Where is the incentive for today's athletes?
With regard to Doug Gillon's two-part series (Breeding A Winning Culture Herald Sport, Apr 10 and 11), who cares? Most people are interested in participation' whatever that really means and when people compete it's a case of let's all be good losers'.

If this country is really serious about medals then it needs serious funding. Throwing the standard £2500 at athletes is degrading and soul destroying to those who are talented and really want to compete at the highest level.

Even if athletes are chasing medals, what happens to their other careers? Where is the incentive to give up all your time for no assurances when it comes to retirement?

Once again, it is left to the individual to fight it out for him or herself - when these athletes are successful, everybody smothers them to take credit but once the celebrations are over, everyone disappears again. Scottish agencies need to think about how talented athletes can make a real living from sport during and after their playing days.

I would not like to say how many times I have been told good luck' in all my sporting endeavours and career paths. But, again, who cares? The next generation need all the luck they can get.

Alec Davies, by email

Two into one doesn't go
Gretna have one millionaire backer, a squad of average players and they're on the verge of being an SPL side.

The Border Reivers have no millionaire backer, a squad including one or two world-class players and they're on the verge of closure.

Both clubs have an average home crowd of around 1500. Now Gretna's chief executive wants them to groundshare. Get real. Gretna cannot survive without Brooks Mileson's millions and the Reivers will not survive because they've never captured the locals' imagination.

If the men of Hawick, Melrose, Selkirk and Kelso are unwilling to travel to Gala, they'll never go to Gretna.

The Ghost of Dan Archer, Herald website