Should all BWFC forums merge?

Last night got me thinking, wouldn't it be better if all the active Bolton Wanderers forums around at the moment merged and became one big super forum?

It would stop situations like last night happening, and allow people who only use the one forum to participate in the discussion they wanted too without having to "copy" the topic from the rival forum.

It would also bring all the online Bolton fans together and enable far more variety.

Now, I'm aware that some forums were formed as a result of falling outs, so it would be a challenge to unite all. But has too much water gone under the bridge? Can we not all agree that we all support the same club at the end of the day?

No - this forum is different and that's reflected in who frequents it.

There are enough 'friendly' forums that are terribly over-moderated.

I like that this is a 'fun' forum and non too serious.

'we' (we are a family I suppose) also have the best features - chat boxes on matchdays and the like that beat other forums in to the ground.

Of course, I meant all the forums should merge into this one and be ruled by our great mods and admins here!

Please god no.

I've looked at the Deleted thread- and to be honest,I don't have a clue whats it was all about.
Lets keep things as they are -even when people fall out on here we keep going,although some of the language used recently isn't really necessary

rammywhite wrote:I've looked at the Deleted thread- and to be honest,I don't have a clue whats it was all about.

I saw a thread on BA, wanted to have it here as I thought it was a good idea and no longer wish to ever post on BA. Boggers didn't approve of copying a thread from BA and BTID and Sluffy seemed to agree with him. So I just deleted the thing as it didn't really matter and I didn't see the point in causing an argument, especially when it could turn into another forum war.

Banter aside, I actually like Boggers and think he's one of the best posters on here, so I certainly won't fall out with him about it (even though he now can't make his mind up about whether or not I should have deleted the thread )

Back on topic - In theory yes - in practice I can't see it ever happening.

Some clubs do have massive supporters forums (Liverpool - RAWK, West Ham - KUMB) so it can and does happen, the problem with our club though is that nearly all of the existing other forums have owners who have vested (financial) interests in retaining control over their own forums.

I can't think of any other Bolton forum apart from ours which doesn't use its membership in some way or other, to 'earn' money for its owner through either advertisements, sponsorship, or charging them for basic forum services - or indeed a combination of all three! Even the JA606 forum as just this week introduced advertisements on its site.

Up to now the running of this site as been very cheap indeed and the cost easily covered by those of us who formed the site and run it. I dare say the other forums costs are easily covered by the income they raise through their adverts, etc, and everything after that will be profit for their owners!

I'm not saying they would be making a fortune but it is a fact that two other site owners deliberately set out to sabotage this forum from even getting off the ground. Even after 15 months of our existence three of the other forums (owned and run by fellow Bolton supporters remember!) won't allow the name of our forum to be mention on their sites - although they allow mention of all the other pre-existing Bolton forums to be made!

The only obvious reason for this that I can think of is that they do not want to lose any of their viewers and posters to here because the less people who visit their sites mean less income they will make from their sponsors and advertisers. Why else would they acknowledge the existence of every other Bolton forum apart from ours, which happens to be the fast growing of all the Wanderers forums over the last twelve months!?

We started this forum for a laugh, not to make any money out of it.

We simply want others to join in and make the place better for all of us. Until the other site owners see things the same way then I very much doubt that we will ever manage to all come together in one forum.

That's my view on things anyway.

Sgt. Bash wrote:Boggers didn't approve of copying a thread from BA

I didn't think you'd be bothered about what I say tbh. I apologise

i noticed the adverts on JA606 a couple of days ago, i still pop on to see whats happening and take part in the prediction league, but most of my posts (not that many granted) are on here as it is a lot livelier and i love the chatbox on away match days!

That's all fair enough Sluffy, I guess the only way we'll have a super forum is if all but one of the forums go under and everyone signs up to the last forum standing (if it ever happened, hopefully this one would be last standing!).

Boggersbelief wrote:

Sgt. Bash wrote:Boggers didn't approve of copying a thread from BA

I didn't think you'd be bothered about what I say tbh. I apologise

No worries, I'm not Amos, no breakdowns here! (sorry Chris! )

I'm really happy you feel that way Norpig - thank you.

Feel free to spread the word though!

For reasons Sluffy has already explained I can't see it happening and I'm not sure it would work anyway.

I've been on several other forums and no longer bother posting on them. This forum strikes the kind of balance that I am looking for and I wouldn't want to see that changed.

Didn't know there were so many forums. I found a business card on the bar at Scotts for this forum.

Who pays for the prizes on here?

I've never been on any other Bolton forums.

mark leach wrote:Didn't know there were so many forums. I found a business card on the bar at Scotts for this forum.

Who pays for the prizes on here?

We, the site owners.

mark leach wrote:Didn't know there were so many forums. I found a business card on the bar at Scotts for this forum.

Who pays for the prizes on here?

We, the site GROOMERS

Sgt. Bash wrote:That's all fair enough Sluffy, I guess the only way we'll have a super forum is if all but one of the forums go under and everyone signs up to the last forum standing (if it ever happened, hopefully this one would be last standing!).

Boggersbelief wrote:

Sgt. Bash wrote:Boggers didn't approve of copying a thread from BA

I didn't think you'd be bothered about what I say tbh. I apologise

No worries, I'm not Bernard, no breakdowns here!

hmmmph!!!!! I corrected it for you, Sgt.

Hahaha good one Captain Suicide.

Bernard Dennis Park wrote:Hahaha good one Captain Suicide.

Been to visit BA recently? You ain't been there for weeks!

I don't post on there now. As you obviously know.

I didn't try and kill myself though.

Or get banned from driving for being over the limit.

Or wish cancer on someone.

You did.

Wanna carry on?