Sir Alex Ferguson should get public backing over his handling of Cristiano Ronaldo. Fifa president Sepp Blatter has tarnished his office by supporting Ronaldo’s desire to seek a transfer to Real Madrid, even though he has four years left on his contract. The irony of comparing modern footballers, many of whom earn more than £100,000 a week, to serfs was lost on Ronaldo, who agreed United were treating him like a slave.

Kailash Chand, Ashton-Under-Lyne, Lancashire

I agree with Laurie Sephton (Letters, last week). This is how Manchester United ‘fans’ are born. Stage 1: A 10-year-old, living in Outer Mongolia, notices a team called Manchester United is top of the Premier League after one game. Stage 2: He or she is now a ‘lifelong fan’. What about his or her local team? Oh, forget them.

T Jones, via email

Your Caught In Time on Oldham’s second division championship in 1991 (last week) was fascinating. Oldham nearly had greater success prior to the First World War. On the last day, they were level with Everton on 45 points - Everton drew with Chelsea at Goodison while Liverpool won at Boundary Park to hand the title to their local rivals.

Bob Ellis, Southport

Every year we hear we need grass-roots players, but when will people realise tennis is a game for the sons and daughters of millionaires? There will never be a top pro from a council estate.

Jeff Elliott, Catterick, North Yorkshire

Tennis is not unique in failing to attract, keep and nurture young players. Tony Hawks’s plan (last week) is laudable but not deliverable. A £100 prize may tempt a player to enter a competition, but for umpires, scorers, organisers and tea-makers it is no incentive. Giving free tennis coaching will not keep people coming back for more. Look at any tennis club notice board and the difficulty is deciding which competition to miss, rather than where to find a game. Local club and regional structures, in all sports, are amateur at their core. Where they should give direction, they are capable only of stewardship. It is here that the real challenge exists.

David Harris, Alton, Hampshire

When a side scores heavily in the first innings of a Test, the opposition have no chance of winning and a draw is all they have to play for. This is not the sort of cricket the public wants to watch. An alternative would be to impose a mandatory declaration at, say, 300, for the side batting first, giving both teams a chance to win after that.

Kenneth Wood, Exeter

Following the careers of sportsmen and women after their retirement can make an interesting read. The item on Andrea Jaeger (Top 10, last week) made for quite a contrast with the money-raising schemes of others. Shame, then, that John Aizlewood should end with the cheap, patronising sneer: ‘Bless’.

David Ingall, via email

Send your letters to: The Sports Editor The Sunday Times 1 Pennington Street London E98 1ST sportletters@sunday-times.co.uk

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