Home
Blog
Careers
Forums
Downloads
FM24 Real Name Fix
FM23 Real Name Fix
FM24 New Leagues
FM23 New Leagues
FM24 Tactics
FM24 Data Update
FM Database
FM Guides
FM Shortlists
FM24/25 Update Wonderkids
FM24/25 Update Free Players
FM24/25 Update Bargains
FM24/25 Update Players to avoid
FM24/25 Update Club Budgets
FM24/25 Update Club Facilities
Graphics
Installation Guides
Records
Prediction League
Fantasy Football
Search
VP.
1 - Why is there staff here that do not even play the game?
2 - Why is the social networking side of the site very rarely ever updated with anything?
3 - I've mentioned this one many times in the past, but why are so many questions from new members simply ignored by the staff? It really should be the staff's priority to help these people and encourage them to stay around. And don't you dare answer this with it isn't just down to the staff, it is before anyone else!
4 - Why is there basically nothing on the forums of any real interest anymore, we don't even have a records thread ffs! We used to have a monthly news letter type thing and that would have a fair bit inside it telling people what and who was great about the forum over the past month.
5 - I do feel the forum itself is a big problem, so much more difficult to navigate than the old boards, plus the down time really doesn't help. Rob needs to have the trust in someone from the current staff team and give them more responsibilities when he cannot be around.
6 - Is it possible to see any stats on site traffic and new members signing up? As im fairly certain the member base is there, you've just gotta keep them. Also used to be so much better before when you could see who was online, who was viewing which threads, how many were online today etc.
This isn't a chance for people to have a go at the place/staff, its a chance for anyone that cares to have a say on what they think should or could be improved. For me personally its not nice seeing the place slowly die away as once upon a time a gave a great deal of my time to this place and i don't want to see that, and everyone else's hardwork that went into make this place what it once was go to waste
EDIT: I am always available to help
lemmiwinksrm
A lot of the old traffic is still there, like the graphics section, and the stories section certainly still has an element of core users - hopefully this can bring some good ideas out.
There used to be a feature that you could see who was in each forum at any given time, which I think really gave you an indication of just how popular certain forums were.
Poe
Cymro
The forum should be looking at feature articles that should be placed e.g. the facepacks, logos, kits, stories etc. I am pretty sure this was done before.
As for social networking, this site does lack behind others. A couple of staff members need to grab the bull by the horns with this. It is important to sell the site on them but also keep members informed of what is going on with the site.
As ever if there is something I can help with, get in contact.
EDIT: The challenge idea is a fantastic one. Seen this done on another site and it worked really well.
Tommo.
I agree with the social side, as when the site does go down, I'm sure I am not the only one who goes to look at twitter or something to make sure its not only me its down for.
Shedender
When the forums are down, twitter is always the first place I check.
Footygamer
Why doesn't Rob give others more powers?
Staff can do pretty much everything except for the coding, they have access all the social networks etc. The fact is that the staff just aren't necessarily around that much anymore, it's not that they don't have the power. I don't remove them because they're not doing any harm, it's not like we have a regimented number of positions to fill and must kick people out and replace them with others. I'm open to giving members more power and making them staff if they want to contribute but I'll never criticise the current staff for 'not doing enough' towards a hobby.
It should also be noted that alot of the staff do an awful lot in the graphics sections, so it's not like they're doing nothing. But admittedly the general discussions/tactics etc is poor.
Why don't you hire different staff?
Good question, we've done it before, often people die out pretty quickly after becoming staff. Okay we haven't appointed any in a while but I think it will take one or two people grabbing the bull by the horns and dedicating alot of time to the site rather than a few average, regular and helpful posters. This is something I wish I had the time to do and was doing more so last October time.
Since it's now easter break I have a bit more time to try and get more involved, but I can't guarantee anything until after May 1st (big uni deadline for me).
Members/traffic?
I can't be bothered to find the exact stats right now but hundreds sign up a day, mostly for the graphics. But there is definitely the possibility that they would stay and post if they were enticed to by seeing more activity. It's a vicious circle though, which is why I said it would take a few people to put in alot of effort to get the ball rolling in the first place.
Why has all this happened?
I'll have to take part of the blame, my main loves are FM and Coding, less so sitting on the forums chatting. In the past the site has a great coder and a great community guy e.g. caley and cleon, then there was skacel not so long ago but at the moment there's nobody spear heading member interaction and content creation.
I also think I tried to change things too much from what people are used to such as with the careers section, rather than leaving it like a generic forum.
There are definitely things that can be done and I have a list of ideas and features, the main problem is finding an hour or two a day to do something.
Cymro
VP.
For me being staff here was always seen as a privilege, it was a role given to just a few for standing out or giving a lot of your own time to the site more so than anyone else. I understand it is just a hobby and of course you don't get paid to do it, BUT that is not an excuse to just sit back after a couple of months of the role and offer nothing to the site. Or if it comes to a stage where you're simply not playing the game, then its also time to step down from the staff too as you cannot be staff on a FM site if you're not even playing the game! I feel the site took a stance a while back of expecting the regular members to add all the content etc rather than doing it or at least encouraging it themselves. You have two good FM people on the staff in Kez and Poe who i know would love to do more but i really believe they just need someone with a bit of experience with them to help them along as i know the pair of them are more than capable of being very good at their roles, they just need a bit of kick up the arse now and again
The graphics side of things i have never commented on as their input to the site is massive and i know they do more than enough which sadly 99% of it goes unnoticed by the regular member.
Personally, i would go about that how we used to do it when the likes of Cleon etc were here. Ask members to apply for positions here, ask them fill in some kind of form/questionnaire so to speak so they can highlight what they feel they could bring to the site and also what area's they feel they would be best suited to. We used to have staff specific to the stories/careers section, tactic section, obviously graphics and so on. Obviously you or the current staff may already have names in mind who you feel can come in and you know exactly what you'll get from them also.
The numbers are actually higher than i expected, so there are no worries that the place can be busier again.
Actually cannot believe you didn't mention SJ, myself and our team, those were the 'good old days'
And i really do feel the forum/site needs to be much easier to get around and certainly needs a bit of a sorting out. The News & Feedback should always be at the top just for a start imo, should be the first thing new members see. I've also seen there are two guide threads for some reason pinned in the FM discussion section, one is for the transfer budgets, which ended up having a link to FMScout a couple of posts down. The second is an attribute guide, which again has a link in a post from another member directing people to another site, this really should have been deleted or edited a long time ago explaining that advertising other sites isn't allowed, don't encourage people to leave ffs! There some good guides in the separate guides area, but again there could be so much more.
Personally i think the site needs to be stripped back (not the GFX area) and almost have a fresh start, granted it may be too late to expect any miracles for this version of the game, but by FM15 the place should be looking like a proper FM site once again. It doesn't have to be flash and fancy, just helpful and informative, a place where people know if they have a problem or need a tip for success, they can get it here.
I do apologise if any of this makes no sense but i was trying the watch the 'Classico' at the same time.
Eric Portapotty
Poe
FM Base
Cymro
Would be nice if you expand on those areas of suggestions to help the staff know what to look at.
Poe
I've been talking to him via PM and facebook and understand what he means!
Footygamer
If we can get more regular content then a change in appearance for the site will be worthwhile
Jason
Well i've submitted my Application, which includes something for the site to 'feature'
NeoCrowy23
Care to share what he means here ? Can get more input that way.
I don't think anything major needs changing tbh, although little touches like notifications when you have been replied/quoted in a forum message would help discussions flow. I think having little icons showing when members are online would be a nice little touch as well. If i've missed these and they are already a feature then my bad, just haven't seen them yet.
VP.
George14brfc
Shedender
VP.
Tyrion Lannister
it saddens me to see that the most active threads aren't FM related and I think that needs seriously addressing. the site defo needs streamlining as far as categories, subcategories & subsubcategories are concerned as its just getting far too confusing!
this is THE best site outside of the official one. always has been. but I think rob is going the right way about it.
I defo play FM. all the time tbh. its time for a change and bringing in new faces to the squad will do that. the time of cleon is over long ago! I remember him, he was about as much fun as syphilis.
Footygamer
There aren't really any subcategories for the general fm discussion so I don't see streamlining as being a problem really. Hopefully it will all be buzzing with more activity soon anyway so it won't look so empty and the separate forums will be more warranted
Poe
Tyrion Lannister
Tyrion Lannister
Poe
I get on with both now, so wouldn't really want us to go down the road of abusing them.
Footygamer
Tyrion Lannister
back then the site was very vibrant and probably needed a lot of policing. i kinda miss that. its just like a graveyard now...
hence why im here!
Tyrion Lannister