Safeway
M0DERAT0R
North Stand Polls cracked out of it's cyber shell on December 1st 2002, partly in protest at the poll option being removed from North Stand Chat but also to allow unabated free speech, giving people a forum free from over-zealous moderators and censorship.
NSP has enjoyed a chequered history, surviving sabotage attempts and more facelifts than Michael Jackson (though not quite as many legal threats). Some of the new looks were due to upgrading, while several were enforced as a result of the site being closed down because of some of its more risqué/illegal content.
Since those early days when it was all meant as a bit of a joke, the Polls have evolved rapidly. May 2004 saw the opening of the 'Wank Bank', a members-only forum for those in need of some light relief, and in March this year 'Games World' opened it's doors, giving posters an exclusive one-stop 'shop' for all things fun to help elevate boredom at home or in the office. This season has also seen the creation of the NSP Photo Diary, a unique chronicle in words and pictures from NSP's very own travelling supporters.
Although quickly earning a reputation as the naughty schoolboy of Albion forums, with more talk of fanny than football, and being the only BHA board to allow the 'c' word, NSP soon established itself as the second most popular message board on the internet for Seagulls fans, trailing in usage only to the more middle of the road NSC.
Over the last three years NSP has gained notoriety with the NSPammers, received world-wide internet support when campaigning to get the Truro Triplets in FHM, as well as being featured on the Brighton radio station, Juice fm, and made a name for itself with the famed 'NSP Exclusives'. These have ranged from inside Big Brother stories to revelations on new Albion kit designs, often months before they are public knowledge. However, arguably NSP's finest hour came at 8:09 on the morning of October 28th this year. With Seagulls fans everywhere desperately clamouring the find out the result of the Government's public inquiry into Albion's proposed new stadium at Falmer, it was a thread titled 'STADIUM YES YES YES YES' that finally broke the official news everyone wanted to hear. Many at the time will have been vainly trying to log on to the flat-lining NSC for news, but those that were on NSP can take satisfaction from the fact that they were on the message board that relayed the official announcement first.
Both reviled and celebrated, there's no escaping North Stand Polls, and in September 2004 it was revealed that Albion's own Chris McPhee frequented the site. Since then, Albion love-child Guy Butters is known to be a regular visitor (apparently he particularly enjoys the Wank Bank), stars Jake Robinson and Gary Hart have posed for pictures that now adorn the site banner, and in April 2005 chairman Dick Knight had his photo taken with several of NSP's finest, with a sign reading 'Dick loves NSP & NSP loves Dick.
One thing NSP will never be is mainstream. To quote The Streets, it's a "cult classic, not best seller", and to quote an NSP regular, "It's not for everyone", but one thing is for sure - NSP is here to stay.
Whether you love it or hate it, you can't escape it. North Stand Polls is the only truly alternative Brighton & Hove Albion message board on the 'net.
Happy Birthday, NSP!
:dance:
NSP has enjoyed a chequered history, surviving sabotage attempts and more facelifts than Michael Jackson (though not quite as many legal threats). Some of the new looks were due to upgrading, while several were enforced as a result of the site being closed down because of some of its more risqué/illegal content.
Since those early days when it was all meant as a bit of a joke, the Polls have evolved rapidly. May 2004 saw the opening of the 'Wank Bank', a members-only forum for those in need of some light relief, and in March this year 'Games World' opened it's doors, giving posters an exclusive one-stop 'shop' for all things fun to help elevate boredom at home or in the office. This season has also seen the creation of the NSP Photo Diary, a unique chronicle in words and pictures from NSP's very own travelling supporters.
Although quickly earning a reputation as the naughty schoolboy of Albion forums, with more talk of fanny than football, and being the only BHA board to allow the 'c' word, NSP soon established itself as the second most popular message board on the internet for Seagulls fans, trailing in usage only to the more middle of the road NSC.
Over the last three years NSP has gained notoriety with the NSPammers, received world-wide internet support when campaigning to get the Truro Triplets in FHM, as well as being featured on the Brighton radio station, Juice fm, and made a name for itself with the famed 'NSP Exclusives'. These have ranged from inside Big Brother stories to revelations on new Albion kit designs, often months before they are public knowledge. However, arguably NSP's finest hour came at 8:09 on the morning of October 28th this year. With Seagulls fans everywhere desperately clamouring the find out the result of the Government's public inquiry into Albion's proposed new stadium at Falmer, it was a thread titled 'STADIUM YES YES YES YES' that finally broke the official news everyone wanted to hear. Many at the time will have been vainly trying to log on to the flat-lining NSC for news, but those that were on NSP can take satisfaction from the fact that they were on the message board that relayed the official announcement first.
Both reviled and celebrated, there's no escaping North Stand Polls, and in September 2004 it was revealed that Albion's own Chris McPhee frequented the site. Since then, Albion love-child Guy Butters is known to be a regular visitor (apparently he particularly enjoys the Wank Bank), stars Jake Robinson and Gary Hart have posed for pictures that now adorn the site banner, and in April 2005 chairman Dick Knight had his photo taken with several of NSP's finest, with a sign reading 'Dick loves NSP & NSP loves Dick.
One thing NSP will never be is mainstream. To quote The Streets, it's a "cult classic, not best seller", and to quote an NSP regular, "It's not for everyone", but one thing is for sure - NSP is here to stay.
Whether you love it or hate it, you can't escape it. North Stand Polls is the only truly alternative Brighton & Hove Albion message board on the 'net.
Happy Birthday, NSP!
:dance: 
