Re-open the Ask the Falmer team thread!

[severnside gull]

Ask Natterjack again?

All the while that the club's safety officer says no, it means no-one else can respond as they will be seen as undermining him. An unhelpful impasse that does the club little credit

 

[countrygull]

Is calling them childish (whether it is accurate to do so or not) really the best way to get them to come back?

If you read what I wrote, I was calling the situation childish: I didn't apportion childishness to any individual or any collective. I think the way forward is not to individualise it but to try to move on. At the end of the day, we all want to anticipate Falmer and learn more about it: that's all I'm asking, just to reopen the lines of communication between our club and our fans, without recriminations.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

If you read what I wrote, I was calling the situation childish: I didn't apportion childishness to any individual or any collective. I think the way forward is not to individualise it but to try to move on. At the end of the day, we all want to anticipate Falmer and learn more about it: that's all I'm asking, just to reopen the lines of communication between our club and our fans, without recriminations.

Spot on.

Situation is pretty poor, and whilst the club had made giant strides recently, this is an own goal.

 

[hitony]

Reading this thread makes me realise how close things are nowadays between reality and the cyber world, as El Pres has stated, one of us mods did get told, in person, that he would not be pissed on were he to be on fire, (dont bother asking any questions over that as non of them will be answered.)

When NSC members start to critise others, if they are members on here or not, it needs to be remembered that the real world and the cyber world are just about merging nowadays, thus it can cause issues, my comments are in general by the way, not just related to Ask the Falmer Project Team, I think each and every one of us are dissappointed that it is closed, on that note, please do remember that we also do want to keep "Ask the Club" and some pretty stupid things do go on there from time to time, we do try to sift through the idiotic questions, but as someone said earlier, we do have real lives to get on with as well, and some do get through to Insider, in many cases they are questions that can ealily be answered by the poster, just by ringing the ticket office or doing a bit of searching themselves.

The other thing is, in my opinion, a resonably unrestricted NSC is a better place than if it were to be heavily moderated.

 

[Bozza]

Sorry only just seen this.

In the spirit of transparency I am happy to share that I have had discussions with the club about re-opening the facility but those talks are currently stalled.

Before I became involved in NSC there was what I consider to be the darkest day of this forum where someone connected with the club effectively censored discussion on a particular topic in order to try and suppress negative news. I vowed that when I took 'ownership' (I use the term loosely) of NSC that the board would remain completely independent of the club, and the club would never have a say over what content does and doesn't remain on NSC.

 

[Giraffe]

Spot on, and worth highlighting that Insider does a fantastic job in sifting through some questions that are frankly just stupid (mine about kick off times for a start).

It would be great if the Ask the Falmer Project team could be opened again, but everyone has to realise that both that and Ask The Club need to be treated with respect and not abused.

Without the Ask the Falmer Project team I expect Insider will gladly answer SENSIBLE questions about Falmer through the available forum.

 

[Bozza]

Let's be clear - ATFPT being closed is nothing to do with people posting 'silly questions'.

Both in that forum, and on ATC, such things are at worst a minor inconvenience.

 

[skipper734]

what a shame that at a time when the club should be doing everything it can to include fans and to promote its product (and indeed does so sucessfully in most aspects of its work) it so demonstrably discounts a significant element of its fans as beneath consideration because they refuse to always "toe the desired line". I choose my words very carefully here as I believe they precisely describe the attitude of an individual or individuals within the club whose understanding of marketing and the importance of engendering and developing support (that is, paying customers) at a crucial time for the club is minimal. People who may be hidebound by regulation and for whom issueing instruction is easier than entering into debate.

Admittedly this small element of the clubs' fanbase can be occassionally unpleasant and irreverent but for an organisation that relies pretty much entirely on its supporters for income to be so thin skinned is surprising and potentially unhelpful towards achieving its overall objectives. This same small group of fans was disproportionately valuable in supporting the club through the planning processses and the long years of struggle we have all endured. In an age when communication has moved on from occassional and one-sided missives in the press or at supporters' meetings and the internet plays a critical role perhaps an open letter direct to the Chairman is called for?

Saved me a lot of typing, thanks. Our views appear to be similar, but we are from the same generation, so it's probably not surprising.

 

[countrygull]

Sorry only just seen this.

In the spirit of transparency I am happy to share that I have had discussions with the club about re-opening the facility but those talks are currently stalled.

Before I became involved in NSC there was what I consider to be the darkest day of this forum where someone connected with the club effectively censored discussion on a particular topic in order to try and suppress negative news. I vowed that when I took 'ownership' (I use the term loosely) of NSC that the board would remain completely independent of the club, and the club would never have a say over what content does and doesn't remain on NSC.

I absolutely agree 100% with your last paragraph Bozza: this forum must be independent, it would lose all credibility if it were otherwise. And whilst i applaud your willingness to be transparent about whatever has happened, I think that could lead to more blame and recrimination. The central part of my original and subsequent statements remains: isn't there a way to move on? If you're saying there isn't, that's a great shame for everyone.

 

[Scoffers]

Why can't everyone just show some respect? Is that too much to ask for?

NSC: don't take the piss, or moan about slow responses, the person answering the questions has a day job

AFT: understand that there are some twats on this board, and just don't answer posts that show a lack of respect

MODS: If anyone has the time, just delete posts that are a waste of time, or likely to cause offense

 

[Publius Ovidius]

Why can't everyone just show some respect? Is that too much to ask for?

NSC: don't take the piss, or moan about slow responses, the person answering the questions has a day job

AFT: understand that there are some twats on this board, and just don't answer posts that show a lack of respect

MODS: If anyone has the time, just delete posts that are a waste of time, or likely to cause offense

What was posted on ATFT was not the issue. It wa sthe stewarding thread that caused the fracass.

Its a real shame as I like Richard!

 

[hitony]

I don't think this is a good way of moving forward and it's not in the spirit in which this thread was started.

I agree and I will, but i will also have to remove yours as you have quoted it.

 

[Brovion]

Spot on, and worth highlighting that Insider does a fantastic job in sifting through some questions that are frankly just stupid (mine about kick off times for a start).

It would be great if the Ask the Falmer Project team could be opened again, but everyone has to realise that both that and Ask The Club need to be treated with respect and not abused.

....

'Ask The Club' certainly reflects well on both NSC and especially the club for answering the questions. Some are stupid, some you know can't be answered 'publically' (the club obviously has to keep some sensitive info private), and sometimes the answers can be a bit anodyne, but overall it's a useful facility - and good PR.

The problem with Mr Hebberd and the ATFPT forum, as Granny Dave and Bozza have said, wasn't due to stupid or disrespectful questions or even that the specialist forums themselves were abused - it was due to general NSC binfestery over stewarding (For a few hours there was even an 'Ask Richard Hebberd' forum).

However as I said in my first post - he wasn't the right man to answer the questions anyway. The ATFPT forum was never as well-run as ATC both in terms of time taken to reply and the quality of answers. Can't blame NSC for that!

 

[countrygull]

I agree and I will, but i will also have to remove yours as you have quoted it.

Bloody censorship!
(always important to retain a sense of humour, it can overcome so many problems)

 

[Lord Bracknell]

MODS: If anyone has the time, just delete posts that are a waste of time, or likely to cause offense

There'd be nothing left.

Besides which ... we don't have the time.

 

[Acker79]

If you read what I wrote, I was calling the situation childish: I didn't apportion childishness to any individual or any collective.

I did notice that, but I don't think the people at the club would make that distinction.

 

[El Presidente]

Looks as if a final decision has been made

Sadly, the member of staff who ran the thread no longer wishes to do so, as a result of personal abuse received on NSC. The club did offer an alternative to NSC, but because the senior member of Albion staff who had offered to take this on, wanted an agreement from NSC moderators to remove any unfounded personal abuse of BHA staff (not criticism, we can take that, but abusive posts), NSC would not agree to this.

Instead the club will look into launching an Ask the Project Team section as part of the stadium site which will go live in the new year.

In the meantime, stadium questions can be asked on Ask the Club.

 

[ROSM]

Looks as if a final decision has been made

so stadium site due in the new year. Or will that be May by the time it finally sees the light of day if season tickets are anything to go by?

Oh well they've made a decision and I'm sure they'll be very happy with it.