Where was the Avenue campaign?

SIR - Please find attached a cheque for one penny toward the Save Your City fund.

It is perhaps ironic your appeal comes almost 30 years to the day after Bradford's former premier football club went into liquidation with debts of just £30,000.

Can you tell me when you had a similar Save Your Avenue Appeal? I'll save you the time researching this, as you did not have one. Nor did Avenue's plight appear on the front pages night after night in the run up to their final demise.

In the interests of impartiality, I would ask you to consider giving one half of all the money you raise and belatedly hand it over to the Bradford club which you ignored so much back in 1974. Had you run a similar campaign at that time then Avenue may well have survived and reclaimed their place in the Football League many years ago.

Surely it would make more sense for the people of Bradford to put their money in a club with no debt whatsoever and encourage it to make those last two steps up to the Football League, than to see more money thrown down the never ending drain of debt.

Should the Football League go ahead and expel Bradford City I hope your paper will rally round the Avenue, who would then be the city's premier club once more.

Kevin Haley, Ferrands Park Way, Harden.

l EDITOR'S NOTE: I can't speak for my predecessor of 30 years ago but I do know that the T&A both sponsors and supports Park Avenue, as I'm sure the club will be happy to confirm.

Know a Russian?

SIR - Please gentlemen, you that were born and bred in Bradford, you that are rich, why can't you get together and organise a consortium, put a package together and rescue Bradford City?

Are we looking ahead to seeing our great city, without a football club, it's bad enough seeing Leeds United relegated. Losing City we'll really have nothing to shout about.

What will happen to Valley Parade? Will it go to rot like Park Avenue's ground did? City should have moved there at the time, it was a bigger ground then.

If City had taken over Park Avenue, improvements could have been done little by little, then we could have had a nice stadium alongside a nice cricket ground.

But that was in the past, now we look to the future.

Moving to Odsal may be the only solution to City. Okay it's a long way for some of the fans but then it was a long way for Bulls fans but if it means keeping City up and running, then support the move, maybe Bulls fans will go to watch City at Odsal and create big crowds.

Come on money men, help. Has anyone told the Chelsea owner of our plight? Does anyone know a Russian?

B Barraclough, New Works Road, Low Moor.

Ground a memorial

Sir - To me, Bradford City will not be Bradford City away from Valley Parade. So in my opinion I want them to stay there.

Valley Parade is a memorial site to two of my dear friends and their dad, along with the other 53 who died in the fire, so, if City moved from Valley Parade - what would happen to it?

Also, Valley Parade brings back fun memories of the days when I went to see City along with my dad and grandfather, etc, So, please, please try to save City - but save it so they can remain at Valley Parade too.

Karen McCrudden, Oaks Lane, Lower Grange, Bradford

What club means

SIR - I attended, along with my son, the vigil at Valley Parade (May 13). I was so pleased to see such a good turn out for our club, especially at such an awkward time of day.

After the meeting we walked down Manningham Lane to meet my husband, who couldn't attend due to work, and were amazed at how many people asked us if we won!

Don't the people of Bradford realise what is going on? Even if you are not a supporter of Bradford City, don't you realise that people's jobs are at stake, not to mention the revenue the club brings to the city.

Bradford City is in dire trouble and in need of all our support, so please, please do everything you can to save our club.

Pat Lawrynowycz, Chapel Fold, Wibsey.

Let's all dig deep

Sir - At last something the ordinary fan can do! Dig deep to save City! My cheque's in the post.

It looks like I may need to play as well, so please pass on my details to Julian Rhodes. I usually play centre midfield, but I'll play anywhere for City.

Maybe Sir Ken Morrison would like to put in a tenner as well (That's £10 million Ken, not £10).

Paul Dawson, Nelson Court, Nelson Road, Ilkley

The best of luck...

Sir - How pleasing it is to read that now Mr Williams-Berry is standing for the parish council. He should begin campaigning for the 846 bus service (T&A May 13).

If only he had been as vociferous a year ago, when, faced with the decimation of the route, Councillor Thornton and I worked hard to cater for as many Wrose residents as possible by finding an alternative.

At the time First Bradford were as helpful as they could be, struggling to find a route not dogged by parked cars.

If Mr Williams-Berry was to walk the original bus route now, even with extra off-road spaces provided, he will see that this problem still exists.

I wish him luck and offer my support to his campaign, but remind him that the service has never run on a Sunday, only ever had a limited Saturday service, and must remain a viable business.

As a regular passenger, I would obviously welcome any increase in the number of busses. Providing effective public transport should not only reduce traffic volume in general, but more specifically also help the congested roads in the ever busier Wrose area.

Rob Porter, Spring Hill, Wrose

Charges unfair

SIR - Re the article in the T&A (April 28) regarding car parking price increases at the Royal Infirmary.

People who go there go either for treatment or to visit sick relatives or friends. The last thing they need is the added hassle of exorbitant car parking charges or clamping or finding parking spaces.

We know the hospital was built before the rise in motor vehicle numbers, but why don't all these bureaucrats get together and come up with a solution to this crisis which is causing so many problems to old people and low-paid members of hospital staff?

All the management seem to do is put up car parking charges - which is not the answer.

Michael Breen, Bolton Hall Road, Wrose.

Remember Fay?

Sir - I am researching a biography of Fay Taylour, a dirt-track rider who raced with great success at tracks throughout England in the late Twenties.

I would be delighted to hear from readers with memories or information about Fay and other women dirt-track riders of that time, including Eva Askquith from Yorkshire, Gladys Thornhill and 'Babs' Nield from Manchester, Lulu Rochester from Leicester, Carol Williams from Southampton, Laura West from Birmingham, Vera Hole aka 'Sunny Somerset' and Lottie Cottrell.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Deborah Cherry, 33 Shuttleworth Road, Preston, Lancashire PR1 6DB; e-mail: cherry_deborah@hotmail.com

Let's see sense

Sir - Re Bill Hudson's letter (T&A, May 14), I'd like to say how right he is. No discipline in schools has led to a nightmare problem with youth today. Even worse, he could send his letter to almost every country in the world, and it would be valid, as this is an international problem.

However, we must lay the blame squarely at the feet of social workers and civil libertarians who have taken from teachers, the police and parents any rights to chastise children appropriately.

Magistrates and judges who sentence young offenders lightly are also culpable, in upholding these "woolly-minded liberals".

It's time to put some sense back into life.

Sandy Parkinson, Grigg Place, Hilton, Western Australia