Passion not business

How can someone with supposed intelligence appoint Katrien Meire as CEO when in her three years at Charlton Athletic she had eight managerial changes, even sacking Jose Riga twice.

Charlton were also relegated during the period she was chief executive.

But the thing which annoyed me the most was when in 2015 she referred to the Addicks fans as customers which just shows she sees football as a business and not a passion.

Mr Chansiri says any fan who is not happy at the football being played at Hillsborough can have a part refund, with conditions.

No doubt one of those conditions will be the removal of our loyalty points so we can’t attend most away games.

Bob Boblah

Intake, Sheffield

Shame on parents

So shocking numbers of children in Sheffield don’t own any books.

How appalling is that fact?

Now there are families who are struggling to make ends meet, so going into a book shop and spending seven quid on a new David Walliams book is not a option but I have bought books for 20 pence in charity shops.

I have bought loads in there over the years, it didn’t break the bank.

After my son grew out of the books, back they went to be sold again.

I have said it before, I will say it again, some parents are not bothered about helping to bring their children on with reading and their learning.

Shame on them.

Jayne Grayson

by email

Owls’ new CEO

Wow, looks like there might be some fun at Hillsborough with the new CEO, Katrien Meire.

Having read the article in The Star, I checked her out on the internet. Neither made good reading.

Apparently, during her time running Charlton Athletic, the club had eight managers in about four years, got relegated, and season ticket sales dropped from 10,000 to 6,000.

Apparently she called supporters customers, and told them that they should “accept the way we run the club”. Clearly 4,000 season ticket holders disagreed!

It is reported that there were all manner of misjudgments during her time at Charlton, and she claimed to have received extreme abuse, and was subjected to criminal offences from Charlton supporters.

Wednesday need a period of calmness and stability at present, and it seems that a less controversial CEO might have been a better choice. Blimey, things aren’t bad enough at Hillsborough at the moment, without pouring oil on burning water.

I only know what I have read, so let’s hope she, and the club, do well, because if not then she and the owner might well be financing the club completely if fans start to vote with their feet next season.

SC, Owls fan

by email

I do know heartbreak

In reply to Pat, (Letters, January 2). I certainly do know what heartbreak means ,having lost loved ones to cancer and seen the suffering of several dear friends, (some very young), who have passed away long before their time.

However, it is not very pleasant seeing people gasping for breath due to bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory conditions caused by dangerous levels of air pollution which kills 500 people every year in Sheffield and 40,000 a year across the UK.

That is why we desperately need to retain our mature street trees as felling large numbers of healthy trees which protect us is only going to make the situation worse.

Yes, we know trees will grow given time but many of those we have lost were nore than 100 years old and by the time the newly planted trees have produced any substantial canopy cover sufficient enough to counteract the air pollution we will all be long dead and gone.

Sadly many people greatly underestimate the important role our trees play in our environment and the contribution they make towards our health and well-being.

Susan Richardson

Westminster Crescent, Lodge Moor, Sheffield, S10

Caring about two things

Pat from Gleadless, (January 2), thinks we shouldn’t be heartbroken about Amey’s environmental destruction because it ‘doesn’t compare to’ children with cancer.

She’s right: comparing the two is nonsense.

As a current patient at Weston Park can I reassure her that life-threatening illnesses don’t invalidate every other important issue, people are often capable of caring about at least two things at once.

RB

Meersbrook

Register your objection

Brownfield development-Yes. Greenfield encroachment – no.

The Government issued its Housing White Paper in early 2017 in an attempt to solve the housing crisis.

One of the key themes was “the right homes in the right places”. It also stated the importance of “the protection of open countryside”. Recent, large brownfield developments are under way in the Upper Don Valley. 118 homes have been built at Fox Valley in Stocksbridge, 413 homes are due to commence at Station Road in Deepcar, and 320 homes have been approved for the Oughtibridge old paper mill site.

Hallam Land Management have recently submitted plans to build up to 93 homes on greenfields at Hollin Busk.

This goes against the statements in the Governments White Paper and is an opportunistic attempt to build on open greenspace, and is not part of the original Sheffield City Council housing plan.

The current Sheffield City Council Strategy states that this is “valued open space that is not to be built upon”.

Local people have “taken up arms” and nearly 200 objections have been registered on the City Council Planning website.

Register your objection – the planning application number is 17/04673/OUT.

Friends of Hollin Busk

by email

Why Ringo won’t sign

Re: DM, (January 5), Ringo Starr told fans in 2010 that he no longer signs autographs because he wanted to stop them appearing on eBay.

He said: “I was signing and then they were on eBay the next day.

“So I just decided, I think I’ve done my share.

“That’s it,” he explained.

The former Beatle has no plans to reverse his decision because of concerns that signed items were being sold for profit.

Steve Goulding

Handsworth, Sheffield