Tarnishing the reputation (Fraser Thompson)

I write in reply to your headline in the paper “Footballers did drink …” and also on your Facebook page.

Up until now I have always found The Shetland Times to be a fact-based newspaper and not a rumour-based tabloid.

The facts are the boys had one bottle of beer with their meal, I cannot see how this is a newsworthy item and all this does is tarnish the reputation of the players and coaches unfairly.

The majority of this group have been in the Shetland football squad since about 11 years old and I have been away on quite a few trips with them to Orkney, Stirling, etc.

I have seen them mature from young boys to young men. All of them have always been extremely friendly, hard-working, dedicated footballers and a credit to their clubs, coaches and families, every one of them always extremely proud to pull on the Shetland strip.

I would like to hear what these “allegations” made against them are because these boys take their football very seriously and have trained hard over the year for the junior inter- county.

Anything questioning the squad and coaches dedication and professionalism is at best laughable and at worst disrespectful.

Fraser Thompson
Whitefield,
Whalsay