nice new forum

[Deleted]

are we now allowed to complain about people who complain about people who sing, shout, bring flags or anything else that would make this a football club? seein as this is an unofficial forum? does anthing go or will it be moderated incase we upset any throwbacks?!

[ftm]

All internet forums, football or not, are at the risk of libellous postings by their users. The forum owner/manager is jointly responsible for the content and is, therefore, at risk of legal action should inappropriate comments be posted. He/she can't and shouldn't be expected to monitor the site constantly to watch out for the idiots who post libellous rants. So it's these idiotic posters, the minority who ruin stuff for others, that require the presence of moderators.

I'm hoping we can keep this forum going by avoiding such postings and concentrating on the football. FGH... as they'll be saying next week when they read issue #3.

(By the way I'm not a moderator or connected to this forum or the club in any way other than posting the odd message)

[sooty]

Luvly new decor...nice 1x

Now we all have had a chance to think maturely and reflect on Histons plight regarding its handling of the Craig Pope affair...in the interests of all intelligent and responsible posters I ask what is fellow posters views on the matter. It's YOUR club...surely you have a view?

Or...if you want to talk about football....how do you think the disharmony amongst your players over the above situation will affect your performance on the pitch? As genuine Histon fans you must be concerned that there is a conflict of opinion amongst your team over how the above has been handled....and their 'role' in having to collude with the Clubs way of dealing with it?

LUV
SOOTY
X

If you think your playing staff and behind the scene staff are all 'happy' with things.....then you may as well dump this forum and go join the wafflers on Yahooooooooo!x

p.s......the only libellous thing I have read eminating out of Histon and its fans in rewcent weeks came from your Chairman. He knows it so do many others. Nothing came close to it on the old forum......so look within before you all start 'blaming' messengers.

p.p.s......is The Vue allowed on here too?x

[ftm]

Hi Sooty

I'm not particularly disagreeing with anything that you've said. But there is a definite threat of legal action that can be taken against any person brave enough to host or run a message board on the internet. If a poster, conveniently hidden behind a username, writes something that the board manager considers may be anywhere near libellous then the board manager has the absolute right to remove the post. Our opinion as to whether posts may or may not be libellous doesn't matter - it's up to the person who runs the board as they are the person who could end up being sued.

There were some recent posts that the board manager felt were inappropriate. That's fair enough. This is not the right arena to discuss some delicate matters because it has become evident that some people obviously cannot stop themselves crossing the line. That is not brushing anything under the carpet or covering anything up - it's just protecting the existence of a message board that has proved to be both useful, in terms of latest scores and transfer news, and also fun.

I hope that Histon and the player in question are successful in their appeal and manage to clear their names. But I also think that the whole subject is better off talked about over a pint, rather than written about on an internet message board. If it continues then we're likely to lose this forum too - and I think that would be a shame.

[P Doyle]

Many thanks ftm for your comments...
I have set up this forum because I believe there should be a place for Histon fans (and others) to to have considered debates and share information.
I will endeavour to run this forum as fairly as possible and allow as many viewpoints as possible. I will not however, allow any item I feel is libellous to remain posted and will remove persistent offenders........I do not feel this is in any way over the top.......it is an attempt to be responsible....as best I can.
Please use this forum appropriately....it is for us all to share.
Many thanks & Enjoy.
ps many many thanks to Steve & Jasper for all their sterling work in the past.

[sooty]

"But I also think that the whole subject is better off talked about over a pint, rather than written about on an internet message board. If it continues then we're likely to lose this forum too - and I think that would be a shame."

I fully appreciate mate the potential problems anyone operating on the internet face. I also know that a webmaster is not fully appreciated for what they do in their spare time for us all...X
I also have been involved in protecting the rights of posters and webmasters over the past 8 years with much success.

This is why I pulled your above sentence out for my comment...I have to disagree with your assertion that this debate is best served over 'a pint'. My reasons for disagreeing are two fold...1 I never discuss serious issues when alcohol is involved. Similarly I never discuss seriously topics with someone stoned or on coke.
Secondly...I would rather have a mature open debate in public so as to ensure the 'facts' are upheld and therefore others are educated and informed to be able to judge their opinion fairly...Chinese whispers in a pub doesn't do this.

To underscore the above...I went to a local football match the other day. I walked around the pitch and spoke with about 50-60 people at least. Only a handful were 'plugged' into the internet and came up with fairly accurate understanding of happenings at their respective club. The majority whose knowledge base came from local media and 'pub chat'...were a million miles away from the truth......yet they believed their understanding of events.... and I left them in their innocent ignorant bliss. My point is that the internet can be a great provider for an organisation/business/club. It can ensure consistency and be a very effective way of keeping communication pure and precise to help 'unity' and action amongst the user group.

I therefore see this forum and any forum as a 'positive' place to communicate genuine and sincere information as opposed to a place were idle chat is accepted as 'the way it is'...which can be found in numerous premises in the real world.......I see this as a sanctuary from such bo**ox meself!x

LUV
SOOTY
X

[Deleted]

The Craig Pope incident can be spoken about because an actual charge has been made by the FA, therefore it is not libelous to say that he has made racist comments.

I agree with Sooty that this is precisely the kind of issue which should be spoken about on forums, and not just 'over a pint'!

I'm interested to read the opinions of Histon fans on this issue, on the actions of Craig Pope, on the handling of the issue by the club and the local media. I know for sure that United fans wouldn't be short of a comment or two, so why the well-kept silence from you lot?

This is a very sorry affair, and currently I feel most sorry for Leo Fortune-West, whose complain has been proven valid, who has therefore been racially abused, and is now, by implication, being called a liar. No apology from anywhere.

This much is obvious: something offensive was said to Leo, the FA have concluded it was racist, but Craig Pope is denying that, however he has not intimated that he is in anyway sorry for anything he's said or done. That's disgraceful.

[willjones]

This is something not just Histon but the whole local football scene can do without - but it wont go away, the appeal will drag it out further. One comment with a racial element to it does NOT make Pope a racist and anyone suggesting it does are out of order, totally agree with that.

I read some very intelegent, positive concerns and discussion by Histon and other fans on the threads removed from the old "unofficial" message board. Is this forum official now then? Or is it, like the last one policed by the club under the impression it's an indipendant fans run message board? Just interested!

In any case, not my concern and it'd be good to see this "issue" put to bed and the focus to fall again on football. It was a very unpleasent element which tarnished the local matches last season which should have been a celebration of local football.

The way in which it's been dealt with/ignored by Histon FC hasn't helped matters in my view - nor is the removal of positive, sensible debate on the issue.

Will

[borran]

Some one on here called "localfan" has written-

"This is a very sorry affair, and currently I feel most sorry for Leo Fortune-West, whose complain has been proven valid, who has therefore been racially abused, and is now, by implication, being called a liar. No apology from anywhere."


Sorry but your facts are wrong. Mr Fortune-West was not the player to complain. He has not been at either of the FA hearings . I understand another ex-CUFC player is the ONE player who wished to raise the matter.(supported by another ex-CUFC employer!) Neither the Ref, Asst refs nor any other players have said that they heard anything untoward, apart from the (unfortunately) usual F-ing & B-ing that goes on at most matches , on & off the field.
So no apology is due to Leo Fortune-West. No one has called him a liar. Furthermore I believe that the current management of CUFC wish to forget this whole saga, so please please let the matter rest until the appeal. Thank you.

[jasper]

As I understand it the whole issue has gone to appeal on very strong grounds and it would be inappropriate to comment pending the outcome of that. One comment IF made does not make someone racist but I stress the IF.

[DJTom]

so does jenny run it now

[willjones]

"He has not been at either of the FA hearings"

I think it's important if you are going to enter into this debate in an attempt to "water down" the findings of the indipendant panel, you are sure of your facts before doing so - that's only fair to all involved really and not doing that will make it hard to "move on".

In the link below our Fans elected Director, who was present at the FA hearing, gives a brief overview of the proceedings:

www.cambridgefansunited.org/news.php?newsid=52

And Leo was most definatly in attendance at the hearing. As Brian says, this wasn't "CUFC vs Histon" it was "The FA vs Histon". I do however think the way in which the whole incident has been handled by both Histon FC and the CEN has been very poor.

Cheers,

Will

[DJTom]

i think pope should be out of the team

[willjones]

Jul 17, 2008 17:06:43 GMT DJTom said:

i think pope should be out of the team

It's your club mate and your player - but my own view is that sh*t happens in football. One remark does not make somebody a racist.

It's an incident which has dragged Histon FC through the mud at the time, and again now, indeed the entire image of local football has suffered as a reuslt, just like it did during the "hate" campaign on Facebook against Scott rendell when he left us for Peterbrough...all local clubs have a responsibiltiy for the image of the game at local level.

Some pretty daft things can get said in the heat of the moment - not in any way condoning it but just saying, I jst wish it'd be dealt with at the time and a line could have been drawn then.

*Sigh*

Will

[bobby]

Agree Will.

I also believe that the club must be 100% certain that nothing was said, because I sincerally doubt that Gareth would be willing to risc further retribution on just a whim