Yes something has to be done. I would prefer this forum provided a daily read though it doesn't really warrant checking even once a week. Apparantly there are about 218 members, I would say since I joined earlier this month only about 8 or 9 people total have posted messages and there have been a few new member join since me that have never posted at all. Probably more than 170 of those members will never post again. They should cancel membership after 6 months if no post is made not that would make any difference. Maybe we all ought to move to a more vibrant Chelsea forum. I am sure there must be one out there. Or if there are a couple of other very quite ones like this one out there with 3 or 4 good members maybe we could negotiate a merger. lol. We really need half a dozen extremely enthuthiastic posters and 20 other regular devotees. We have a decent format here and I would prefer not to have to sign up again somewhere else so these people can just move over to this site. lol.
Here is a couple of links to other Chelsea forums I found. Both are part of a network of many different football forums which makes them better off in that they also get people that aren't necessarily Chelsea fans but maybe fans of teams Chelsea are playing next or did play against rescently stopping by. I am now recommending we all pack up and move to the bigsoccer forum.
Epi,
Good post, I agree with most of what you have said. There are a few good football forums, with good, regular members who post often. Don't get me wrong, this forum contains a few very good posters, who come on regularly. I feel that if we want a more lively forum, we need more posters, who visit the site regularly. To do this, I suggest we look to other football forums, to see what they are doing. The bbc have a football forum, on which I am a member, but don't post often. It is slow running, and is only open from 9am to 11pm, but it has some great regular posters. I feel the fact that there are a lot of non posting members here is because this board is linked to the website. Some people who visit the website probably click on the link to the forum just to see what it contains.
I'll tell you, I am an admin on some other forums, and personally I know better than others how hard it is to get posting members. Can I make a few suggestions to a few policies which I use on some of my other forums, for keeping registered members posting:
1. To be able to view other boards, a member must first post on the introductions board. This shows us that they know how to post.
2. Should a member register and after 2 weeks still be on no posts, they should be deleted. They can be sent an email explaining this, so that if they are interested in returning, they can re register.
3. If a member doesn't post for 1 month, they should be sent an email, asking them whether or not they intend to post. If so, they should return to the boards, if not, they should be deleted. If no reply comes after a further month, they should be deleted.
Obviously this may reduce the number of members the forum has, but it will help liven up the board. To get members, I suggest a few steps:
1. Advertise on other forums. Recruit good members. There are some poor forums with good members, who don't know of any better forums.
2. Try to start what I woud call a "partnership". Joining with another good football forum, where our members are encouraged to join it, and their members are encouraged to join us. Might not work, then again....
I hope you understand my proposals, if not, send me an IM.
irish by birth,corkonian by the grace of god...