Soccer Forum Feedback 2017

Match threads absolutely serve a purpose.

It keeps the Superthreads relatively normal. Rival fans appearing when a goal is scored by the opposition. So what? That in itself is not trolling.

LiamoSail

In real life, watching a game with opposing fans there's always someone on the wind up once your side concede. So what if match threads are the same? Grow a set

LiamoSail

LiamoSail wrote: »

In real life, watching a game with opposing fans there's always someone on the wind up once your side concede. So what if match threads are the same? Grow a set

Real life v Internet forum chat is a bit different though!

How would you separate real trolling?

Would you just want a free for all?

marklazarcovic

The LFC super thread has a few who act like tits,best thing I ever did on boards was use the ignore function, sure you see the quoted posts,but it's far better than allowing them to put you off reading posters you have learned to like or respect opinions of.

Harry Palmr

HONKEY TONK wrote: »

Why do we need match threads?

Just let people talk about the game in their own team threads. Or set up a banter thread to cover all trolling

Some teams have a big following here (and a big hating) - the match threads keep most of the BS in one place that will quickly wash down through the pages (if locked!). If every Liverpool game was on the super-dooper thread it would be up to 10,000 posts in no time at all.

mav79

I thought I'd better include my own thoughts on the forum before the thread is locked.

I don't post much but read the soccer forum all the time, I do find the childish bickering off putting and as a result post less and less.

I really think the don't be a dick rule should be acted on faster, and cards handed out instead of just warnings. Also if posters just either let things go or report posts instead of biting every time a troll posts something it would help rather than having pages of rubbish in the threads.
We are all fans and as such, probably more critical of our team than any rival can be. But people seem to look for offence at every post by a rival fan making trolling very easy.

Regarding the Humour thread, keep it as is in my opinion, easy to avoid.

As was mentioned earlier I do find that lately there seems to be more players and managers nicknames being used. In my opinion this should be a card offence straight away, its too easy for trolls to wind people up and shouldn't be left to a Mod to interpret if its meant as a joke or not. Posters don't know where they stand.

Omackeral

Posting nothing but a twitter link is a bit of an annoyance I find. My workplace doesn't allow us access to Twitter or FB so direct links are useless for me personally. Also, I think it's kinda lazy and/or low effort just dumping a link in the humour thread for example. Be better if posters could maybe paste the text in, it's usually only a sentence or two. If it's a picture, just use the pic icon in the top menu bar? Would make browsing a thread a lot handier too I think, rather than having to switch between tabs.

Omackeral

Omackeral wrote: »

Posting nothing but a twitter link is a bit of an annoyance I find. My workplace doesn't allow us access to Twitter or FB so direct links are useless for me personally. Also, I think it's kinda lazy and/or low effort just dumping a link in the humour thread for example. Be better if posters could maybe paste the text in, it's usually only a sentence or two. If it's a picture, just use the pic icon in the top menu bar? Would make browsing a thread a lot handier too I think, rather than having to switch between tabs.

Fair point, have been trying to post more pics instead of twitter links recently.
I find imgur is handy for direct gifs etc

Cantona's Collars

niallo27 wrote: »

As others have pointed out I think the overreaction about trolling in match threads is actually a bigger issue than the trolling itself.

If the same fellas who did it constantly were banned then we wouldn't have the problem.

adox

I gave up on the match threads a while back. It's like kindergarten.

They do serve a purpose though but I'm delighted the rule on not discussing matches in superhtreads has been relaxed.

It's nothing to do with just wanting to discuss it with like minded folk. It's just to avoid the constant nonsense and childesness in the match threads.

Tom Mann Centuria

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Fair point, have been trying to post more pics instead of twitter links recently.
I find imgur is handy for direct gifs etc

I'm guilty of posting twitter links in the humour thread a lot, so I'll try and refrain from it. Handy way of giving credit to whoever has found the picture originally though. Hate some of these big social media accounts who blatantly rip off other peoples content for their own benefit.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Omackeral wrote: »

Posting nothing but a twitter link is a bit of an annoyance I find. My workplace doesn't allow us access to Twitter or FB so direct links are useless for me personally. Also, I think it's kinda lazy and/or low effort just dumping a link in the humour thread for example. Be better if posters could maybe paste the text in, it's usually only a sentence or two. If it's a picture, just use the pic icon in the top menu bar? Would make browsing a thread a lot handier too I think, rather than having to switch between tabs.

Guilty of sometimes posting just the twitter link but only from the phone. The laptop is much easier to copy and paste the content from.

5starpool

Suggestions for mods. Can you please list all the things being discussed as a result of this thread when it is locked ands commit to a date then that you will give feedback on each of these points, even if it is no change. It'd be nice then to have the opportunity for a couple of days to discuss the decisions made, rather than have to wait until this thread next year or do it via pm.

Largely speaking the forum is great IMO
- unbiased, fair modding
- trolls in super threads and match topics easy to ignore
Back seat modding should be stamped out though, blatant breach of charter.

And lads bleating on about other options being better..... if the grass is greener....

LiamoSail

Augeo wrote: »

.

And lads bleating on about other options being better..... if the grass is greener....

The forum does seem a lot quieter than in previous years. People are giving up on it. Look at the other thread for example

T..... forums are a tad old school now to be fair.

I'd say most boards.ie soccer forum posters are late 20s+.... it can be quiter than it was through little fault of its own/the mods/the posters/boards.ie

What other thread BTW?

LiamoSail

Augeo wrote: »

T..... forums are a tad old school now to be fair.

I'd say most boards.ie soccer forum posters are late 20s+.... it can be quiter than it was through little fault of its own/the mods/the posters/boards.ie

What other thread BTW?

The AWOL posters thread

niallo27

zerks wrote: »

If the same fellas who did it constantly were banned then we wouldn't have the problem.

I don't agree people will always complain, some people just take any criticism as trolling.

Cantona's Collars

niallo27 wrote: »

I don't agree people will always complain, some people just take any criticism as trolling.

People know the difference between criticism and trolling. You of all people should know this after your many sojourns into other teams match threads to 'criticise';)

dfx-

Augeo wrote: »

T..... forums are a tad old school now to be fair.

I'd say most boards.ie soccer forum posters are late 20s+.... it can be quiter than it was through little fault of its own/the mods/the posters/boards.ie

What other thread BTW?

It could also be that Liverpool and United have dropped back in the league from a few years ago and the drop off in European competition generally for English clubs.

Judging superficially by posts per day/week/year statistics, post numbers are still not really falling off compared to last year with spikes for big news/matchdays.

Harry Palmr

Omackeral wrote: »

Posting nothing but a twitter link is a bit of an annoyance I find. My workplace doesn't allow us access to Twitter or FB so direct links are useless for me personally.

The 'legacy' boards software won't display embedded tweets and as that's what I use I demand a text summary!

Cantona's Collars

Harry Palmr wrote: »

The 'legacy' boards software won't display embedded tweets and as that's what I use I demand a text summary!

I usually copy and paste or give a quick summary of tweets, so many can't read the embeds and I'd be annoyed too if that were the case for me.

niallo27

zerks wrote: »

People know the difference between criticism and trolling. You of all people should know this after your many sojourns into other teams match threads to 'criticise';)

True true I'm not even talking about me though as I know you lot love me in the utd thread really but people like slick if I remember correctly was called a troll for posting something negative in a match thread. I mean the bloke is the most impartial guy on here.

LiamoSail

niallo27 wrote: »

True true I'm not even talking about me though as I know you lot love me in the utd thread really but people like slick if I remember correctly was called a troll for posting something negative in a match thread. I mean the bloke is the most impartial guy on here.

If you're a Liverpool fan debating against the party line in the United thread you'll be perceived as a troll. No different to the Liverpool thread in that regard

The_Kew_Tour

Liverpool fans are more then welcome to talk in the United thread as are other fans. Its a pity 4 or 5 do just come in for the troll but we know who to avoid.

Liverpool have some very good posters. Its just a pity few bring it down and then frustration is sometimes taken out on wrong poster. Just remember it happened couple of times last season.

The_Kew_Tour

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Liverpool fans are more then welcome to talk in the United thread as are other fans. Its a pity 4 or 5 do just come in for the troll but we know who to avoid.

Liverpool have some very good posters. Its just a pity few bring it down and then frustration is sometimes taken out on wrong poster. Just remember it happened couple of times last season.

People don't need to be welcomed. It's open door policy to all threads.

If you go in and act the dick then you'll be rightly carded.

bucketybuck

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Liverpool fans are more then welcome to talk in the United thread as are other fans. Its a pity 4 or 5 do just come in for the troll but we know who to avoid.

Its sad really. The fact that there are a number of posters who persistently troll other threads cannot be hand-waved away by pretending that they are only viewed as trolls because all dissenting opinions are considered trolling. That simply isn't the case.

People aren't stupid, as a species we are pretty good at pattern recognition so rival fans popping in with honest opinions happens regularly and barely gets noticed, while the regular trolls doing their sad routine for the umpteenth time gets called what it is.

The_Kew_Tour

RoboKlopp wrote: »

If you go in and act the dick then you'll be rightly carded.

They don't always though and that's the problem.

Thats not actually mods fault though. Those posters know they are trolling but are "within the rules"

niallo27

I dont know lads for a place with such wide variety of supporters and opinions it is not that bad in here. For a subject the majority feel very passionately about there is always going be issues and people getting wound up.

Brendan Flowers

Not sure if this is just me but a problem I find with the forum is some of the "banter" between the regular posters and the running jokes that they have. Dont get me wrong, Im not a dry sh!te! But when the same joke or banter is going on for months it can get rather boring.

I'd consider myself a semi regular poster. I've often noticed I might post something but it gets lost in the discussion because its at the same time as the regulars have a "joke" running between themselves. Sometimes these can take a page or 2 and for the people who wanted to actually discuss football it can be difficult to get involved.

Even more annoying is when a running joke from a superthread gets carried into a match thread. I actually dont see the point of this at all! Only a few actually get what its about and IMO only serves to take the discussion away from the football.

As for trolling, do you even ban known trolls from a particular thread? I'm all for rival fans contributing to a superthread. But if its clear that they only ever go in there to wind up people rather than discuss football, could they be issued with the warning that they'll be banned if they post in that thread again? I've seen similar done in others parts of Boards, just not something I can recall having ever happened in the Superthreads.

5starpool

So, according to some posts in this thread, some people want to see these things banned:

- People mentioning utd or Liverpool in a thread not about them. A blanket ban seemingly from some comments.
- Running jokes in superthreads.

These are items that will never have rules around them specifically in my view. They will of course though fall under the general rules if taken too far. If a topic goes way off topic amid bickering between utd and Liverpool fans it will of course be acted upon, as it has in the past when reported as a problem. The in joke thing too, it causing problems or used in a negative way, will be, and has been, acted upon, but the notion of enforcing a blanket ban is ridiculous.

Lord TSC

"running jokes", provided they don't breach charter, are part of what makes a community a community. It would be insane to try and get rid of them...

Brendan Flowers

I'm not saying these jokes should be banned. I'm just giving my feedback. I just find it a bit boring if the same "banter" has been going on for months. Especially find it annoying if there are people trying to get a football discussion going but it gets lost in among these posts. But thats just my opinion.

MagicIRL

The ban on posting gifs/videos of goals is stupid, pointless and should be reversed.

What an idiotic over-reaction that decision was and continues to be.

MagicIRL

MagicIRL wrote: »

The ban on posting gifs/videos of goals is stupid, pointless and should be reversed.

What an idiotic over-reaction that decision was and continues to be.

Isn't that a copyright issue though?

RoboKlopp

RoboKlopp wrote: »

Isn't that a copyright issue though?

This was already clarified last year.
And I remember you had asked the question as did I.
It's a non-issue.

eagle eye

5starpool wrote: »

So, according to some posts in this thread, some people want to see these things banned:

- People mentioning utd or Liverpool in a thread not about them. A blanket ban seemingly from some comments.
- Running jokes in superthreads.

These are items that will never have rules around them specifically in my view. They will of course though fall under the general rules if taken too far. If a topic goes way off topic amid bickering between utd and Liverpool fans it will of course be acted upon, as it has in the past when reported as a problem. The in joke thing too, it causing problems or used in a negative way, will be, and has been, acted upon, but the notion of enforcing a blanket ban is ridiculous.

An example. Somebody mentions Liverpool after a player and they don't get him. A few laughs and then somebody comes in and says that Liverpool fans think they are still a big club.

That comment is likely to set things off and imo that person should be banned for a week at least if not more because they are clearly just acting the ****.

5starpool

eagle eye wrote: »

An example. Somebody mentions Liverpool after a player and they don't get him. A few laughs and then somebody comes in and says that Liverpool fans think they are still a big club.

That comment is likely to set things off and imo that person should be banned for a week at least if not more because they are clearly just acting the ****.

But in this case it isn't the person first mentioning Liverpool that is the problem, it's the other person acting the twat, which can be punished under existing rules anyhow if the mod deems it necessary.

dfx-

5starpool wrote: »

Suggestions for mods. Can you please list all the things being discussed as a result of this thread when it is locked ands commit to a date then that you will give feedback on each of these points, even if it is no change. It'd be nice then to have the opportunity for a couple of days to discuss the decisions made, rather than have to wait until this thread next year or do it via pm.

I don't see why not. If someone wants to collate must-have items for that list to make sure we're not missing anything, they can post it in advance of closing.

We're looking at closing this thread on Friday evening, so any contributions - get them in.

citytillidie

Since we know it is mainly Liverpool and Man Utd who will have the more active match threads.

They why not have a weekly other 16 team match thread like is done for the League of Ireland games.

Have a listing of the other 8 fixtures - info on Kick off times for those that are on tv and such and then let that continue week on week leaving out the games that involve Liverpool and Utd.

That way you can take out the match talking in other super threads and any get others talking about other tv games

hullaballoo

citytillidie wrote: »

Since we know it is mainly Liverpool and Man Utd who will have the more active match threads.

They why not have a weekly other 16 team match thread like is done for the League of Ireland games.

Have a listing of the other 8 fixtures - info on Kick off times for those that are on tv and such and then let that continue week on week leaving out the games that involve Liverpool and Utd.

That way you can take out the match talking in other super threads and any get others talking about other tv games

Rather than trying to get away from the perception that this forum is de facto the "United vs. Liverpool forum," your suggestion is to double-down and bed in that perception by having special threads for United and Liverpool fans, while everyone else just lumps in together?

Nah.

Cantona's Collars

Didn't we have general match day threads anyway? Eg. EPL match week 1 or whatever which let fans discuss other games which didn't have dedicated match threads.

I don't understand why you want to ban, an even rubbish, newspaper in isolation?


Am I allowed to say his name? A poster is low key bullied in soccer, and then is called troll for having different ideas? There are some posters which think they own the soccer board, it seems, I don't know what you can do, just ignoring them. I do!

citytillidie

hullaballoo wrote: »

Rather than trying to get away from the perception that this forum is de facto the "United vs. Liverpool forum," your suggestion is to double-down and bed in that perception by having special threads for United and Liverpool fans, while everyone else just lumps in together?

Nah.

No what i am saying is if there is no specific match thread have them in one general match thread. I gave Liverpool and Man Utd as examples as they are usually the busier match threads, other match threads sometimes don't even get over a page of 40 posts.

What could be done then is have no specific match thread for any game and just have a generic game week thread on all games.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Deleted User wrote: »

I don't understand why you want to ban, an even rubbish, newspaper in isolation?


Am I allowed to say his name? A poster is low key bullied in soccer, and then is called troll for having different ideas? There are some posters which think they own the soccer board, it seems, I don't know what you can do, just ignoring them. I do!

I think the choice there is get on an already moving train or run later on trying to catch up. It's days are numbered thank God but the sooner it goes the better.

Andersonisgod

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I don't understand why you want to ban, an even rubbish, newspaper in isolation?


Am I allowed to say his name? A poster is low key bullied in soccer, and then is called troll for having different ideas? There are some posters which think they own the soccer board, it seems, I don't know what you can do, just ignoring them. I do!

You aren't wrong there. There is a mob that roams the forum that have conveniently gotten away unscathed on this feedback thread.

Jayop

Too right!! It's a disgrace so it is hi.

5starpool

OK, so, as requested above, I have collated the feedback into a set of bullet points. If I missed any, apologies.

================================================

- Match talk in superthreads. Should all match talk take place in dedicated threads or is it ok to do in superthreads?
- If match talk is in superthreads, will comments in relation to matches be judged based on the same rules as match threads where they do exist (e.g normally calling player x a diver in superthread may be construed as trolling, but in a match thread it will never be punished). Rules around this need to be clarified.
- Should there be a single match thread for all games where all discussion should be had for the matches on that weekend or midweek fixtures, with no specific match threads?
- Should the forum be opened up again for World Cups, Euros, etc? Some posters felt it caused more trouble than it was worth.
- Allow people to call out trolls when they are perceived to be trolls, or stronger enforcement of the current rule that disallows this behaviour specifically?
- What about possibile over reactions to trolling, perceived or real?
- Expanding on the above, reacting on thread if called a troll, are there going to be clarified rules on this or not? It probably extends to reacting to any abuse or privication.
- Should there be a humour thread for each new season rather than one that keeps going until 10k posts?
- Clarify rules on back seat modding, whether it can be used in a reasonable way (as in, "you're ruining the thread for people, cop on") or not.
- Should blatant low level trolls be just banned outright as has happened in the past, or is it the case that mods already do this, and if someone is still posting then the mods don't see them as only a troll?
- Should all links to the sun newspaper be banned, or deleted on sight? Should a line be put in the charter discouraging the posting of links from there?
- Should the mentioning of Utd/Liverpool in threads not related to those clubs result in a card for the user who first derailed the thread?
- Should there be a rule about posting a link to a rumour in a thread, arather than just saying "I see we're linked with XYZ".
- Should the charter be condensed to a single rule of "Don't be a dick"?
- Should thread poster infighting (between sets of fans of the same club) be clamped down on more, when it is a repeat happening?
- Should there be 'fun' naming of superthreads (As well as the necessary info) chosen by one or more posters.
- Should people be allowed to just post a link (to twitter or wherever) without comment?
- Should the use of running jokes, or inthread banter be curtailed or banned outright?
- Charter needs to be updated if any relevant rules change (new or existing.

========================================

I have left out some things (including one from me) that would require site development, ans are not really realistic things. I also have not expressed any opinion in this post because it is essentially set of minutes. It is obvious in most cases what will happen (in my view) but we need official say so on these points. Most will be a quick "stay as it is" but updating the charter overall to reflect current norms and actual rules is needed.

Personally I'd hope the mods can respond on the above in the next couple of weeks, and then a few days for further feedback on the decisions to see if anything persuasive is said. If anything is changed on the back of that, then a final post for clarification would be much appreciated, but I doubt further general discussion is needed.

Thanks.

Jayop

Fairplay dude. A lot of hassle in collating that!!

Some very good suggestions and some not so good imo (mostly for practicalities).

KevIRL

5starpool wrote: »

OK, so, as requested above, I have collated the feedback into a set of bullet points. If I missed any, apologies.

================================================

- Match talk in superthreads. Should all match talk take place in dedicated threads or is it ok to do in superthreads?
- If match talk is in superthreads, will comments in relation to matches be judged based on the same rules as match threads where they do exist (e.g normally calling player x a diver in superthread may be construed as trolling, but in a match thread it will never be punished). Rules around this need to be clarified.
- Should there be a single match thread for all games where all discussion should be had for the matches on that weekend or midweek fixtures, with no specific match threads?
- Should the forum be opened up again for World Cups, Euros, etc? Some posters felt it caused more trouble than it was worth.
- Allow people to call out trolls when they are perceived to be trolls, or stronger enforcement of the current rule that disallows this behaviour specifically?
- What about possibile over reactions to trolling, perceived or real?
- Expanding on the above, reacting on thread if called a troll, are there going to be clarified rules on this or not? It probably extends to reacting to any abuse or privication.
- Should there be a humour thread for each new season rather than one that keeps going until 10k posts?
- Clarify rules on back seat modding, whether it can be used in a reasonable way (as in, "you're ruining the thread for people, cop on") or not.
- Should blatant low level trolls be just banned outright as has happened in the past, or is it the case that mods already do this, and if someone is still posting then the mods don't see them as only a troll?
- Should all links to the sun newspaper be banned, or deleted on sight? Should a line be put in the charter discouraging the posting of links from there?
- Should the mentioning of Utd/Liverpool in threads not related to those clubs result in a card for the user who first derailed the thread?
- Should there be a rule about posting a link to a rumour in a thread, arather than just saying "I see we're linked with XYZ".
- Should the charter be condensed to a single rule of "Don't be a dick"?
- Should thread poster infighting (between sets of fans of the same club) be clamped down on more, when it is a repeat happening?
- Should there be 'fun' naming of superthreads (As well as the necessary info) chosen by one or more posters.
- Should people be allowed to just post a link (to twitter or wherever) without comment?
- Should the use of running jokes, or inthread banter be curtailed or banned outright?
- Charter needs to be updated if any relevant rules change (new or existing.

========================================

I have left out some things (including one from me) that would require site development, ans are not really realistic things. I also have not expressed any opinion in this post because it is essentially set of minutes. It is obvious in most cases what will happen (in my view) but we need official say so on these points. Most will be a quick "stay as it is" but updating the charter overall to reflect current norms and actual rules is needed.

Personally I'd hope the mods can respond on the above in the next couple of weeks, and then a few days for further feedback on the decisions to see if anything persuasive is said. If anything is changed on the back of that, then a final post for clarification would be much appreciated, but I doubt further general discussion is needed.

Thanks.

This guy should be a mod