Readers' letters - January 30

For more letters: https://www.lep.co.uk/news/your-say/readers-letters-january-31-1-8997801

Congratulations to Sheffield United for their competitive ticket prices this weekend, and also to North End for their great value coach travel. I went with my ten-year old daughter and, despite the result, we had a good day out together.However, I think some of the chanting from our fans let our club down. There should always be a bit of competitive banter between fans, but the chants to Ched Evans (pictured) of him being “a **** Jimmy Savile” are surely way too far. Savile abused hundreds of girls and women – he is not someone to aspire to, even in jest.Given the correct change in how society treats issues such as sexual abuse and violence, isn’t it time that we think more about what we chant?I know every village has an idiot (ours ran on to the pitch on Saturday, unfortunately), but as supporters we should set the tone to make our club and city proud. We will be here for longer than any manager or player.We are Proud Preston. We are the fans of the Invincibles, of Sir Tom Finney, of Alan Kelly Snr. We are the Gentry. If we want that to mean something, we must have higher standards than others. Isn’t it also about time we thought twice about whether ‘getting your father’s gun’ is still appropriate?Adam Pattersonvia email

energyBacking for frackingI was pleased to see, in Friday’s Post, a positive report on Cuadrilla’s drilling site at Preston New Road (LP January 26). On Wednesday morning, I was with a group of visitors who were taken on a guided tour around the drilling site with Mark Lappin and Chris Flint. They explained to us, very professionally, how all the drilling operation works. On entering the site, we were taken to a briefing room where Mark explained to us the safety procedures before being guided round the site. The first impression we got was the tidiness and safety of the site and there was no evidence of any pollution. The most noticeable thing was how quiet the rig and other working machines were. At one point of the tour, we were stood about 20 metres from the rig that was drilling at the time, the noise from traffic on the motorway was louder than the noise from the rig, as was the four big diesel engines which power the energy for the machines. I could also hear an airliner plane, probably flying at about 35,000 ft, clearly. I did hear one of the party say that some of the residents have been very surprised at the lack of disruption the work has caused them and that the protestors have caused them more inconvenience by causing traffic hold-ups.I would suggest to anyone who wants to express their opinions on fracking to get information first from professionals who have years of experience rather than forming their opinion from comments from anti-frackers, which have nothing in common with the exploration being carried out. So come on everybody, let’s have more backing for fracking.Bob Xs via emailscandalPriorities of national media The recent furore regarding the disgraceful and sleazy behaviour of those who attended the Presidents Club prompts comment.Those involved in organising this event appear to have displayed disrespectful, misogynist attitudes, stuck in the 1970s. Many of those who attended were described as powerful leaders in industry and commerce, and begs worrying questions about character flaws and exploitative attitudes towards young women.I noted with interest that those interviewed all claimed they had left early. The picture created was a small number of diners left ‘at empty tables’!As well as the current flu epidemic, it appears there was an mysterious outbreak of blindness and loss of hearing, as those interviewed asserted that they hadn’t heard or seen anything!More seriously, and disturbing, when reported on the evening news programme, a significant amount of time was given to reporting the event and the strident self-righteous views of commentators wearing their virtue in their sleeve.Almost at the end of the news programme, brief mention was made of a court case in Scotland, when it was alleged that hundreds of children had been abused by nuns in a children’s home, and the graveyard revealed the early death of a substantial number of children.In my view, this allegation deserved greater attention and concern, rather than the disproportionate focus given to the appalling Presidents Club members’ behaviour.The fact that it wasn’t tells us a lot about the values and priorities of the national media.Malcolm Rae OBEFulwood