FOF Related - So what's next, where do we go from here?

[Admin]

I've been monitoring some posts over the last few weeks and it's sprung to mind how much Friends of Fulham has really come on in the last couple of years. The idea to start this forum was off the back of Offal, moving away from trouble makers, moderating things correctly and providing a safe but friendly place for us fans to be.

On a whole, and with the help of some friends along the way, I think Friends of Fulham has achieved this be it with the odd blip here and there but I think we managed to get the balance just about right. At the end of the day, this website was designed by the fans for the fans and this is something that I hope will stick for many years to come.

With the sudden decline of Tiff, It's made me wonder if there is anything else that we should be doing at Friends of Fulham to keep the wheels turning and most importantly keep things different from all of the other Fulham related forums. We are still slightly rugged around the edges but as a community, I think we can grow a lot bigger.

With this being the case, I'd like some ideas from you, the members who use this forum as to what we are doing right, what we're not doing right and what you'd like to see from us in the future and how we can improve this website. Friends of Fulham wouldn't be here today without it's members so I believe your feedback is very important. Please leave any ideas or feedback below.

Kind regards, Admin   

[sipwell]

I always find it a pity - on every forum and I head a massive one too - that good threads or good discussions get bumped to second pages and never see the daylight again. On the forum I am the boss of (mostly used by youngsters), we select a "thread of the week". I however don't think that would be appropriate here. Could it, perhaps be possible, to move good/interesting/widely discussed threads to another section, next to the two section this forum already has?

On a sidenote: Ridgerider needs to be told off for his love of Evans. He should be neutral, at best, or support anyone but Evans. :)

[cutbushcitylimits]

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[LordNelson]

How about some guest posts from Gentleman Jim?

[Jimpav]

Keep doing what you are doing guys. Providing you can maintain the high standard of moderation and maintenance, I like to think that the members will take care of the rest. We have a huge variety of posters and posting styles and this works.

Good threads become classics and others fade away. The onus should be on the reader to dig deeper into the later pages, there is an option to show new posts only which makes this easier.

Like the idea of thread of the week but there is always a danger of egos! A good thread will attract views and responses in it's own right.

Thanks again for all the hard work Scott and team.

[mike_f]

make more topics available to see on page 1?

[clintclintdeuce]

How about a FoF BBQ? Surely that would be worth the trip over the pond!

And I do agree with Sipwell. Maybe make the trending topics semi-sticky based on response and usage?

[zzamora]

If I had to suggest anything it would be to have posts on 1 page (eg don't have pages 2,3,4). Just a personal preference,don't know if anyone agrees

[jarv]

It is excellent as it is. I don't read all posts but have to admit that I check in about 6 times a day. Mainly to read additions to a good thread or to see if we have signed Wayne Rooney yet. 079.gif
I have said this before, living abroad, reading this site is like popping down the local in Putney for a pint and a chat. It takes me home.
Great job mods.

[SouthfieldWhite]

I think you need to decide if you want this as a fulham fx message board or just a general talk about anything message board, to be honest I only come on for fulham related stuff, Not about the tour de France etc, maybe you can have a section for fulham or football only post and a different section for other stuff, I'm guessing there's just as many overseas users as there is English base fulham fans and I respect that overseas fans feel closer to the club by using boards like this one.

[mrska]

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

+1

[Rupert]

At the moment this site, much like a certain football club we have some affection for, is small but perfectly formed.
The danger of trying new things to make it grow, and in effect replace TIFF, is that the dross and flotsam will be attracted and cause the moderators a lot of problems and/or put people off using it.
This is, I freely admit, a selfish point of view. I'm like the youngster who has hooked the good looking girl at the disco and is now trying to keep her away from his mates, in case they spoil things. I'd rather echo Cutbushcitylimits and say leave it alone, it will continue to grow, but at a steady and manageable rate, also like a certain football team we all love.

[SmithyFFC]

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

+1

+2

[HatterDon]

I don't see anything wrong with the site -- including the # of pages. There's an indication on which pages you're up to date on. When I return to the site after a decent sized absence, I sometimes find that "unread threads" to cover the first 5 or 6 pages. No sweat, I just go to the "oldest' one and click on. Sure as shooting, I'm taken to the post following the one I've read last. If the thread in question is no longer of interest to me, I just click "previous" and go on to the next. I do this until I'm finished. Doing this also stops me from creating duplicative threads.

However, in the past I have suggested that, for those who like to rant politically, racially, and religiously, that a new category be set up. This category would require membership specific to that category [although the member could read and participate in ALL categories, nobody but a special member could participate in the new category]. One of the requirements to belong to this one category is that the member would have to make a financial donation to the site. This strikes a double blow to the good, in my opinion:

1. Those who wish to rant can continue to do so without believing that they're being singled out for censorship for theirr political beliefs while "HE SAID MUCH WORSE AND NOBODY'S PICKING ON HIM, MUM."

2. Mods can move the "infected thread" to the new category and leave a message on the General forum saying that it's been done. That way, the general category will no longer have a locked thread filled with vituperative and offensive comments still visible to all, but people who want to up the banter ante can still play -- if they've paid to do so.

I've seen this method in use on one of the guitar sites I frequent. I don't particularly like how it's run there, however, since the folks who run the site are of the same political, social, and religious mind and -- to them -- nothing is controversial unless it offends THEM. But Ed et.al. have been pretty even-handed about blowing the whistle when things go to far, and for that reason I think it would work here. It would help with the site's running costs, and it would improve our public image.

Still, I'm very happy with what we have here, --- well, we're still pretty short of smilies, but ... .

[White Noise]

The growth thus far has been organic and unplanned and the site has just had a momentum of its own. If you look at other football clubs various sites you get independent websites that endeavour to be all things to all people they will have a collection of the following sort of elements -

1) News pages
2) Articles
3) Statistics & Records pages
4) Statistical and tactical analysis
5) Match reports
6) Detailed player profiles & records
7) Sections on the reserve and academy teams with match reports & player profiles
8) Fans photo's
9) Away match info & reports & car sharing etc
10) History pages
11) A stuff to buy section - linked to someone like Amazon so you can buy club related books, dvds, clothes etc
12) Regular quiz
13) Forums/messageboards
14) Game previews
15) Player & ex-player interviews
16) Member map

Etc etc.

A good example of a straightforward independent fan site is the Everton site Blue Kipper -  http://www.bluekipper.com/

Its not as sophisticated as some other sites but it shows what can be done if you have enough like minded enthusiasts prepared to give of their time.

There are enough bright, erudite and interesting people on here to be able to write profiles of old players which could be built up into a permanent archive. I think it would be great if FoF could pioneer a sort of Fulham Wiki where every single Fulham player and match ever is detailed for posterity and enjoyment and that each of us could then add memories and thoughts to. It is something that would be very enjoyable to do, could involve every one of us and would leave a rich resource for future generations of Fulham fans. We could build it up gradually with no set goals or time frames and see if it captures people's imagination and gains momentum. So many FoF members have said how much they enjoy the extraordinarily detailed recollections of the older members on here & it would be lasting reminder of those folk for when the memories are there no more.

The list of things above would take a lot of member involvement & I am not sure we have a sizeable enough core of people who are able to devote the sort of time it would take deliver those elements week in week out. That is not to say we will not get there though or that we couldn't do some of them now. Time is the key element though and it would need a lot of time from an 'Editor' and accompanying editorial team to commission, chase up, edit etc those items and articles that would be included. Football is a strange game in that it generates a rabid passion in supporters in a way few other sports do - sufficient to get people to devote huge amounts of time and money simply for the love of the club. If you put the question out there you may get some takers and have something start rolling.

Personally, as much as I genuinely love the independent blogs like Hammyend and Craven Cottage Newsround I would dearly like to see a team of all the talented writers, analysts and pundits all working on producing a Fulham super-site. Imagine the likes of Rich Allen, Dan Crawford, Lork, Colin Baker, Chopper, Gatesy etc all pouring their ideas into one website with match reports from the likes of Norfolk Jim, Northern White, White Witch, Hatter Don etc. Profiles of transfer rumour players from our man in the know with a rating system as to likelihood. Articles from Fulham supporters clubs in other countries etc. Obviously there is a magazine style element to a lot of these things and we wouldn't want to detract from the great TOOFIF in any way. I sometimes get the sense that some bloggers find it a lonely pusuit - and maybe, just maybe they would get more from the kinetic energy of collaboration and the support of working in a team and shared success??

A betting column from Fred & Blingo, a contracts page, book reviews, 'My favourite goal, match, cult-hero' pieces from anyone and everyone, - I could probably list 20 or more additional things we could do.

It would draw members together, get more people more involved in the site and give more substance to the site thus maybe ensuring its future stability. On the flip side it would change the site and change is not always popular. The site has grown as it has to meet the needs of members. The above stuff goes way beyond that and so may be redundant. The site continues to grow and there is not one person voicing negativity about it, so sticking as is may well be the answer.

[MrCheviot]

Add a NFR category on the "General" page.
Encourage people to look for threads before posting new topics - there are SO MANY duplicate threads.

If the NFR idea won't fly, perhaps promote/copy news or direct-FFC related items to a different category then.

[Gozorich]

Southfield White suggests that those of us who are exiles feel closer to the 'club' through forums like this. If by 'club' he means fellow Fulhamites(?) then he is right.

White Noise as usual has come up with some good ideas but quite honestly I look at this site a number of times a day to get the views and ideas of other FFC supporters. If I want statistics, profiles etc. I can find them elsewhere; I'm not saying I wouldn't use them but I'm happy as it is.

In summary; like other users I frequent other NFR forums but none of them beats this one for style or, in particular, sensible moderation. I doubt if there is another football site with such articulate, witty and rational (... well, most of the time) contributions.

My only wish is that the exiles site was less USA orientated. :028:

So don't mess with my daily fix of Fulhamism - hands off FOF! 082.gif

   

[WhiteJC]

The growth thus far has been organic and unplanned and the site has just had a momentum of its own. If you look at other football clubs various sites you get independent websites that endeavour to be all things to all people they will have a collection of the following sort of elements -

1) News pages
2) Articles
3) Statistics & Records pages
4) Statistical and tactical analysis
5) Match reports
6) Detailed player profiles & records
7) Sections on the reserve and academy teams with match reports & player profiles
8) Fans photo's
9) Away match info & reports & car sharing etc
10) History pages
11) A stuff to buy section - linked to someone like Amazon so you can buy club related books, dvds, clothes etc
12) Regular quiz
13) Forums/messageboards
14) Game previews
15) Player & ex-player interviews
16) Member map

Etc etc.

I like all of WhiteNoises ideas, if anyones interested in volunteering for writing a blog, let me know.

1) News pages
catered for with Daily Fulham Stuff...?
news archive
http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=5.0
2) Articles
I like WhiteNoise's idea of co-opting existing bloggers, if there is interest in this I'll look at adding WordPress? bloggs to the site
3) Statistics & Records pages
this could be one of the bloggs?
4) Statistical and tactical analysis
this could be one of the bloggs?
5) Match reports
this could be one of the bloggs?
6) Detailed player profiles & records
http://www.friendsoffulham.com/players.php
not detailed enough, volunteers need, I'm happy to act as "editor" perhaps adding contract info for the current players?
7) Sections on the reserve and academy teams with match reports & player profiles
getting profiles would rely on the club? anyone go to the reserve and or academy game?
8) Fans photo's
I like this idea, I'll look into setting it up
9) Away match info & reports & car sharing etc
10) History pages
http://www.friendsoffulham.com/fulhamhistory.php
Any additions to this section welcome...
11) A stuff to buy section - linked to someone like Amazon so you can buy club related books, dvds, clothes etc
this is a good idea, perhaps a FoF shop?
12) Regular quiz
13) Forums/messageboards
we've got these, do they need expanding?
14) Game previews
15) Player & ex-player interviews
I'd love to see this, getting access to current players would be more difficult that ex-players?
16) Member map
this is something I've been planning for some time, I'll pull my finger out!


my only concern is that setting up specific pages or sections might detract from the current message boards, for example reading "HD's view from..." often prompts me to read another thread as different members add to the post, if it was a 'blog' there would be less interaction?

[MJG]

my only concern is that setting up specific pages or sections might detract from the current message boards, for example reading "HD's view from..." often prompts me to read another thread as different members add to the post, if it was a 'blog' there would be less interaction?

I like a lot of the ideas put forward to expand the site and they would be great, but I have to agree with the above.
Once you start adding more sections and especally in the forum section I find on sites that the real message board becomes weaker. I like the fact its all on one section, I look straight away at the unread threads either on my phone/tablet/PC and know there is nothing else i'm missing.

A lot have come over from TIFF and while that format has its weaknesses it is all in one place and maybe thats why this site works well as against the ones that were set up to rival TIFF and had all the different sections about politics/films/music/TV etc.

[Burt]

The existing recipe seems to work well.

If I like a topic, I will read it and may also contribute.

If I am not interested in a topic, I move on by.

There needs to be a sensible balance between increasing functionality etc. on the one hand with not making the admin too onerous for the mods.