Time to go from Shotsweb, this time forever

[Rba]

Although today has been the final straw for me this is something I have been thinking about for some while so I know it is not a hasty decision that I will regret later.

I stopped posting once before (2019) but when Covid hit in 2020 and people were all being friendly, supportive and it was nice when stuck indoors to chat with people I started posting again, but for some while now it hasn't been enjoyable and frankly I feel has become a toxic place to spend time where there is without doubt a clique of posters on here who will not allow any genuine debate and only want to hear from those who share their views.




Over the years I have enjoyed some conversations with certain posters, I wont list them all because hopefully they know who they are but those particular posters know that whether I agree with them on certain subjects or not our conversations have always been remained pleasant and often educational, one poster in particular I have often learnt some very interesting things from on a very wide range of subjects.

I have always tried to participate well and have often put myself out to try and find out things for people if I have not known the answer and I hope that for some posters on here the knowledge that I gained from the time I spent working at the club and in the local community has been useful when I have been able to explain something or known where to look to find such information.

However I am also fully aware that there are some posters on here who do not like my contributions especially if by supplying facts I have spoilt there theories or attempts at stirring up trouble, those posters will I am sure be more than happy to see me go.

Today has upset many people myself included especially as I had a guest in hospitality today as a birthday treat for them having spent near enough three hours at the club in the morning with other wonderful volunteers who worked really hard to get that game on and the refs decision to call it off was a real kick in the teeth, a decision I certainly have my own views on. However to be told by what I felt was a particularly arrogant poster this evening (maybe he didn't realise how rudely he came across) that I should not give my opinion on the days events and that I was trying to act as a club spokesman has pushed me over the edge and made me decide its time to call it a day on here permanently.

Chatting on a forum about the football club that we all love and have done for many years (30 years this year for me) should be fun not something that raises my stress levels to the point of genuine and serious anger so to get back to a relaxed and stress free retirement I will no longer contribute.

To those who I have enjoyed some good banter with and some interesting debates, thank you.

Richard, I would ask you to reconsider and continue to post as you provide a unique take on matters that impact our club, on and off the pitch, with your knowledge and links .

I do understand your reasons for not wishing to continue but ShotsWeb will be much poorer without your contributions.You not only put your head above the parapet but back up your views with facts z as nd justification.


I have learnt in my 48 years of supporting Shots that football brings you into contact with a unique mix of people from many different backgrounds and views.Its inevitable that besides meeting people you can befriend you also come into contact with others who one can never get on with .


Please reconsider

Very good post Alf and I agree. The only snippets we do get from the club are through Richards posts. As the club won't tell you, they will "drip feed" what they want.
Richard does have his soul in the football team. His opinions are always appreciated if not all the time agreed with.

[Ian Rust]

How about Shots1954 putting up an apology to Richard.

[karlready]

How about Shots1954 putting up an apology to Richard.

How about the club putting up an apology to the world in general?
They are the catalyst for this sad state of affairs..

[Rba]

How about Shots1954 putting up an apology to Richard.

How about the club putting up an apology to the world in general?
They are the catalyst for this sad state of affairs..

Post of the day so far.

[lowerbourneshot]

How about Shots1954 putting up an apology to Richard.

Why ? I doubt think 54 did much wrong ,nothing worse than the swipe at Alex from the groundstaff, grow a pair and get on with it .

[Old Bob]

Hope you come back Richard-you're the only real insider we've got and you chat to a lot of people in the club heirarchy and are able to take the debate away from the conspiracy theory/echo chamber level. I've been put right by you as have most of us here-we let frustration get the better of us-like having a game called off late! Yesterday is definitely not the first time thats happened -cycled from Fleet to Aldershot for a boxing day/xmas home game v Cambridge Utd in 1976-frozen off, a cardboard badly written "Postpone" message tacked to a turnstile. Peed off,but I'm still here nearly half a century on! And no one will die because Solihull was called off in Jan 2025
There is the old problem of keyboarding-as opposed to face to face-where we intend to be humorous or doing our best to mimic a Steve Martin style comic rant and it doesn't come over as that in the blog!! I'm sure a good few of us (me included) have experienced this backfiring of a comment!!

A fine post, Hepcat. Well said.

[Fuggletim]

I’d echo that Hepcat’s post is good. I have had a few comments I posted on here (and elsewhere) misconstrued and this is the trouble with the written word insofar as you cannot see body language of the author, or hear the tonality in what is being said.

Postponement wise, I can recall one of those FA Cup replays (whatever they were) v Bristol City that got called off at short notice which I only found out about when I got to the ground after leaving work early and having to ask my late Father for £5:00 to get some petrol (and had to ask him again when the game got played, I think the following evening). Annoyed me, yes, but 40 or so years later I still come along.

Yesterday was a PR disaster for the Club and a classic case of “counting chickens” and yes, I was annoyed again. However I think it is time for me to move on to the next thing in life personally.

One last thing though, I hope Richard re-considers (and Dr Jim too).

[brian bloomfield]

Richard flew up to Newcastle from Stansted, with many other Shots supporters for the Blythe Spartans game that got called off whilst we were in a pub in Whitby. Me and Richard then went down to the Stadium of Light to watch Sunderland V PNE and that was postponed literally 5 minutes before the game started.

Did we moan, no! We just laughed it off.

I was at the BP garage on the A3 yesterday when I got the news of the postponement. Collateral damage £20 fuel and 3 hours of my time or in other words, nothing.

I do sympathise with others who made the long journey, particularly Howard who travelled from Wales. However no one intentionally I believe, misled the supporters.

[SteveyAsp]

Richard flew up to Newcastle from Stansted, with many other Shots supporters for the Blythe Spartans game that got called off whilst we were in a pub in Whitby. Me and Richard then went down to the Stadium of Light to watch Sunderland V PNE and that was postponed literally 5 minutes before the game started.

Did we moan, no! We just laughed it off.

I was at the BP garage on the A3 yesterday when I got the news of the postponement. Collateral damage £20 fuel and 3 hours of my time or in other words, nothing.

I do sympathise with others who made the long journey, particularly Howard who travelled from Wales. However no one intentionally I believe, misled the supporters.

Intentionally??? Nope but it was still poor from the club the way it suggested there were no problems.
Also the fact that they did a pitch inspection the day before where I’m guessing they couldn’t fully remove the covers wasn’t great.
They should have called a referee in when the covers were removed yesterday morning.
It’s supposed to be a professional football club but unfortunately it’s very amateur in the way it does a lot of things.

[Rba]

Richard flew up to Newcastle from Stansted, with many other Shots supporters for the Blythe Spartans game that got called off whilst we were in a pub in Whitby. Me and Richard then went down to the Stadium of Light to watch Sunderland V PNE and that was postponed literally 5 minutes before the game started.

Did we moan, no! We just laughed it off.

I was at the BP garage on the A3 yesterday when I got the news of the postponement. Collateral damage £20 fuel and 3 hours of my time or in other words, nothing.

I do sympathise with others who made the long journey, particularly Howard who travelled from Wales. However no one intentionally I believe, misled the supporters.

Let's hope not ...in the modern world we should have a process.Let's hope so in future. What really threw everyone was the ( and I will say it) the arrogance of ATFC that all was fine and no problem. Richard said himself the cost of a postponment is high a week or so ago. Let's not forget the Referee has the last word.No one else.

[Shots91]

Brian why don't you go on to Solihull's forum and tell the fans who travelled down about yours and Richards jolly boys outing up north and that they should not worry about the money spent on tickets, transport, food/drinks and a day wasted and that they should just laugh it off and not moan about it.

The arrogance from some on here who try to defend the clubs own arrogance for their absolute shitshow yesterday is staggering.
Can't stand people who try to defend this sort of thing and expect hundreds of people who lost plenty of money and time yesterday when this could of easily been avoided.

And guess what...you couldn't shut the media team up for the last day or 2 and now not a single word since.

Accept people are going to be angry by what has happened and have every right to be.

Can't fault the the groundmens and volunteers who tried but it was an own goal and embarrassing for the club/groundsmen/volunteers and some on here who helped to assume there would be no problems when you could clearly see as soon as the south stand side photo had covers down still, that this was not a good sign the game was fully on.
Alot of us have watch football for years and most know how the weather can affect the south side and how the club went about it and kept both sets of fans in the dark about it was just awful.

[drewshotsfan]

Although today has been the final straw for me this is something I have been thinking about for some while so I know it is not a hasty decision that I will regret later.

I stopped posting once before (2019) but when Covid hit in 2020 and people were all being friendly, supportive and it was nice when stuck indoors to chat with people I started posting again, but for some while now it hasn't been enjoyable and frankly I feel has become a toxic place to spend time where there is without doubt a clique of posters on here who will not allow any genuine debate and only want to hear from those who share their views.

Over the years I have enjoyed some conversations with certain posters, I wont list them all because hopefully they know who they are but those particular posters know that whether I agree with them on certain subjects or not our conversations have always been remained pleasant and often educational, one poster in particular I have often learnt some very interesting things from on a very wide range of subjects.

I have always tried to participate well and have often put myself out to try and find out things for people if I have not known the answer and I hope that for some posters on here the knowledge that I gained from the time I spent working at the club and in the local community has been useful when I have been able to explain something or known where to look to find such information.

However I am also fully aware that there are some posters on here who do not like my contributions especially if by supplying facts I have spoilt there theories or attempts at stirring up trouble, those posters will I am sure be more than happy to see me go.

Today has upset many people myself included especially as I had a guest in hospitality today as a birthday treat for them having spent near enough three hours at the club in the morning with other wonderful volunteers who worked really hard to get that game on and the refs decision to call it off was a real kick in the teeth, a decision I certainly have my own views on. However to be told by what I felt was a particularly arrogant poster this evening (maybe he didn't realise how rudely he came across) that I should not give my opinion on the days events and that I was trying to act as a club spokesman has pushed me over the edge and made me decide its time to call it a day on here permanently.

Chatting on a forum about the football club that we all love and have done for many years (30 years this year for me) should be fun not something that raises my stress levels to the point of genuine and serious anger so to get back to a relaxed and stress free retirement I will no longer contribute.

To those who I have enjoyed some good banter with and some interesting debates, thank you.

I joined ShotsWeb on February 12, 2008 (just checked my profile)

I have seen respect and politeness towards contributors deteriorate in those 17 years to the point where I'm apprehensive to post my thoughts anymore, for fear of being rounded on by a handful of members who, because they post regularly, feel they hold the high ground

Maybe it's a sad reflection of the slow erosion of society's values and a growing attitude of ''entitlement'

I'm pretty sure if we, as a group of fellow Shots supporters, met in a pub and chatted face to face over a beer (or three) the conversation would result in many different opinions, but it would remain friendly and be described as banter

Unfortunately, some people don't maintain that behaviour when on the internet

Drew

[Rba]

Although today has been the final straw for me this is something I have been thinking about for some while so I know it is not a hasty decision that I will regret later.

I stopped posting once before (2019) but when Covid hit in 2020 and people were all being friendly, supportive and it was nice when stuck indoors to chat with people I started posting again, but for some while now it hasn't been enjoyable and frankly I feel has become a toxic place to spend time where there is without doubt a clique of posters on here who will not allow any genuine debate and only want to hear from those who share their views.

Over the years I have enjoyed some conversations with certain posters, I wont list them all because hopefully they know who they are but those particular posters know that whether I agree with them on certain subjects or not our conversations have always been remained pleasant and often educational, one poster in particular I have often learnt some very interesting things from on a very wide range of subjects.

I have always tried to participate well and have often put myself out to try and find out things for people if I have not known the answer and I hope that for some posters on here the knowledge that I gained from the time I spent working at the club and in the local community has been useful when I have been able to explain something or known where to look to find such information.

However I am also fully aware that there are some posters on here who do not like my contributions especially if by supplying facts I have spoilt there theories or attempts at stirring up trouble, those posters will I am sure be more than happy to see me go.

Today has upset many people myself included especially as I had a guest in hospitality today as a birthday treat for them having spent near enough three hours at the club in the morning with other wonderful volunteers who worked really hard to get that game on and the refs decision to call it off was a real kick in the teeth, a decision I certainly have my own views on. However to be told by what I felt was a particularly arrogant poster this evening (maybe he didn't realise how rudely he came across) that I should not give my opinion on the days events and that I was trying to act as a club spokesman has pushed me over the edge and made me decide its time to call it a day on here permanently.

Chatting on a forum about the football club that we all love and have done for many years (30 years this year for me) should be fun not something that raises my stress levels to the point of genuine and serious anger so to get back to a relaxed and stress free retirement I will no longer contribute.

To those who I have enjoyed some good banter with and some interesting debates, thank you.

I joined ShotsWeb on February 12, 2008 (just checked my profile)

I have seen respect and politeness towards contributors deteriorate in those 17 years to the point where I'm apprehensive to post my thoughts anymore, for fear of being rounded on by a handful of members who, because they post regularly, feel they hold the high ground

Maybe it's a sad reflection of the slow erosion of society's values and a growing attitude of ''entitlement'

I'm pretty sure if we, as a group of fellow Shots supporters, met in a pub and chatted face to face over a beer (or three) the conversation would result in many different opinions, but it would remain friendly and be described as banter

Unfortunately, some people don't maintain that behaviour when on the internet

Drew

Shotsweb is far better than any other non league forum. Yes people " rip into" each other that's life, it's policed pretty well and in fact very much in favour of the club. The moderators have been quiet of late.

[Peter macdonald]

I understand Solihull’s annoyance but I recall travelling up to Scarborough in December 1989 only to find out when we arrived at the ground that the game was called off, I remember seeing Dale Banton heading back towards the coach, was very annoying but we then purchased a radio and a few cans and enjoyed our journey back home!

[Les Briley]

I understand Solihull’s annoyance but I recall travelling up to Scarborough in December 1989 only to find out when we arrived at the ground that the game was called off, I remember seeing Dale Banton heading back towards the coach, was very annoying but we then purchased a radio and a few cans and enjoyed our journey back home!

Exactly mate, remember getting to Morecambe only to be told the games off, got as far as Scotch corner when the Blyth Spartans game got called off,....it happens