Neighbourly love

Gerry Hassan (Opinion, 19 March) makes a valid and important point when he says that the "Anyone But England" opinion depends on "a lot of false memory history syndrome".

Growing up in the north-east of Scotland, I recall being utterly captivated by the televised 1966 World Cup and my rising excitement as England progressed to the final. I also remember watching a cinema recording of the match against West Germany and the audience on its feet chanting "England, England" as their victory was replayed in glorious Technicolor.

It seemed perfectly natural to support our neighbour and we did so with no sense of disloyalty, especially since Scotland had failed to qualify for the 1966 finals.

There is little doubt that anti-English sentiment has increased since then. What the Braveheart brigade will discover soon enough, however, is that there are the first signs of a serious and growing anti-Scottish backlash in England.

If that continues to gather pace, Gerry Hassan's plea for the need to "normalise our relationship with our southern neighbours and friends" so that we stop defining our own identity through false hatred for England will become ever farther beyond reach.

IAN MCKERRON

Lawn Park

Milngavie

Dorothy Phillips (Letters, 19 March) is "saddened to see the proliferation of the St George Cross" (at Twickenham) "where the Union flag used to hang proudly".

Evidently, she doesn't understand that the use of the Cross of St George, being the recognised flag of England, is perfectly correct in a situation where an England team is playing. Indeed, the arrogant use, by England, of the Union flag, rightly strikes a raw nerve in all the other nations of the Union.

NORMAN SMITH

Aberdour Road

Burntisland