YP Letters: '˜God Rest Ye Two Great Gentlemen'

I WAS very interested in Leon Wobschall’s recent article on the late great Leeds United player Billy Bremner. It was a known fact at the time that he felt homesick and his girlfriend was still in Scotland.

Don Revie, the manager, could see the obvious potential in Bremner so took it upon himself to make a lone car journey to Scotland and persuade her to come to Leeds.

They were accommodated in a semi-detached house, number 4 Plantation Avenue, Temple Newsam, which was next door to my late Aunt and Uncle.

My Aunt liked to feel they played some part in helping them both ‘settle down’ so to speak. Showing friendship, helping with household chores etc and no, neither of them went to Elland Road ever.

To move on, however, great as the little dynamo was, I have to say that in my book he came a very close second to another Leeds United icon John Charles, who in my opinion has been the greatest player to lace up football boots on this planet and still is.

I say this because Charles had everything, ie height, strength, speed, superior shooting, a fantastic header of the ball when footballs were footballs and the laces could be painful on the cranium, not like today when they are like beach balls.

But Charles’s real gifting was he was equally at home playing at either centre half or centre forward. Two particular matches come to mind. John snuffing out the centre forward Derek Dooley who seemed to score every time he played for Sheffield Wednesday and two whilst playing centre forward at Wolverhampton was up against no other than Billy Wright. I think Wright met his match that day because Charles scored twice. Both of these games resulted in wins. The headlines in the old Yorkshire Evening News sports edition read “Wolf Killer Charles”.

Christmas now is approaching so I close with “God Rest Ye Two Great Gentlemen”.

Resort needs more funds

From: Sandra Smith, Esk Terrace, Whitby.

IT is interesting that Scarborough Borough Council is putting in planning applications for repairs and improvement works to Whitby’s piers and Endeavour Wharf.

My worry is whether the funds in place to carry out these works? Personally, I have my doubts. I think the council is hoping that Whitby will be content that there is something happening and we will stop hassling them.

There are also many issues regarding the applications, not least that the ladders and cabling on the East Pier is in a dangerous state (serious warnings were given in 2008).

These repairs are not included in the applications.

The issue of funding for works to the piers leads me to the fact that there is a major issue with revenue from harbour land and how SBC uses it. It is strongly contended that Marina car park revenue (up to £1m) should be used for Whitby harbour purposes. If this revenue had been ring-fenced for this reason over the past 10 to 15 years, there would be no problem with funding the current planned works. The works could have been done years ago, as recommended by various major studies, and the town’s businesses, residents and contractors would be in no danger from any failure of the structures.

Once again, the residents of Whitby deserve more from our council.

In praise of our carers

From: Mike Padgham, Chair, Independent Care Group, Scarborough.

THE recent heavy snow and ensuing disruption has once again demonstrated the courage and commitment of carers – paid and unpaid – who have battled the elements to ensure our most vulnerable continue to get the care they need.

A care home cannot close because of the snow just as people in their own homes cannot go without their vital visit from a homecarer, however difficult it might be to reach them.

In floods and other disasters and emergencies, we would, quite rightly, be swift to praise the emergency services who help others.

So in this period of treacherous and dangerous weather, we should also recognise and applaud carers who put their own safety and comfort aside, 24/7, 365 days a year to look after us.

Royals smooth way with US

From: Edward Grainger, Botany Way, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough.

MAX Nottingham’s perceived “bumpy ride” with Donald Trump in the White House and his concern for the continuing special relationship with our American cousins will be softened as the months and weeks lead us up to the Royal Wedding on May 19 (The Yorkshire Post, December 9).

What happens between Prince Harry and his American fiancée Meghan Markle will smooth the way between our two countries, whatever else President Trump may or may not produce from the hat of so-called American diplomacy.

New prayer words praise

From: Muriel D Wood, Newark Road, Crossflatts, Bingley.

AS an 88-year-old non-conformist, I was delighted to read that the Pope is calling for the wording of the Lord’s Prayer to be changed.

For at least a decade I have dropped saying the phrase “Lead us not into temptation” and used “Let us not be led into temptation” as substitute.