I WISH to register my disgust and disappointment at the events occurring at the opening match in the Tetley's Super League between Wigan and Warrington last Friday night.

In a short interval, I had my pride in being a Warringtonian utterly quashed and my respect for professional rugby league as a sport totally dashed. The behaviour of the Warrington team was nothing short of disgusting. This kind of uncivilised behaviour is exactly what we are trying to eradicate in Warrington in order to make it a safe and pleasant place to live. What hope do we have if so called professionals exhibit this type of violent and undisciplined conduct on the field of play and in front of television cameras? The Warrington Rugby League team is something we should be able to hold up as an example to the youth of the town. My embarrassment was compounded the next day when reading match reports in the Times. Darryl van de Velde, the man ultimately responsible for this total breakdown in discipline, was quoted as describing the many "free for alls" in the match as "some goings on" and virtually dismissing Kohe-Love's dismissal as "a result of a poor tackling technique that the player has been working on."

For goodness sake, what sort of excuse is this? The man is a professional footballer; if he cannot tackle without attempting to remove his opponent's head, he should not even be playing at schoolboy level. The team's behaviour and lack of discipline has to be condemned from the highest level within the club and action must be taken to ensure that we never have to suffer a similar shameful display again.

If we cannot produce a team that understands the meaning of discipline and fair play then I, for one, will not be supporting them - new stadium or not! I shall be travelling elsewhere to watch a team I can be proud of supporting and hold up as an example to the many young and up and coming players. I am sure many others from the town will be joining me.

The council and sponsors of Warrington Rugby League Club must bring pressure to bear on the club and force them to get their act in order NOW, before the good name of Warrington is totally soiled.

D. J. LAMB