The Growing Influence of Football Forums

[SLAMMED]

http://www.suite101.com/content/read-an ... ms-a340314

Found this article written a few days ago about the influence of football forums. Some may be interested in this particular part...

Hob Nob Anyone?

The growing influence of football forums can be felt in other ways too. They can apply huge pressure on managers or players to stay or leave. Hob Nob Anyone? is a popular site with fans of Reading football club, a team in the second tier of English football. In May 2008 it was strongly rumoured that the most successful manager in the history of Reading football club, and the man who had taken them to the best league position in their history was about to step down. That man was Steve Coppell and when the fans on Hob Nob Anyone? got wind of his potential departure they organised a campaign on the forum to pledge their support to the manager. The campaign started on Hob Nob Anyone? and soon spread to social networking sites like facebook and twitter (these sites only increase the influence of football forums as they help campaigns to go viral) and as Steve Coppell left his office after a day at work to find a large crowd had gathered in the car park with banners, t-shirts, flags and songs all pledging their support for their manager. Coppell eventually decided to stay at the club stating “that wouldn’t have happened at any other club. They are unique and their response does have a bearing on my future". Hob Nob Anyone? had successfully instigated a show of fan power that would change history at the club.

[seahawk10]

Good find and 100% truf.

[Arch]

Still paying for the Car Park Crew's sentimentality.

[moo]

:roll: Still paying for the Car Park Crew's sentimentality.

PISS OFF

[Linden Jones' Tash]

If this is true, then going off topic, but I'd like to see footballer's wages cited in the same way as the rest of the world - ie not a paltry £10,000 a week, but a whooping £520,000 a year or the alleged £25,000 a week some our top earners were/are on as £1,300,000 a year.

I believe if this happened, the casual way we throw footballer's salaries around would change and hopefully the (sometimes) naive debates about 'where's the money gone' would end

[Handsome Man]

If this is true, then going off topic, but I'd like to see footballer's wages cited in the same way as the rest of the world - ie not a paltry £10,000 a week, but a whooping £520,000 a year or the alleged £25,000 a week some our top earners were/are on as £1,300,000 a year.

I believe if this happened, the casual way we throw footballer's salaries around would change and hopefully the (sometimes) naive debates about 'where's the money gone' would end

We?

[Rex]

Forums are only a barometer surely.

I think we all appreciate that 25K per week is a huge sum of money and there are 52 weeks in a year.
Can supporters influence wage caps - i very much doubt that. We hope a club can succeed and to do that often but not always that means improving a squard with experienced high earners. Everyone in life wants the best wage structure surely.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

S Coppell was not in his office that day, and not sure Twitter was used either, otherwise close.

It did have a massive influence tho, for the folk that think we did bad, I am of the understanding that Doyle and Hunt were leaving that summer as well, can't say where I heard it, but I believe it to be true. But when Coppell stayed they were willing to give it another season, which TBF upped Doyles value and I would say Hunts as well.

[Gordons Cumming]

This is so true.

Look at Snowball's influence on Shane Long.

[Mr Angry]

Birmingham fans went on a rampage after they got relegated, and poured huge amounts of bile and vitriol on their then Manager for having the temerity to be managing them as they were relegated.

No doubt many of those who STILL slag off their fellow fans for organising and participating in the Coppell Car Parking space show of support would have preferred us to have done the same, but I, for one, am actually proud that as a set of fans, we chose to do something unique, and regardless of the outcome, it shows that some of our fans at least, rise above the sheep and lemming-like mentality that is stoked by Sky and the rest of the media when it comes to Premier League football.

Incidentally, that Birmingham manager? Alex McLeish, who stayed, took them back up and Birmingham remain a Premier League side due in part to the continuity he provided them. But for a horrendous loss of form, that so easily could have been us....

[brendywendy]

proud to be there.

was ghey, but worth it.

[Row Z Royal]

proud to be there.

was ghey, but worth it.

:fistbump

[brendywendy]

[:overly complicated street handshake/]

[Red]

Article doesn't mention the site also crashed continually during that period

[Victor Meldrew]

Birmingham fans went on a rampage after they got relegated, and poured huge amounts of bile and vitriol on their then Manager for having the temerity to be managing them as they were relegated.

No doubt many of those who STILL slag off their fellow fans for organising and participating in the Coppell Car Parking space show of support would have preferred us to have done the same, but I, for one, am actually proud that as a set of fans, we chose to do something unique, and regardless of the outcome, it shows that some of our fans at least, rise above the sheep and lemming-like mentality that is stoked by Sky and the rest of the media when it comes to Premier League football.

Incidentally, that Birmingham manager? Alex McLeish, who stayed, took them back up and Birmingham remain a Premier League side due in part to the continuity he provided them. But for a horrendous loss of form, that so easily could have been us....

So the Birmingham way worked then?
As did the so-called terrible booing of Shane Long-it has booed him into his best form ever.
Aggression pays.