PH Football Forums. My view.

[Garlick]

In all my time on PistonHeads this forum proves to be one of the most difficult to moderate. At times I have justified the reasons for having a football forum on PH when the amount of moderator reports makes it seem pointless, and yet I am now close to wondering why we bother myself.

I like football, hence my desire for this forum to remain, but I need all who participate to be decent PHers and to respect the rules of the site and the moderator action that sometimes has to take place. It's time to get this place in some sort of order. fk about and we'll need to act, just as you would expect us to do in The Lounge or General Gassing.

Racism, baiting of other clubs (maliciously and with intent to rile) and pointless and endless arguing can't happen. I go on the terraces so I know banter is part of the game, but FFS let's keep a lid on it eh? Sometimes this place is embarrassing.

I want to reopen the LFC thread, we'll seek to do this by the end of the week, but if the arguing starts again we'll remove people from threads (temporarily or permanently as we would do elsewhere on the site. I won't reopen it until I'm reassured we can start afresh and that we won't continue to drag up old dirt. Reading some comments on that thread makes me despair, and that genuinely saddens me (hence me being at the office writing this instead of being at home cooking my dinner).

Creating fake profiles to continue an argument with a mod is completely out of line too, it's a bannable offence as it would be if the abuse was directed at a member. We will ban anyone who thinks this is an acceptable thing to do, be in no doubt about that.

Time to draw a line and move on. I don't want to hear any more about any past issues, no more snide comments, no reasons given to close threads.

Agree with me? Why not step up to help us to mod the forum, it's too big a job for one man. Mail me if your keen and let's get started. Full bans too strong in some instances? How about a three strike rule, or a weekend ban so members lose the right to comment on the weekends games? There's a solution out there and we'll find it.

With sad football events making the headlines, it's time to grow up. 90% of the content here is excellent (except the dislike for Chelsea, but you can't have it all) and I apologise to thoise reading this who just want to chat about footy.

I hope we can move on. I'm off home now, but will be back in later. Let's not use this thread to carry on old debates, instead I'm looking for reassurances that we can draw a line in the sand.

[mickk]

I did mention the yellow/red card a while back.

[Garlick]

mickk said:

I did mention the yellow/red card a while back.

Missed that, good idea

Tell me more...

[Wacky Racer]

Here's the code of conduct, Ric the moderator of the Manchester City "Bluemoon" forum has posted up.......


Bluemoon is here for your use and enjoyment, but in order to keep things running smoothly this code of conduct has been put in place. The code is not meant to place major restrictions on what people post, but to point out things that we would prefer not to see on the board.

Firstly more or less anything goes. Swearing (in general) is not banned but please don't swear in post titles as it plays havoc with people's work filters. There's no problem with discussing sensitive issues such as politics or religion as long as it is done respectfully (and in the appropriate forum: anything not football related should be in off topic and so on).

In order to start new threads you must have made at least 100 posts.

Please remember to treat fellow posters with respect. Treat others as you'd expect to be treated. If you are constantly aggressive and confrontational on here you'll get banned. If you have a problem with anything someone says then please PM me or one of the moderators and we will sort it out. Please also treat the moderators with the respect they deserve; they are giving up their free time to help keep this site running so deserve gratitude rather than accusations of megalomania.

If you want to know why a thread was removed, please PM myself or a moderator for an explanation rather than starting a new "Where's my post gone?" thread.

You visit Bluemoon at your own risk, there may be things here that you find offensive, or insulting. We do not accept any responsibility for anything said or posted here, and they certainly don't reflect the views of Manchester City FC. Supporters of other clubs are welcome to post, though flaming the board will be discouraged. We have many ways of banning you from the forum and these will be used.

Anything that is construed as being racist or libellous will be deleted and you will be banned. Munich insults will not be tolerated, even if being provoked by United fans. There's a million and one things to take the piss out of United for, death shouldn't be one of them.

Please avoid advertising anything on here. Blatantly pornographic postings or links will be removed. Any tickets must be sold at face value, or you will face a ban.

By the way this message board is about quality, and not quantity. Its not a race to reach hot topics, and its not a race to a million posts. Its also not designed for mobile phones, so please avoid "txt spk" as it has a habit of pissing people off.

Finally lets not make it a forum for slagging other forums. Enjoy it, but please remember to engage your brain and treat other posters with respect.

[mickk]

Those one team forums are nothing like PH though. These threads are bound to attract rival teams and the arguing/banter that comes with it.

[mickk]

Garlick said:

mickk said:

I did mention the yellow/red card a while back.

Missed that, good idea

Tell me more...

Sent.

[GLENRED]

mickk said:

I did mention the yellow/red card a while back.

This would work

But would a red card be a permanent ban?

[The Highway Man]

Works well on other forums, you set down a list of criteria that will earn you a yellow card. If mod intervention warrants it, the offending poster gets a yellow card and given the chance to reel it in. If they persist with their actions, they get a second yellow thus it becoming a red and they get banned from the topic for a certain length of time. Once that ban is up, if they persist, they get another yellow. the second red gets them a permanent ban from the site. So basically it is a structured 3 strikes and your out (forever)

[curlie467]

You can rest assured that you will have no trouble from me whatsoever, I really hope this can work and that all the petty squabbling can stop once and for all.

If mickk thinks the red card yellow card method is the way forward then lets go for it!

[mickk]

GLENRED said:

mickk said:

I did mention the yellow/red card a while back.

This would work

But would a red card be a permanent ban?

No. That's up to the powers that be, month or more I would say depending on what you had done wrong Glen.

[Booey]

Garlick said:

mickk said:

I did mention the yellow/red card a while back.

Missed that, good idea

Tell me more...

I think that's a great idea Mickk.

Perhaps there could be a sticky listing people in 'the book' on a yellow to keep track of it.

Two yellows then it is an automatic, I don't know, 3 match ban? 2 reds in a season and a permanent ban from football forum?

[deadmau5]

mickk said:

I did mention the yellow/red card a while back.

This would work well if the poster had a yellow/red box next to their name ala BTaP logo or had (YC) or (RC) written under their name.

[The Highway Man]

mickk said:

No. That's up to the powers that be, month or more I would say depending on what you had done wrong Glen.

Like I said, 1st red gets you a temporary topic ban, forum ban whatever, 2nd red gets you a permanent ban. The usual suspects would be on their best behaviour then.

[Zaxxon]

Perhaps moving it to a seperate area from Pie & Piston so it does not attract attention from casual trolls?

[Booey]

How about having a fan mod for each thread?

A liverpool fan on the pool thread. A United fan on that thread. Me on the Arsenal thread . etc. That'd work well.

All major decisions approved by Ferg or Kinky of course.

[mickk]

It obviously needs fine tuning, but something has to be done or these threads will be closed down and you'll all miss me.

Don't know about the sticky next to your name as when you post on other non-football threads you'll look like a villain.

[UF]

Nice to see this Paul. I feel this is the best way forward.

You have my views and my offer to help still stands.

Thanks to everyone who has spoken up.

[TheHeretic]

Being a mod seems to be a cursed decision, I wouldn't wish that upon anyone. I do think that for it to weed out miscreants it needs to be effective. The yellow card/red card seems to be a good idea, (and on topic as well, which is a bonus).

Good luck sorting it out.

[SimonRS]

Booey said:

How about having a fan mod for each thread?

A liverpool fan on the pool thread. A United fan on that thread. Me on the Arsenal thread . etc. That'd work well.

All major decisions approved by Ferg or Kinky of course.

The Sunderland OP seems to take it on himself in that thread, and he gets respect.

Thanks Garlic, that's a really open and honest post.

[UF]

SimonRS said:

Booey said:

How about having a fan mod for each thread?

A liverpool fan on the pool thread. A United fan on that thread. Me on the Arsenal thread . etc. That'd work well.

All major decisions approved by Ferg or Kinky of course.

The Sunderland OP seems to take it on himself in that thread, and he gets respect.

Thanks Garlic, that's a really open and honest post.

When Garlick was asking for a mod I put forward the name of a spud. It doesn't matter what club the mods support only that the admin is effective. Obviously as a "community" all users must play a part too.