Do we really need this?

[Peabody]

Reading this forum of late, you wonder why we as fans bother with the club.

Firstly, no one can argue that over the last two or three years, they, the club, has made many mistakes, which have ultimately led to our present position. That I agree with but do we as supporters have to keep looking and indeed expressing opinions that are both, highly critical and sceptical of the club and its dealings. You can call me an apologist and anything else you like but all we are doing is tearing our club apart. Of course the executives have played their part in this but we, the supporters are also playing a part by this continuous sniping, which in my opinion does nothing but quickens the demise of our team. There, I have said it, now fire away and shoot me down in flames. Just remember, that I am also aFulham supporter, who cares deeply about this club, just like you.

[jelmo]

Its a forum to express opinions that are either good or bad.

This isnt North Korea where we are only allowed to express positive opinions about the regime. That would be pointless and frankly boring.

Also, now that Felix has gone, the mood has lightened anyway. Therefore, the timing of this post is a bit odd.

[Peppo]

I suspect that the club does read the posts on the message boards and I believe what is being said is being taken on board with their decision making. Which is a concern because the board is stacked in favour of  people who complain. For example, the statue. Many people complained about it, but there were probably more people who approved of it and lots more who didn't care one way or another. Yet, the owner saw that the fans wanted to get rid of it just because the disenters were vocal and the others were silent. I guess there have been other decisions that have also been influenced by the boards.

[jelmo]

I suspect that the club does read the posts on the message boards and I believe what is being said is being taken on board with their decision making. Which is a concern because the board is stacked in favour of  people who complain. For example, the statue. Many people complained about it, but there were probably more people who approved of it and lots more who didn't care one way or another. Yet, the owner saw that the fans wanted to get rid of it just because the disenters were vocal and the others were silent. I guess there have been other decisions that have also been influenced by the boards.

Not sure about this. The vast majority of fans wanted the statue gone. It made us a bit of a laughing stock to our rivals.

Anyway, if our dissenting voices helped speed up the departure of Magath then I dont think this helps the initial argument made in thread.

[Twig]

I suspect that the club does read the posts on the message boards and I believe what is being said is being taken on board with their decision making. Which is a concern because the board is stacked in favour of  people who complain. For example, the statue. Many people complained about it, but there were probably more people who approved of it and lots more who didn't care one way or another. Yet, the owner saw that the fans wanted to get rid of it just because the disenters were vocal and the others were silent. I guess there have been other decisions that have also been influenced by the boards.

I really don't know on what empirical basis you can make this claim?  It is certainly very thin evidence on which to argue that the Board of FFC is unduly influenced by a message board.
To the original post, I tend to agree with those who find the timing of Peabody's post odd (a legitimate point of view but a month too late).  Speaking personally I certainly don't regret voicing my opinion of both Jol and Madgath and I think that is the point of an independent board to be able to criticise and express opinions.  However now we have Kit in charge and the tone of the board seems much more upbeat to me and rightly so. 

[Peppo]

I suspect that the club does read the posts on the message boards and I believe what is being said is being taken on board with their decision making. Which is a concern because the board is stacked in favour of  people who complain. For example, the statue. Many people complained about it, but there were probably more people who approved of it and lots more who didn't care one way or another. Yet, the owner saw that the fans wanted to get rid of it just because the disenters were vocal and the others were silent. I guess there have been other decisions that have also been influenced by the boards.

Not sure about this. The vast majority of fans wanted the statue gone. It made us a bit of a laughing stock to our rivals.

Anyway, if our dissenting voices helped speed up the departure of Magath then I dont think this helps the initial argument made in thread.

Another example is Muelensteen. I seem to recall many people posting against him. Maybe this contributed to his sacking. Now in hindsight many people think we should have stuck with him. All I am saying is that people are entitled to their views but it could be dangerous for the club to listen to them too closely.

[TonyGilroy]

I suspect that the club does read the posts on the message boards and I believe what is being said is being taken on board with their decision making. Which is a concern because the board is stacked in favour of  people who complain. For example, the statue. Many people complained about it, but there were probably more people who approved of it and lots more who didn't care one way or another. Yet, the owner saw that the fans wanted to get rid of it just because the disenters were vocal and the others were silent. I guess there have been other decisions that have also been influenced by the boards.

Not sure about this. The vast majority of fans wanted the statue gone. It made us a bit of a laughing stock to our rivals.

Anyway, if our dissenting voices helped speed up the departure of Magath then I dont think this helps the initial argument made in thread.

We will never know what the vast majority of supporters felt about the statue. I  thought it was a ludicrous example of MAF's  eccentricity but for all that harmless. Others had different opinions.

The "club" certainly monitors the message boards but I've no idea how far up the food chain that goes. The monitoring is to deal with issues so that ticketing problems for example will be high up the agenda. Who should play at RB less so.

Of course we should express our opinions on here whether negative or positive but after the shambles of the last two years this last week has been glorious and I don't understand people not having patience with Kit.

As for Khan we can be suspicious if we choose but for better or worse he's the owner and whilst awful decisions have been made and it's been a calamitous stewardship so far I still don't see him as an evil presence. I just think that he's got things badly wrong. But that's just my opinion.

I'm with Peabody in general. Let's at least try to enjoy this.

[nose]

Reading this forum of late, you wonder why we as fans bother with the club.

Firstly, no one can argue that over the last two or three years, they, the club, has made many mistakes, which have ultimately led to our present position. That I agree with but do we as supporters have to keep looking and indeed expressing opinions that are both, highly critical and sceptical of the club and its dealings. You can call me an apologist and anything else you like but all we are doing is tearing our club apart. Of course the executives have played their part in this but we, the supporters are also playing a part by this continuous sniping, which in my opinion does nothing but quickens the demise of our team. There, I have said it, now fire away and shoot me down in flames. Just remember, that I am also aFulham supporter, who cares deeply about this club, just like you.

as a supporter of anything that is an institution (I am using the term very loosely) we have very little ability to influence descions. Often things happen we don't like or agree with such as cameras appearing from nowhere right in line with the goal, changing from white to dirty grey stripes with bizarre non matching orange trim, the sale of players we should have kept, the appointment of a mad german and keeping the hiopleless dutchman too long.

Nobody from the club consulted with us (me) as to our views, so with the miracle of modern technology we can raise our voices and consult (bicker) with each other as to how we feel. I do not think that we are tearing our club apart, I think we are keeping it together by showing the management that long term inmates, and newer supporters, have valid opinions and they need to be heard and respected.

What we could do without are a few that talk loud but say little, but that is the price of free speech.

[love4ffc]

Reading this forum of late, you wonder why we as fans bother with the club.

Firstly, no one can argue that over the last two or three years, they, the club, has made many mistakes, which have ultimately led to our present position. That I agree with but do we as supporters have to keep looking and indeed expressing opinions that are both, highly critical and sceptical of the club and its dealings. You can call me an apologist and anything else you like but all we are doing is tearing our club apart. Of course the executives have played their part in this but we, the supporters are also playing a part by this continuous sniping, which in my opinion does nothing but quickens the demise of our team. There, I have said it, now fire away and shoot me down in flames. Just remember, that I am also a Fulham supporter, who cares deeply about this club, just like you.

Mr.P - I agree with whole hardily.  I've stopped reading some of the post all together due to it's repetitiveness.  One can only read the same things different ways so many times. 

I enjoy and love this board but I find myself either skimming or not reading certain post.  Rather I look for the more upbeat post that I find interesting.     

That is why we need another JOKE Mr. P.    :021:

[filham]

I always like to be supportive of the club and the players but honestly the managerial competence in the last couple of years has been difficult to support.

There comes a time Peabody when we feel that the club will benefit more from a dose of honest criticism than it will from blind support.

[Andy S]

Look back 40 years and there was nothing like a message board. There were no fanzines and the only form of communication between fans would have been by the sanitised official programme and word of mouth. Even the results from mid week away matches were read only once on the 10:00 radio  news if you missed it that was tough luck. You had to wait for the following mornings newspaper. We watched Fulham sink through the divisions with hardly a whimper. Thank goodness for todays many ways of communication and freedom to say what we feel

[irishfulham]

Its a forum to express opinions that are either good or bad.

This isnt North Korea



hahahahahahahhhahahaahahahhaha funniest comment of the day hat off to you sir :)

[Southcoastffc]

The thing that worried me most when Shahid Khan took over was that he said he'd listen to the fans.  Having sat in the JH stand, Riverside and Hammy End since then I sincerely hope he has changed his stance.  086.gif   But Peabody is right imo - let's enjoy ourselves, whatever happens. 

[jarv]

I also find myself "skimming" the posts. I check the site several times a day in the hope of some good news but it is very quiet and, as someone said, a bit repetitive. I put it down to....relegation, no transfer news and since Magath sacking, what good news is there. (maybe another win this week).
If the site is monitored, I wonder if it has any impact at all on the club or the players. I suspect Danny got fed up reading his legs were gone and goodness knows what Ruiz thinks.

[HatterDon]

We're parents and the club is our child. Late at night when we HOPE our child is sleeping soundly, we gather quietly do discuss all the things our child is doing -- good, bad, safely, dangerously -- and try to figure out how we deal with this child that changes so radically from year to year.

This kind of conversation is important to keep us all from keeping our concerns internalized and allowing them to gnaw at our innards until we do something rash and leave our child an orphan.

Really, all this moaning and bitching only SEEMS to be tearing the club down. Really, the venting -- however infantile -- helps to keep the child alive.

And I've stretched this conceit as far as I can.

[Berserker]

When I wake up in the middle of the night with aching hands I look at this forum for a quick respite. To be honest it never needs moderating at 3 am in the morning. I expect you FOF members in different time zones to the UK must think that Berserker is a very keen Mod!

[Peabody]

For the umpteenth time, I am being told that this is a forum for opinions but when I express my opinion, I am accused of creating North Korea. This is my opinion and surely the Mafia should respect that,not necessarily agree with it but respect my right to express it, no, that isn't allowed.

[Logicalman]

I tend to agree with Peabody to an extent, though I would suggest that perhaps the ease of access to information and ability to both disseminate it, together with a personal view/take, allows a sense of freedom to both applaud and, unfortunately more so, criticize, the club and individuals.

What I find appalling is the name-calling and derogatory references. One on this thread is a perfect example: The North Korea jibe. Rather than providing a sensible reply and leave it at that, the claim that the original poster believes it should reflect the same restrictions as that Country is both disrespectful and childish, and does nothing but cause a defensive stance.

It also amazes me how many people seem to know who the vast majority are when dealing with a particular issue. The term "the squeaky wheel gets the oil" comes to mind, though that is also the basis of any democracy, inasmuch that if you don't take part in the vote/debate, then don't complain about the outcome.

I have very little doubt certain individuals at the club read this, and other, message boards, and although items read may not lead directly to changes or the decision-making process, there is always the possibility that it places a seed of thought.

Lets keep FoF a place where discussion is ripe and lively without the rhetoric that divides us from being the one thing we all are here, Fulham Faithful.

[Twig]

For the umpteenth time, I am being told that this is a forum for opinions but when I express my opinion, I am accused of creating North Korea. This is my opinion and surely the Mafia should respect that,not necessarily agree with it but respect my right to express it, no, that isn't allowed.

But equally there are others supporting you on here.  That is the nature of discussion and I thought from your post that you were an advocate of sharing different points of view.  That of course means some will vehemently disagree with you.

[MikeW]

Whether 'our' views are taken onboard is a mute point.  I suspect many are read.

But having an opinion is not wrong.  The negativity referred too was a consequence of a club going down the pan.  I think opinions reflect the mood of the day and just now we are optimistic.

Onwards and upwards!