Aye! It's not just the Church that has problems just now. My beloved football club are in turmoil too. As a fan, I regularly tuned into www.ptfc.net, the alternative Partick Thistle Nil website. Not the "official" one, but the one that belonged to us, the fans. There we argued on the forum, worried, joked, taunted Airdrie and Gypsy, (Clyde FC), fans, and had brilliant match reports and up to date real news of what was going on at Firhill.
Towards the end of last season, Alan Cowan, the Chairman, an honourable man I'm sure, banned PTFC.net from after match press conferences! Seemingly the Board couldn't take the criticism.
The committed people who ran the site have given in, and given up after years of maintaining one of the best fan's sites on the internet.
Banning from press conferences? Shutting up the complainers? Doing away with people who do not agree with them? Ring any bells?
It's not as if they are doing a brilliant job. I know of many who are having second thoughts about renewing their season ticket, me included! They are not called Partick Thistle Nil for nothing, but we pays our money and support them through thick and thin. We are true supporters.
However, we cannot criticise! Perhaps I have to be careful here. I don't want Rector's Ramblings to be shut down just yet, or my usual seat at home matches being tampered with because I have very negative feelings about the current Board!
Will I renew my season ticket? Aye. Because if you cut me in two I'd be red and yellow, and I go to support a football team that I've loved since I was 4 years old. How many of the current Board can saythat?
Kenny
I am really sorry for Lianne and the rest of the team at ptfc.net. They have been a source of inspiration for fans since the dark old days of rivals.net. I read about this a couple of weeks back on Pie and Bovril and was disgusted that yet another website I have spent quality time on (prolly not as much as you) has bit the dust.
On the bright side, if anyone wishes to do an unofficial forum then footymad.net still has the Thistle franchise open!
I am firmly of the belief that most chairman are from planet mental (Vladimir Romanov is the current President) as they mistake loyalty for willing to put up with anything, true football fans will not change to another to another team but that’s no reason to take liberties.
You have to remember that its only about 10 years ago that the fans quite literally saved the jags