Getting shirty

WHEN I arrived to live in Scotland in the 1990s, I had the same conversation several times. When confronted by otherwise pleasant and reasonable people enthusiastically wishing defeat on my national team, I explained that English people, in my experience, generally support Scotland and the other home nations in their sporting endeavours. This was met with disbelief.

Sadly, they assumed that the English were as consumed with cross-Border ill-will as they were. Even more regrettably, I fear that many Englishmen have now become more aware of Scottish ill-will, and are foolishly reciprocating.

RICHARD LUCAS

Cowan Road

Shandon, Edinburgh