Suggested that to you about a year ago about having to log in to read forum much better way to have it imo

Time will tell if it works or not.

All forums have good and bad spells

Tek wrote:

Lads,

I have noticed in the past few weeks the Forum has been much quieter and had less posts than it has had at any other time in it's previous 18 months.Why this is i do not know,as it's not as if we haven't had anything to talk about Utd wise.

I am considering making the Forum private to registered Users only,as i think the number of people who read the Forum is actually quite high,but predominantly made up of people who aren't Users/or people who are and aren't contributing to the Forum in anyway shape or form.

I've said all along this place will only be as good (or bad) a Forum as people make it.And currently i feel i'm having to 'carry-it' a bit tbh.Posting far more than i would like to in an attempt to try and stimulate the place again.

My reasoning is that if the Forum is made private then people will physically have to either sign-up if they want to read the Board,or sign-in.And once signed in i'm hoping people would feel more inclined to post more frequently again.

What are the thoughts of fellow Users...Good or bad idea in your opinion?

Good idea making it private.

Less is More though IMO.  

All you are comparing it to is a Website where the same thing is said over and over and over again by The Usual Suspects and where multiple topics cover the same thing and every thread descends into the same thing.  For Example this day by day bleating of nothing happening on the transfer front.  In my opinion, the Ryan McGowan transfer is the key in that we appear to be getting a fee.  But until it is official, we are hamstrung.  Obviously that is a concern, but brinksmanship is what futba teams do, even though it is the most stupid thing in the World.

I like the fact that there's a positive thread, a negative thread, a thread on Spittal - a thread on Gunning etc etc and we can see where people stand and where they once stood.  For Example it brightens my day when I look back and see SM castigate Spittal and laud the signing of Gunning.  He's entitled to his opinion (and I respect him for that even though I disagree) and I am entitled to mine.

Action on the park will speak louder than ANY words on here.

And the likes of me?  I'll be doing another 300 mile round trip to support the team tomorrow if anyone is on the train might meet ya!?
 

Billy_Hainey wrote:

Tek wrote:

Lads,

I have noticed in the past few weeks the Forum has been much quieter and had less posts than it has had at any other time in it's previous 18 months.Why this is i do not know,as it's not as if we haven't had anything to talk about Utd wise.

Canna say I've noticed that Tek, but I'm mibbee no on enough. Of course, you've got access to the stats, so you'll know better.

Tek wrote:

I am considering making the Forum private to registered Users only,as i think the number of people who read the Forum is actually quite high,but predominantly made up of people who aren't Users/or people who are and aren't contributing to the Forum in anyway shape or form.

Agree.

Tek wrote:

I've said all along this place will only be as good (or bad) a Forum as people make it.And currently i feel i'm having to 'carry-it' a bit tbh.Posting far more than i would like to in an attempt to try and stimulate the place again.

Can only speak for mysell. I tend to think that if I post anything that's a wee bit iffy, folk might think it's total sh1te, so sometimes bail out.

Tek wrote:

My reasoning is that if the Forum is made private then people will physically have to either sign-up if they want to read the Board,or sign-in.And once signed in i'm hoping people would feel more inclined to post more frequently again.

What are the thoughts of fellow Users...Good or bad idea in your opinion?

The only drawback from doing this I see, is that it might become harder to open the Forum up to more new members (genuine members I mean)

Don't get me wrong Bill things haven't tailed off to the extent i'm ready to chuck it (yet).But i definitely see a downward spiral in the amount of posts per day/week.

As Fooky said above sometimes 'less is more' and by the same token i would never want the site to get too busy either as then you are just getting the same topics regurgitated.

But currently there are maybe a dozen regular contributors,and maybe another dozen who post infrequently.I think we could do a bit better than that.
 

PatReilly wrote:

But I see your reasoning. Maybe there are less posts just now because of the supporters' trepidation about what the future holds.

Maybe mate.

This thread is as much to try and give me an indicator as to why it may have tailed off as it is to gauge opinion on whether it should be private.

All i know is a few months back there was many more contributors and we had regular Q+A's,the Friday Fan Focuses,The Desert Island Discs on the Sunday and a general sense of this being an active wee Forum.Things have felt a bit 'flat' for me recently.

Maybe i'm reading too much into it however.
 

Agree with Leedsy a bit here. Eh ken I tend to be a prolific reader rather than a regular poster these days. Sort of defeats the purpose of the forum so eh'll try post a bit more often.

Hoping to attend a few more development league games depending on work so will post mare dev stuff where and when eh can

Japan and Morphy thanks for your kind words and i hope to see you both post more often again as you're both 2 really good posters on here.But my comments above weren't really aimed at guys like yourself who are more readers than posters.Besides posting all the-time isn't for everyone or possible for everyone (long hours at work,kids,college etc etc).But both you boys are registered members who keep your hand in and do contribute positively to TT when you get the chance to with interesting or thought provoking posts.

My comments are more aimed at folk who have never been members and/or guys who were who have no intention of ever posting again but still read here daily.It's akin to the guy who goes to the newspaper stand at the Supermarket and reads every single paper whilst his wifes shopping and then when a member of staff asks 'Are you buying a paper Sir?' would say 'No thanks' and walk away.

I guess what i'm saying to folk regards the Forum looking towards the future is 'Use it or lose it'.And i don't mean that for one minute as some thinly veiled threat,more a friendly suggestion towards anyone looking in.So i hope it isn't seen as that.

Anyway i think i've got enough feedback for just now and thanks for all your comments once again.I'm going to give it a week and re-evaluate the decision in a weeks time.

played4won4 wrote:

Looked in here to see if there was any reasoned debate on the Graham Spiers. Saw this. Thought I'd throw my tuppence worth in. If you can post and no be accused o whatever it might be worth sayin stuff.

I've mentioned the Spiers situation on "The arrogance of the SFA" section, played4won4. I'm taken aback how Scottish football fans don't seem to have a thought at the corruption and bullying that is taking place.
 

A belated reply - and I know your off thinking about it Tek - my take on it is that all forums go through quiet patches (as has been mentioned) and I think the on the field mess has maybe left us all focussing on that to the exclusion of other things.

Oh and January is a really shite month, I can hardly be arsed getting out of bed at this time of year.....

Making the forum private might push some people into commenting more but would probably mean fewer new members?

Your forum, your call of course.

Thanks for your insightful posts Scarpia and DTRA (and Leedsy).

I guess i've got something to ponder.I do worry as you pointed out it could hinder new sign-up's DTRA.But if it doesn't pick-up then i feel i have to try 'something'.

I'll take a bit of time to assess things,but appreciate your thoughts.

I think it's more a fact that if the team are shit then this impacts. I don't post every day but have been here from pretty much the start, it will pick up mate just keep the belief.

Tek I wouldn't count myself as a regular so I'm not sure your original post is directed at me, however I do look in every day. The only negative side is as doontheroadarab said is certain posters turning the majority of threads into a rant at the chairman, other than that keep up the good work sir.

I don't consider myself to be a regular, but I look in most days, I guess it's just force of habit that I tend to go to the other two United sites.

Used to post loads on Mad, but it's almost unbearable over there now it's lemon sooker central. I get folk are upset, I get this season could be a total downer and we could be on the verge of a shitstorm that'll take years to recover from, but fuck me, it's a depressing read most days.