berwick.