Sports letter: United whingers

Sir: I listened to Graham Kelly on the radio last night on a phone- in with Alan Green, and was quite outraged at what he said about Manchester United being permitted to lengthen the season. His words, that his "heart" told him Manchester United's request should be granted, enraged me.

We can judge the position of the Football Association by asking ourselves, if Southampton or Nottingham Forest had made the same request, what would have been Mr Kelly's response? What would his "heart" have said then? And even more to the point, if United were to get their way on this, how long before they start throwing their weight around in other areas?

One thing is certain, United are not the gentlemanly outfit Liverpool were in their hey-day. That's one of the main reasons why many people dislike them so much. Liverpool then set an example in more ways than one. But not the current United. Some people say Alex Ferguson is in the tradition of Busby, Shankly and Stein. I say rubbish.

Those men were more than just winning machines. They had a moral dimension which is totally lacking in Ferguson. And they certainly would not have been trying on tricks like this to steal a march.

IRENE GUY

Hamburg, Germany