Very quiet

Seems very quiet on here the last few days.

Just looked a minute ago and less than 10 registered users and 5 guests were on the site.

This sort of time on the old site you would have had 20-30 on all morning with a bit of a rise over lunchtime.

Anyone have any thoughts why?

Talking to people Monday night some still didn't know about here whilst others have looked but been put off.

 

Only 9 members and two guests now.

 

Unfortunately along with the "banter" there was a lot of back biting as well.
It should be remembered that like any new venture it will take time for people to really feel at home like they did on the ficial site..
Personally i feel very at home here and in the first month of coming here had posted more posts than in a number of years on the ficial site.

 

I've noticed a lull at certain times of the week, and peaks at others. Here's some graphs to mull over.

 

Nice graph. It has been a little quiet, but i dont think its anything to worry about and i totally disagree with DJStation, I like it here a lot more, and I think most people do

 

As I've already started, people are free to come and go as they choose, they're always welcome back. We're not a money making forum, or a rival to any other Watford FC related forums. If anyone here wants advice or help setting up thier own I'll gladly help.

Most users have been here 2 weeks only. It takes longer than that to feel it's the place for you. We're here long term, and I strongly feel that the further away from black Wednesday we go, the more stable and hopefully busy this place will get.

 

without doubt this site is far superior to the old fiscal site and any other alternative out there.

Why are you less inspired to come here than the old boards?

Three people Monday night picked up on the football debate thing. they all said this site lacked the detailed football and in particular watford related debates of the old site.

I half agree with this, 12 months ago and longer there were some great debates but in recent months if we are honest did they really exist on the old site, personally i don't think they did.

I think the day after a match is a classic example, on here at present there are not the volume of match posts we had on the old site, but unless people come across / contribute etc etc then there never will be.

One thing that hopefully will change is that all members old and new start / contribute to more football related threads as time goes on and less to the other threads. If you look at some peoples posting history some peoples % split is as high as 80% of all posts are in the non football related forums(that is an issue on a football site).

But rewind 12 months and everyone on the old board wanted a General Discussion type forum, so you can't have it both ways.

Some people have said they find certain threads in the steam room etc pointless and that puts them off, why??? if you don't like it don't read it.

Did everyone find threads on the old site funny / entertaining?????? i hardly think so.

 

Why is it an issue? Yes, this is a football site, but its not just to talk about football. Its to bring people together who share a common interest. And like you said, if people dont want to read the other stuff, then they dont have to, but those of us who dont just want to talk about football shouldnt be made to feel less important, especially when there are a few forums specifically for non-football related things.

 

Some valid points there jobr.
The idea of the nonfooty related areas is for the fact that there is only so much you can say about football before you repeat yourself.
I always found the official site was a waste of time at times, yes there were some good discussions but I found that the majority of the threads near the end, usually degraded to mindless insults.
Alot of the ones that didnt had unfounded rumours spread on them... and to some extent I think that due to the fact that there was a lack of a "non footy" section some people tended to make things up purely for something to say through boredom.. and before anyway gets defensive that is NOT aimed at anyone in particular.
There were also a few that had some great "contacts" that gave them information that later turned out to be completely false which begs the question did they even exist.
I know that at least a couple do have some very good contacts within watford but not everyone did have IMO
This site is a lot better in many respects, for instance the arcade, Vbookie and the steam room for starters, which is why i like it so much.

 

I think there is less to discuss about now.
Before last season we were worried about:
Financial situation
League position
Players leaving, none coming in

Now the only debate is
Will we Stay up or Go down

 

I agree.
Lets face it for the last couple of weeks all that has really been discussed other than the games is who we are going to bring in in january.. thats losing pace rather fast and with no official word on any REAL negotiations forthcoming its all hearsay and rumour.
The transfer window IMO is a bad idea especially if you are a club like us with limited resources as the loss so early in the season of our only real striker of any quality other than young has shown.

 

Agree with most of that, I like the steam room idea, love Vbookie and attempt to play some games all be it very poorly.

Not so sure about people making things up, i just can't see the point of anyone telling lies, but that is just my opinion.

Also not sure about the false thing, i posted several things that were stonewall fact but yet for whatever reason they came to no fruition. And the other-side of the coin those people have told me things that have turned out to be bang on the money.

 

Agreed Firefly, it took me a few days but now I'm getting used to it, this forum is much better than the other one. I'm sure as time goes by and things happen the numbers will build again (wait until we change managers /win the F.A Cup or qualify for Europe! ;D ). Although I'm never normally online at weekends so I don't know if that's any different to weekdays.

 

As i said mate, not aimed at anyone in particular, and is just an opinion... i know that some people do have very good contacts and that those contacts cant always be spot on with what they pass on, but i always found that there were things brought up on the main site by some that seemed a little off the wall when they were first posted and highly unlikely that indeed never came to anything.
Take for instance the thread on here stating that nugent is a done deal! (Not having a go at the person who started it just using as an example) the thread reads that it is 100% certain it will happen.. where has this come from, nowhere official that i know of, and seems that the general concensus dont believe it. Would be good if its true but until it is confirmed officially it is still an unfounded rumour so shouldnt be given such a certain status as it has been.
That was the sort of thread i noticed quite often on the main boards.

 

Yes it is a football site, and i agree there should be other sections for non football related threads.

However any forum whether it be for football, cross stitch, cooking whatever the bulk of items posted you would think would be relevant to the subject the site was designed for.

So far in its short existence this site has had just over 2000 threads started, however only 27% of those relate to the Watford part of the site.

Not getting personal so please don't take it how its not intended but you asked the question,

You have started 11 new threads, not one in the main watford forums.

If you look at all your posts only 16% were watford related out of the last 50 and only 30% out of the last 150.

Mine may well be similar so its not being critical its just emphasising the point that the % of posts in relation to Watford Football Club is very small.

 

Don't disagree with that.

personally i chuckled at the Nugent thread, as i believe it has no substance. I do know we enquired back in the summer and got no change whatsoever, so i can't see our position has changed in the past few months can you

 

Not at all, and going by the price tag put on it we cant afford it, it is said we have 4 to 5 mill to spend.. that price tag does that in one go and i dont think aidy would be fool hardy enough to spend everything on one player when we have 3 or 4 slots to fill.

 

Ok, then surely (and this is not my opinion) it's a fault of the site for having too many areas where non-football related issues can be discussed?

I have already stated that I have only been a Watford supporter for a few years and do not follow other football to the same degree as a lot of people on this site, so do not pretend to know as much as some other people. So why would I start a thread in the general football area? I read the posts because I am interested, and do post my opinions. There are many people who are registered but do not post anywhere.. Is that acceptable but its not if you do post but not in the 'right' place?

 

Clearly you didn't read the not personal sentence by the way you have constructed a reply.

No I don't think it is the fault of the site one bit.

Perhaps instead of getting all emotional in your response you should look at the potential reasons as to why people don't post? If you come here as a guest in most cases you have an interest in WATFORD FOOTBALL CLUB in the first instance, so these guests having seen a great site with loads of features what stops them taking the simple steps to sign up and become a member off this community?

 

Also not being personal, but you clearly do not have much experience with women if you think that was emotional!

I was just stating the reasons as to why, in my case, which you highlighted, I dont post so much in the football related forums. I can not comment on other peoples reasons, hence the reply.

 

Alot of the guests are bots from search engines referencing the site for the engine.

 

So how is your ridiculous comment above not personal then, clearly you say you are not being personal when the fact is you are.

You replied in an emotional manner in my reference to you, you went on the defensive and took the example out of context when clearly i had stated I was only highlighting yourself as you asked the question.

 

hmm.. it was tongue in cheek, but obviously taken in the wrong way, and i appologise for that.

But i still disagree that it was an emotional response. You never would have said anything like that to one of the males on here.

I was just explaining to you the reasoning behind the statistics that you showed.

 

Apology accepted, believe me i say anything to anyone, they are only my own thoughts / opinions call them what you like (most people will call them boll@x).

Just had another thought after reading a thread.

ITS NOT PERSONAL SO DONT TAKE IT THAT WAY

the stats I quoted could be distorted due to user error.
faith just starts a thread about kids / watford etc, valid thread, has potential to be a good discussion / laugh at the same time.

but look where its posted.

Luther steam room which clearly states non football

I am sure as the site evolves some of the forums will be tweaked but perhaps there purpose need to be highlighted clearer?

 

To be fair to firefly she did state when she joined the site how refreshing it was here that she could come and chat about things other than football as she has only recently become a watford fan due to an ex and other than that knows very little about football, though she does post in the football parts also.

 

im missing your point there... its not about football, but babies, so should be in the steam room??

 

Its about your kids not supporting WATFORD so what would you do!

 

so you are suggesting it should be in general football?

 

Bit of a tough one.. its kinda football related, but is more aimed at being a general discussion about a childs right to choose who they want to follow.. but there is a train of thought that says it should be in the steam room but also could be in general football.

 

The site is divided in to 4 sections;

Watford

other football/Sports

Non Footy


The Forum

(apologies if the titles are slightly wrong)

Within those 4 sections you have various forums.
The steam room clearly sits under the title NON FOOTY.

So there is no argument that it should be there, it shouldn't be.

You could argue it could go in to the Watford section under general or in to the Other football/Sports section and one of those forums contained within.

Again this is not a dig at that thread I am only using it as an example.

 

FYI - I started that thread over a month ago, not 'just'.

I posted it there because back then in the general football it was about players, games, performances etc and I felt it would be better in the steam room as it was about supporting our team, not the team itself, I know it says non footy but I was new to the boards and did not want to annoy people by posting it in general football, as I thought it might.

I am actually surprised that you would have it in general football?

I'm sure admin or the 4th official will move it if you ask them nicely

 

'There are many people who are registered but do not post anywhere.. Is that acceptable but its not if you do post but not in the 'right' place?'


The above comment made me think about how 'non-posters' are perceived by the 'regular' posters.
I very rarely posted on the other board and I doubt whether I will post much here. But I do like reading everybody's opinions and I find it interesting.That doesn't mean that I feel that I need to join in or reply. If I did, I would, and I don't think thats unacceptable.

I wouldn't like to have to post a certain amount to register. Some people are a bit shy of putting their opinions forward.

 

Who said there is no good discussions on this site, this definatly qulifies

As people get used to the layout of the boards then the threads will eventually end up in the correct section/forum, in time I'm sure the layout will/could change depending on usage of the forums. The site is forever evolving. In the mean time while the boards are evolving then any threads that are in the wrong forums will be moved by admin and the moderators providing the move is justified.

I myself have run a few boards in my time, mainly based on console gaming and Mini's (the car) and had sections that were not related to the main theme, these went down very well, and the popularity of the boards grew as the members could discuss other matters with friends they had made with on the boards, so thus preventing them going to another board to discuss something that could be discussed on one board, and the members still discussed about the main theme.

 

Well put F109, not everyone wants to post and many enjoy just reading the discussions and every now and then if they have got something they want to add then they can, many register and post little dosen't make them any less important than the high posters.

 

Its none of my business where anything is posted, but if people are put off the board surely the logical thing is to make it more attractive?

As said its not a dig at you or anyone else, but with a few tweaks and some better understanding by the users things would get posted in the right section.

Perhaps general football isn't the correct forum for your thread but clearly it should not be in a section entitled Non Footy.

Admin is quite open in that he states he doesn't want to compete with anyone and that people are free to come and go, whilst i understand that point of view and respect it, for the forum to flourish and have decent debate and contributions from all then you need to attract a solid base of users with varied opinions, otherwise quite quickly it will become stale and boring.