Don’t forget football racism of the past

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/apr/16/dont-forget-football-racism-of-the-past

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You rightly focus on the “return” of football racism (Sport, 13 April) and yet do not acknowledge its crude past a couple of days later in your obituary of Tommy Smith (Journal, 15 April), whose treatment of pioneer Liverpool player Howard Gayle was disgraceful. Only connect – and not in the manner of one of Smith’s crunching tackles. Professor Tony Kushner University of Southampton

• Period poverty should not be the reason for making free sanitary products available (Report, 16 April). It’s time these products were provided free for all women. Periods are not an “optional extra”. If men had periods I’m sure they would have provided free sanitary protection a long time ago. It would also avoid the argument about applying VAT.Sue EdwardsSidmouth, Devon

• Sunday’s five road accident deaths (Report, 15 April) just means it was an average day. The latest figures, for 2017 show 1,793 people lost their lives on Britain’s roads and 24,831 suffered serious injury.Jon ReedsSmart Growth UK

• Reading your brief history of female-led punk (Women who led the way, 13 April), I was surprised not to see a mention of Moira and the Mice, of whom John Peel said: “They’re four-square up my boulevard.”Lorraine Matthews.Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan

• Regarding Songs about Europe (G2, 12 April), going back a few more years, surely Doris Day’s April in Paris and Frank Sinatra’s Three Coins in the Fountain deserve a place.Brian IngramNorthampton

• “I could have had a life of crime says Javid, as he begins leadership push,” (16 April). It was hardly much of a wiser choice for Sajid Javid to go into Conservative politics!Michael MeadowcroftLeeds

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