Letter: Football yobs

Football yobs

Sir: There is no hope of ever changing the yobbish and violent nature of the football thugs while the likes of Helen Maclenan (Letters, 19 June) assert that these hooligans have been failed by the education system and that their "self-chosen crusade" is "brave, by their own lights" because they are defending the "honour" of their country.

In all my years of teaching, as far as I am aware, not one of my pupils - all with learning difficulties - ever resorted to becoming a violent thug because of feelings of inadequacy and in order to "win" at something.

Yes, we do live in a selfish society and it is not easy for the "unsuccessful" but millions of these people struggle on in a decent and responsible manner. These thugs sicken and embarrass all decent and hardworking people. Their behaviour is a stain on our national pride.

Mrs N CLEMENTS

Ilford, Essex