Hear all sides

WHILST Milan Mandaric's threat to withhold wages at Portsmouth or Susan Reynolds' comments at Darlington may not be the most obvious or best way to boost team performances, I think they clearly show the increasing frustration experienced by football chairmen and directors.

After all, this is a world where ever-increasing sums of money are required to just keep a club in the same league, let alone challenge for promotion.

After working as a motivational consultant with a number of teams and closely with chairmen, I can certainly understand the frustration and disappointment that many feel over their team's lack of success.

We talk about the pressure that managers are under and it has certainly increased in the three years I've been involved in working with clubs.

But we often forget the pressure experienced by chairmen, who it mustn't be forgotten, almost without exception, are the only people who don't take money from a club. Instead, they usually put large amounts of their own money in.

Having been called in to help a number of struggling clubs, I have seen at first hand what a lack of success and fear of relegation can do to chairmen.

Maybe it's time to start a support your chairman campaign, because without them where will the money for Nationwide clubs come from? - Richard R O'Neill, Bury.

AS a supporter of Darlington for more than 50 years, I thought I had seen it all.

Then George Reynolds turned up and sorted out the club's financial position, and I thank him for that.

Most supporters now realise that they got really hyped up by George Reynolds' plans for the Premiership.

The costly new stadium was his idea. I would much rather have stayed at Feethams and had a decent side to watch.

No matter what, I'll always love the club, even in the Premier League (Unibond). - Dave Moore, Hutton Magna.

GEORGE Reynolds seems to have gone into a business with little knowledge of football, just like most chairmen of football clubs.

With his status and age, you would think he would retire and enjoy life without all the criticism he gets on and off the pitch.

Saying that, it will be hard to find someone to finance the club. That has always been a problem at Feethams down the years.

But all the aggression at the moment will not do the club any favours. - N Tate, Darlington.

AS a season ticket holder, I have attended nearly every home game this season, and like many others, I am concerned about the present situation. But my view is quite clear.

Having cleared the club of debt, George Reynolds is entitled to insist that it functions as a viable business. Income has to be more than expenditure otherwise there is a sudden end. Having paid out £7m, what more are the supporters wanting George Reynolds to do?

If only 3,000 people are prepared to support the club, then Third Division standard is all they can expect. New players can only be brought in from generated finance.

Susan Reynolds, as a director of the club, has the right to question the attitude of the players, and is justified in doing so. How could there be such wholehearted endeavour against Hartlepool and then so abysmal a performance against Torquay a few days later?

Instead of complaining, some of the players, as the manager suggested, ought to have repaid their salaries to the supporters who were there.

The manager has to accept some responsibility for motivation, but ultimate responsibility must rest with the players.

George Reynolds and his family should not have to suffer abuse. He should, instead, enjoy the gratitude of everyone for keeping the club in existence. It is beyond belief that a benefactor be treated in this manner.

If George goes - and in the circumstances I wouldn't blame him - what personal responsibility will his critics take to ensure the future of the club? - E Lee, High Etherley.

GEORGE Reynolds has turned Darlington FC into the laughing stock of British football.

Stories of top flight soccer and Dutch internationals on the way to the club made me wary of him. Which sane footballer, who once represented Holland, would want to come to Feethams? I am still waiting to see such a fellow arrive, two years on!

The man is publicity mad, and, with his wife on board, they could well become the biggest comedy act since Cannon and Ball. Come back David Hodgson, and save us from this embarrassment. - Christopher Wardell, Darlington.

WAR ON TERRORISM

PETE Winstanley (HAS, Feb 26) seems to have a very strange idea of the war on terrorism the West has been plunged into.

Why does he not direct his remarks on the economic and human costs of war towards bin Laden and his organisation, since it was bin Laden who declared holy war on America, attacked its embassies, ships, buildings and people and urged his followers "to kill Americans wherever you may find them in the world", in a statement he made against America in 1998.

Mr Winstanley was silent in 1998 and reserved his indignation towards Americans who are being forced to defend themselves.

Does he not realise that, after Islamic terrorists wipe out Christians, it will be the Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs etc who will be next. - Graham Marshbank, Middlesbrough.