Post by Dave on Mar 19, 2010 20:50:29 GMT
I was very surprised I did not make any major cock-ups doing my job today or did not make some stupid driving error, as not for the first time my mind the whole day was spent thinking about the TFF. My boss and others in my life constantly tell me that the TFF now dominates my life and maybe they are right and yes I do care far to much about the TFF and only because I made a very big commitment to try and create a really special forum and one not like so many others.
My thoughts during the day were focused on should I say what was really on my mind and what deep down I feel needs to be said and if I did what effect it would have and would it really do any good at all. I ended up deciding it was probably best left unsaid and if I still wanted to say anything it should be about what really needs to change on here so we can move on to so much better times.
I was trying to think today how it was the last time there were two TUFC forums running, .com and .net, I may be wrong but I don’t remember people posting about the OTHER forum or trying to rubbish it, or its members. My memory is that back then we just stuck to making posts connected with the thread titles on whatever forum we used.
So what has changed? I do not need to go into detail but things changed when Mervo gave up, net and the end result was that some people ended up almost at war and little old me just knew there had to be something else that would result in there being a choice and not a situation where it was a case of take or leave it, like it or lump it.
My aim never was and never will be to make the TFF the number one forum for Torquay United fans, all my efforts have been directed into making the TFF the best it can be for the TFF and its members.
I firmly believe that if you put the effort in, pay attention to detail, built on good solid strong foundations based of honesty, principles, decency, and morels, then you stand a real good chance of being on a winner. But you also need more than that, you need others who also hold such values and who also want to play their part in creating something that little bit different, that little bit special.
Guess what? Together we did that and we went one better, we broke the mould that maybe no other football forum had done before, we were looked on in the clubs eyes as a good reasonable bunch of fans and ones who’s views on the whole were worth listening to because we were able to put them across in the way views should be.
I’m not going to single out any members as all members contributions are valuable to the TFF, but we are blessed on here with some of the very best forum posters ever and the knowledge that flows through the TFF is outstanding. One thing that has always been magic about this forum is you log on and seldom get disappointed as there will nearly always be that special well written post, that post that made you marvel at the posters memory or knowledge.
Yet nearly 22 months on and the shine is still being knocked off all that is good about the TFF and clouds are cast over all the real sunshine there is on here and that is what does need to change because it harms and undoes all the hard work and effort put in by the members on here.
I know some have history with a few well known characters and also views on the differences between the two forums, you know what? So do I, but it really has to be kept off the TFF and not brought into it, as that is what makes our crown slip, that is what ruins all that is so good about the TFF.
Its time for a few to let the past go and put all that wasted energy into making the quality posts, the interesting ones and the ones that get us all going, bloody wonderful. It has to happen and it has to start happening now as in two months time the TFF will be two years old and I want that to be its birthday present.
This platform was provided for the very sort of members that has joined the TFF and yes not by any design on my part at all, we are all generally positive souls and ones who can look at the whole picture and we also in our own ways support our club. We are a very good community on and I ask you to please consider all I have said and for the good of our forum help the TFF move forward without ever having to look back at where we once was.
Thanks Dave
This week’s winner must be on a hat trick of wins now and he really does write the most brilliant and amusing match reports and his report for the Crewe game was another masterpiece.
This week’s winner is Alpinejoe, top man and top post so well done yet again alpinejoe.
Alpinejoe’s great match report.
A warm sunny afternoon as I made my way to Plainmoor.
The problem was I was late and as I scurried down through St.Marychurch it was almost 2.45pm. As I neared the end of the precinct I couldn't help notice the magnifient collection of birds on their perches...Owls of various sizes & varieties & other breeds of bird I wouldn't like to guess at. I was as enthralled with the beauty of these wonderful creatures as the rest of the adults and children gathered in the area but remembered I had a date with yet another breed...the Gulls.
Feeling guilty at turning up over 10 minutes late from the time agreed I thought maybe the best option would be to lighten the mood with a little humour so I breathlessly asked " is Mo in the starting eleven"? As our section chortled away at such a suggestion I enquired further.." ah so it's only the bench for Mo this week"...luckily this comment was viewed as equally hilariously far fetched and my lateness was soon forgotten.
But the pre match comedy didn't end there as someone glanced at their programme in disbelief before exclaiming "Shoebridge in charge !..they're havin a laugh" ?
Yep it was the infamous Rob Shoebridge..the Ref that Neil Warnock insisted should serve a 12 month ban starting last August for his incompetance in disallowing a Crystal Palace 'goal' at Bristol City that had clearly entered the net before returning to play.
For anyone wishing to refresh their memories
www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footbal....goal-storm.html
Looking across from the Popside the distinctive figure of Dario Gradi could be easily made out with his trade mark tinted glasses.
The last time I'd seen a Gradi team in the flesh was in the very early'80's when his Crystal Palace team lost at the home of that years eventual champions Aston Villa.
Time had moved on & instead of facing a forward line of Tony Morley,Gary Shaw & Peter Withe his side were up against the combined striking might of Zebrowski,Rendell & Benyon.
Both Gradi & Crewe seem to be well liked in football circles. They've stuck with their principles on how the game should be played & stuck with each other. As expected of a Gradi team his side tried to knock the ball about with neat short passes.
Rather than try to beat them at their own game we tried to impose a different style on proceedings, frequently hitting it long out of defence. No Crewe defender could compose himself & play a measured ball out of defence to build an attack as Elliot 'Silly Billy' Benyon was buzzing everywhere, in their faces within seconds, unsettling them.
The first 10 minutes was all we needed to witness some classic Guy Branston play. In that short period of time he'd softened up the whole of the Crewe front line, and on a couple of occasions when the Crewe forward was tackled he stayed tackled..laying face down on the turf for some time before gingerly picking himself up. LRT hadn't had much joy against the pacey Bryon Moore in that opening period and apparantly decided that a more Branstonian approach might be called for. Consequently we saw Moore hobbling off after 12 minutes of the game & Crewe's reshuffle meant LRT then had a far easier afternoon that he'd had up to that point.
I had the misfortune to be standing near a bunch of Wayne Carlisle groupies,their ring leader a loud mouthed Alan Yentob lookalike (if you can imagine such a thing). Plus points being that they cheered Wayne's every move & to their credit were season ticket holders, but the crass comments came thick & fast. Moore should get up as there was "nothing wrong with him" and Donaldson was loudly asked if he was aware of how 'ridiculous'his hair looked.
I'm convinced that such comments achieve little other than to motivate opposition players to ram such comments back down the throats of those who make them & when Donaldson slotted home the equaliser in the 85th minute it was no surprise that his first thought was to run gleefully towards the Pop side while vigorously rubbing his 'fly away'hair.
Two magnificent Mark Ellis headers cleared off the line were a prelude to Rendell sweeping home a 38th minute goal.
H.T and the Gulls lead 1-0. And chat on the Pop side turns to.....Mo ! a lot of concern expressed as to Mo's possible financial hardship if a 'pay as you play' arrangement is in place. Should some sort of Hardship Fund be set up for him..or a one off payment to help him meet bills..maybe along the lines of the Pensioners winter fuel payment ? should the Trust get involved?...maybe a half time collection for him? just as we were debating Mo's life in cardboard city we suddenly found ourselves distracted by a fine pair of black high heeled leather boots tottering out onto the pitch being worn by a far from unattrative dark haired female. As we gazed on..mouths open ..it was revealed that we were in fact ogling Matchball sponsor Emma Butterworth of 'Emma Butterworth Dental' fame.
Now with his history of dental problems I expected 'Chief Groundsman for the Day' Aussie to rush over and ask Emma if she could give his molars a quick once over at the back of the Grandstand after the match but being the consumate professional that he is he kept his mind soley on only one kind of 'forking'
Alan Slough took his eyes off Emma's legs long enough to select 50/50 ticket No.08183... or that might have been the phone number for Emma's surgery by that time I was daydreaming of a thigh boot wearing Emma cracking the whip as I turn up late for a check up.
In a vain effort to get my mind back on football before the 2nd half kicked off I glanced at the programme. Someone had written a few columns about the great Rodney Jack & said it was a 'real shame' that there weren't more clips of him on 'youtube' & other video sites. Well it's the same reason as there won't be many video clips of today's players there either, or still pics of them on Flickr it's because we're not bloody well allowed to take any !
A faster paced and more entertaining 2nd half ensued, a fine glancing header by Chris Robertson being the highlight. Ref Shoebridge had been a bit irritating as free kicks became a drawn out process before he was ready for them to be taken.
Luckily this worked to our advantage as he kept the Crewe penalty taker waiting an absolute age while he cleared players from near both corners of the penalty box and then faffed around for another eternity before he eventually blew his whistle for the kick to be taken. Blasted high & wide..thankyou Mr.S
Some great skill lead to a probably deserved equaliser on the balance of play & so the points were shared. 'Silly Billy' Benyon was named as MOTM and we were all urged to reassemble same time same place next Saturday for another game of 'Where's Mo'
My thoughts during the day were focused on should I say what was really on my mind and what deep down I feel needs to be said and if I did what effect it would have and would it really do any good at all. I ended up deciding it was probably best left unsaid and if I still wanted to say anything it should be about what really needs to change on here so we can move on to so much better times.
I was trying to think today how it was the last time there were two TUFC forums running, .com and .net, I may be wrong but I don’t remember people posting about the OTHER forum or trying to rubbish it, or its members. My memory is that back then we just stuck to making posts connected with the thread titles on whatever forum we used.
So what has changed? I do not need to go into detail but things changed when Mervo gave up, net and the end result was that some people ended up almost at war and little old me just knew there had to be something else that would result in there being a choice and not a situation where it was a case of take or leave it, like it or lump it.
My aim never was and never will be to make the TFF the number one forum for Torquay United fans, all my efforts have been directed into making the TFF the best it can be for the TFF and its members.
I firmly believe that if you put the effort in, pay attention to detail, built on good solid strong foundations based of honesty, principles, decency, and morels, then you stand a real good chance of being on a winner. But you also need more than that, you need others who also hold such values and who also want to play their part in creating something that little bit different, that little bit special.
Guess what? Together we did that and we went one better, we broke the mould that maybe no other football forum had done before, we were looked on in the clubs eyes as a good reasonable bunch of fans and ones who’s views on the whole were worth listening to because we were able to put them across in the way views should be.
I’m not going to single out any members as all members contributions are valuable to the TFF, but we are blessed on here with some of the very best forum posters ever and the knowledge that flows through the TFF is outstanding. One thing that has always been magic about this forum is you log on and seldom get disappointed as there will nearly always be that special well written post, that post that made you marvel at the posters memory or knowledge.
Yet nearly 22 months on and the shine is still being knocked off all that is good about the TFF and clouds are cast over all the real sunshine there is on here and that is what does need to change because it harms and undoes all the hard work and effort put in by the members on here.
I know some have history with a few well known characters and also views on the differences between the two forums, you know what? So do I, but it really has to be kept off the TFF and not brought into it, as that is what makes our crown slip, that is what ruins all that is so good about the TFF.
Its time for a few to let the past go and put all that wasted energy into making the quality posts, the interesting ones and the ones that get us all going, bloody wonderful. It has to happen and it has to start happening now as in two months time the TFF will be two years old and I want that to be its birthday present.
This platform was provided for the very sort of members that has joined the TFF and yes not by any design on my part at all, we are all generally positive souls and ones who can look at the whole picture and we also in our own ways support our club. We are a very good community on and I ask you to please consider all I have said and for the good of our forum help the TFF move forward without ever having to look back at where we once was.
Thanks Dave
This week’s winner must be on a hat trick of wins now and he really does write the most brilliant and amusing match reports and his report for the Crewe game was another masterpiece.
This week’s winner is Alpinejoe, top man and top post so well done yet again alpinejoe.
Alpinejoe’s great match report.
A warm sunny afternoon as I made my way to Plainmoor.
The problem was I was late and as I scurried down through St.Marychurch it was almost 2.45pm. As I neared the end of the precinct I couldn't help notice the magnifient collection of birds on their perches...Owls of various sizes & varieties & other breeds of bird I wouldn't like to guess at. I was as enthralled with the beauty of these wonderful creatures as the rest of the adults and children gathered in the area but remembered I had a date with yet another breed...the Gulls.
Feeling guilty at turning up over 10 minutes late from the time agreed I thought maybe the best option would be to lighten the mood with a little humour so I breathlessly asked " is Mo in the starting eleven"? As our section chortled away at such a suggestion I enquired further.." ah so it's only the bench for Mo this week"...luckily this comment was viewed as equally hilariously far fetched and my lateness was soon forgotten.
But the pre match comedy didn't end there as someone glanced at their programme in disbelief before exclaiming "Shoebridge in charge !..they're havin a laugh" ?
Yep it was the infamous Rob Shoebridge..the Ref that Neil Warnock insisted should serve a 12 month ban starting last August for his incompetance in disallowing a Crystal Palace 'goal' at Bristol City that had clearly entered the net before returning to play.
For anyone wishing to refresh their memories
www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footbal....goal-storm.html
Looking across from the Popside the distinctive figure of Dario Gradi could be easily made out with his trade mark tinted glasses.
The last time I'd seen a Gradi team in the flesh was in the very early'80's when his Crystal Palace team lost at the home of that years eventual champions Aston Villa.
Time had moved on & instead of facing a forward line of Tony Morley,Gary Shaw & Peter Withe his side were up against the combined striking might of Zebrowski,Rendell & Benyon.
Both Gradi & Crewe seem to be well liked in football circles. They've stuck with their principles on how the game should be played & stuck with each other. As expected of a Gradi team his side tried to knock the ball about with neat short passes.
Rather than try to beat them at their own game we tried to impose a different style on proceedings, frequently hitting it long out of defence. No Crewe defender could compose himself & play a measured ball out of defence to build an attack as Elliot 'Silly Billy' Benyon was buzzing everywhere, in their faces within seconds, unsettling them.
The first 10 minutes was all we needed to witness some classic Guy Branston play. In that short period of time he'd softened up the whole of the Crewe front line, and on a couple of occasions when the Crewe forward was tackled he stayed tackled..laying face down on the turf for some time before gingerly picking himself up. LRT hadn't had much joy against the pacey Bryon Moore in that opening period and apparantly decided that a more Branstonian approach might be called for. Consequently we saw Moore hobbling off after 12 minutes of the game & Crewe's reshuffle meant LRT then had a far easier afternoon that he'd had up to that point.
I had the misfortune to be standing near a bunch of Wayne Carlisle groupies,their ring leader a loud mouthed Alan Yentob lookalike (if you can imagine such a thing). Plus points being that they cheered Wayne's every move & to their credit were season ticket holders, but the crass comments came thick & fast. Moore should get up as there was "nothing wrong with him" and Donaldson was loudly asked if he was aware of how 'ridiculous'his hair looked.
I'm convinced that such comments achieve little other than to motivate opposition players to ram such comments back down the throats of those who make them & when Donaldson slotted home the equaliser in the 85th minute it was no surprise that his first thought was to run gleefully towards the Pop side while vigorously rubbing his 'fly away'hair.
Two magnificent Mark Ellis headers cleared off the line were a prelude to Rendell sweeping home a 38th minute goal.
H.T and the Gulls lead 1-0. And chat on the Pop side turns to.....Mo ! a lot of concern expressed as to Mo's possible financial hardship if a 'pay as you play' arrangement is in place. Should some sort of Hardship Fund be set up for him..or a one off payment to help him meet bills..maybe along the lines of the Pensioners winter fuel payment ? should the Trust get involved?...maybe a half time collection for him? just as we were debating Mo's life in cardboard city we suddenly found ourselves distracted by a fine pair of black high heeled leather boots tottering out onto the pitch being worn by a far from unattrative dark haired female. As we gazed on..mouths open ..it was revealed that we were in fact ogling Matchball sponsor Emma Butterworth of 'Emma Butterworth Dental' fame.
Now with his history of dental problems I expected 'Chief Groundsman for the Day' Aussie to rush over and ask Emma if she could give his molars a quick once over at the back of the Grandstand after the match but being the consumate professional that he is he kept his mind soley on only one kind of 'forking'
Alan Slough took his eyes off Emma's legs long enough to select 50/50 ticket No.08183... or that might have been the phone number for Emma's surgery by that time I was daydreaming of a thigh boot wearing Emma cracking the whip as I turn up late for a check up.
In a vain effort to get my mind back on football before the 2nd half kicked off I glanced at the programme. Someone had written a few columns about the great Rodney Jack & said it was a 'real shame' that there weren't more clips of him on 'youtube' & other video sites. Well it's the same reason as there won't be many video clips of today's players there either, or still pics of them on Flickr it's because we're not bloody well allowed to take any !
A faster paced and more entertaining 2nd half ensued, a fine glancing header by Chris Robertson being the highlight. Ref Shoebridge had been a bit irritating as free kicks became a drawn out process before he was ready for them to be taken.
Luckily this worked to our advantage as he kept the Crewe penalty taker waiting an absolute age while he cleared players from near both corners of the penalty box and then faffed around for another eternity before he eventually blew his whistle for the kick to be taken. Blasted high & wide..thankyou Mr.S
Some great skill lead to a probably deserved equaliser on the balance of play & so the points were shared. 'Silly Billy' Benyon was named as MOTM and we were all urged to reassemble same time same place next Saturday for another game of 'Where's Mo'
