THE letter in praise of players and spectators at the Junior Scottish Cup final (May 20) encourages me to say that sportsmanship was evident also at the final of the Scottish Cup between Hearts and Rangers.
At the close of play and after medals had been awarded, certain Rangers players, among them Richard Gough, Brian Laudrup, and Ally McCoist, came over to applaud their fans but also acknowledged Hearts supporters. As Hearts paraded the cup in front of their supporters, the majority of Rangers fans who remained also applauded the cup-winners.
The previous Saturday, at the final league game of the season at Tynecastle, Hearts Under-15 squad took a lap of honour with the cups that they had won. It was nice to see that as they went past the Dunfermline supporters those fans also added to the applause.
There was sportsmanship in 1956, when Hearts beat Celtic 3-1 in the final. I was on the terracing at Hampden with a friend, a lifelong Hibernian supporter, and at the end a group of Celtic supporters turned and shook our hands, with the added comment, ''Ye can have a len' o' the cup for a year''.
But in those far-off days we did go to cup finals even if our team was not playing in them. We did stand beside opposing supporters without feeling physical intimidation. And, yes, we did wear flat caps.
That age of ''innocence'' has gone. Today, the norm is a refusal to accept that opposing teams and their fans have any virtues. Now we sit in stands, segregated from the opposition, like two medieval armies facing up for war. Obscenities are chanted, and because we are all seated there is no way of moving to another spot if the vile stream of oaths are being delivered into our ears by the ''fan'' in the seat behind.
Try telling him (it usually is a him) to pack it in, but be prepared for further abuse, this time personal, and then remember that because you and he are season-ticket holders he'll be there again at the next home game.
That is one of the reasons why I will not be renewing my season ticket to Tynecastle. Maybe getting too old to bother could be another reason, but at least I've quit on a high. I have seen the Hearts win the Scottish Cup twice. I don't think I can hang around for another 42 years.
Alexander Good,
19 Kekewich Avenue, Edinburgh.
May 20.
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