Topic: About this board

[Armin]

This section has been opened to try to accomplish several related goals. Primarily it will allow the various LFC off the pitch developments to be debated thoroughly whilst allowing ongoing discussion of the game and the players to continue in the LFC section.

What we don't want is to marginalise the important topics covered here.  You may have noticed that this isn't a sub board of the LFC section but a board in its own right. Issues of ownership, fan involvement, prices etc are of fundamental importance to supporters and by extension this site. This board isn't a ghetto in other words, we want the debate in this area to be a quality, thoughtful and provocative one, and we want as many of you as possible to participate, exchange views and become actively involved in the future of your club..

Off the Pitch is still in early days however and although we'll be monitoring its development we'd also appreciate feedback from members concerning how the board operates and whether debate has been enhanced by the split.

One suggestion which we've considered is to have some managed debate threads which moderators will closely monitor. There's also scope for new resource threads, links to articles or posts which explain club finances, politics or methods of engagement. We now have space for more debate concerning the nascent Liverpool Supporters Union (SOS), the RTK campaign to improve atmosphere at the match or other subjects important to LFC supporters but in danger of being swamped by the
speed of topic generation on the LFC board.

So if you have any input concerning the board, how you'd like to see this section progress and develop over time or perhaps some useful links that could form the basis of an enhanced Off the Pitch signpost thread then please let us know. This topic can serve as a starting point or you can always contact a staff member if you prefer.

[Veinticinco de Mayo]

From the Mods side of the fence I'd like to say that if every thread concerning the owners is going to end up full of one liners saying "get them out of our club", "his lips moved - he lied" or "fucking fat headed texan retard" as the Hicks on Torres one did yesterday then this section is going to be nigh on impossible to moderate.  All the above may well be true,  but, unless you have some form of texan tourettes, is it really necessary to tell everyone _everytime_ his name is mentioned?  Do you feel the need to post one-liners saying "Torres is quite a good goalscorer" into every Torres thread?

That's my twopennorth for starters, how do you all want to see this board operate?

[CRAZY HORSE EMLYN]

think it's a good thing.
and it's closing off a lot of the unconstructive slagging.
But... I think awareness of the other sections like this is limited. I know I only explored them more recently myself. Also, we all naturally gravitate to where 'the action is' on the forums, and the move here has certainly made these threads quieter.
Is there a way of dealing with this in the redesign? Maybe a less cluttered main page?
Or a 'have you seen this?' or 'if you like this, look at this' flag or flash on the main forum.

[manifest]

          a very good idea. thanks. if its quiet right now, its cos the ownership issue is a little quiet. As SOS get going, and further developments occur, this board will be swamped.
         
          on the ownership issue, it crossed my mind a few times that having one thread which was just for posted news articles, or really informational posts, might save all of those who can't stand the hand wringing and anguish and fights just to get to the info, and let there be another thread where the discussion occurs, and the articles can be posted there too. it would cut out some of the negativity simply because those who want to discuss, aren't hassled by the "are you still talking about this shit" people, and those who only want the info don't have to wade through hours of me talking about spirituality.
         
             I also would ask that you might look at applying a different standard to the ownership thread in terms of the one liner/hicks out/I hate hicks than you might in other parts of the forum. It might not elevate the forum, but this issue hits the emotions and the heart in a different way. I think that resistance to hicks/gillett for many of us is the issue, and expressing frustration should not only belong to those who are fortunate enough to be articulate. Many many times the Hicks out! or its equivalent response has raised my spirits and served to bond us deeper in our resistance.

            Of course, this forum wasn't ever intended to carry a resistance movement, and my understanding of what issues face the staff is poor to negligible, and I am grateful that whatever you've done so far has produced a fine forum.  So if the above doesn't fit with your approach, please forgive my ignorance.   

[Armin]

I think you make some very good points.

One of the subboards under discussion was an article zone, somewhere that any and all articles on LFC could be posted and archived. That may or may not go ahead but in the meantime lets try a stickied article topic here. It will be open to anyone to post but only for articles, no reaction.

The point about peoples passions being engaged is well taken. I think we've all reached the end of our tether at some point over the past year and a degree of latitude has been and will continue to be extended. The anger and betrayal that people feel should be reflected in the forum and it won't always be couched in the rhetoric of the debating society. That has to be balanced however with the desire to promote a decent debate. We won't try and sanitise or remove all the passion anyway.

On your final point I think the forum has always allowed those who want to campaign to do so. Whether it be for Hillsborough, Michael Shields or other so called political subjects there should always be a place on Rawk for people who care for more than just the latest result or the names on the team sheet. That won't change.

[No666]

But might this be better as a child board? I say this simply because people aren't coming to this - for example, someone has just double-posted a thread on the Gillett radio interview in the main forum. I appreciate what you are saying about your reasons for making it independent initially, but it may be self-defeating and create a lot more work for you guys.

[Armin]

It's early days and double postings etc are to be expected. Not sure more people would visit a sub board to be honest. I don't think the status quo was acceptable anyway so it has to be worth a try.

[Alan_X]

Bumped... please read the opening post.