message to readers and inactive members of pon

[liampie]

the site has had so many ups and downs, but i am really thankful to have somewhere i feel accepted. the pon website has been somewhere i have called home from my early teens, i have seen notts have so many disappointing seasons where it was made easier having a group on here. despite all the ups and downs, pon has been there.

members have somewhere they belong, we want you and encourage notts fans to share their thoughts in a relaxed atmosphere.

i can name quite a few members who i wished were still a part of the site and for whatever reason things have changed, but with the reedtz has our owners and the direction we are going. i would like to encourage you all to try to spend a week coming on, posting and commenting as you can and by the end of the week see if you feel a part of something special.

the likes of @Magic magpie, @Feral Fox, @Joe Jones, @Super_Danny_Allsopp, @weymouthPIE, @Northants Pie, @Canadian, @Turkey_Twizzler, @Riverleeno, @Cobby, @MuddyPatchPie, @william1984, @Captain Sticky, @wacky, @jurgenpie. i am struggling now, i may have missed some too. sorry if i have!

i would extend my message to newcomers too, come be a part of something exciting and show other clubs that we have such a rich fan site that is very good. have fun engaging with a community that cares about the club.

its through pon and @Chris, @super_ram and @GrannyPie that i felt comfortable being myself here. @Fan of Big Tone and many others of the members when i joined made me feel like this was my online home.

[allardyces tash]

Everyone can lose their way, but you can always jump back in when you’re ready. The reason fans feel compelled to share their thoughts varies, but it’s likely that the more you contribute, the more you’ll gain. I recall the concern when there was talk of Twitter changing to X.com under Elon Musk. This isn’t Twitter, but it’s a fantastic fan community.

[Fan of Big Tone]

Well said @liampie I’d love to see some of those lapsed members returning so why not give us a trial run and see if you like it coming back.

[JackMagpie95]

I don't tend to post as often as I should, but I'll try my best to share updates a few times a week. Keep an eye out for new content!

[BromPie]

Many members seem to have strayed, but we've had a surge of returning members, and I believe others will come back in time. Everyone has a life outside of Notts, but the sense of togetherness here is on a whole new level.

[CliftonMagpie]

Our community is lively and dynamic, and we always welcome back former members. It’s unfortunate when they leave, but that’s part of life. We continue to meet new people, but I’d be thrilled to see some of the names @liampie mentioned return.

If they can spare the time, I’m confident they’d feel right at home again on PON.

[Countyman]

I thought Magic Magpie and Joe Jones were both superb team members. It was a shame to see them leave, especially considering the amount of effort MM put into the forum with such a friendly demeanour. JJ was a valuable contributor with his content. I always found his articles enjoyable. If there’s a chance of getting them back, it would absolutely make my day!

[upthepies]

If you’re new here, feel free to sign up and join the conversation.

Don’t worry about voicing your opinions in discussions, just chat and respond. It’s all part of the enjoyment. The Pride of Nottingham is akin to the Meadow Lane Sports Bar or the Navi before a match.

To our old members who may have lost their way or become busy:

Dive back in like never before and engage with the site. 2024 would be an excellent time to make a comeback. Be part of our community.

[TheSkipper]

We’ve seen a rise in the past and there’s no reason why we can’t see another in the future. I don’t believe the boss needs to make any special efforts to reach out. We’re in a strong position with many excellent members, though it would be lovely to see some return. @Super_Danny_Allsopp continues to post, but seems a bit less involved. I noticed he came back and posted on his wall, but didn’t get a response.

[Chris]

For me, the Pride of Nottingham has been a very steep learning curve. All of my previous experience went out of the window, but I found myself creatively making a difference within a local passion back when there was very little out there. My first sites were built around the days of MySpace, one of which became very popular, and it was me struggling to keep up with the site rather than me trying to generate the interest.

I sometimes wished I had learned to be how I am now, although you can't change the past, and you can only move forward.

You can see I deeply care about our club, the fans and creating a space where people can be in harmony with what is going on. There's a reason why PON has become what it is and has grown during some very troubling time. Fact is, when I started PON there was room for us.

Despite the unpleasant reaction I got from some people, these things no longer bother me though.

Personally, I see it as a shame when one good member loses their way because 2 more will eventually come along. I know, JJ found it difficult with his job and ultimately walked away from PON as a result of having very little time and, having lost some of his passion for the club due to the way we were being treated.

@Magic magpie cared so much, that he became a real driving force in an effort to bring about a change. Having him and JJ now would be like a dream team with how much support the site has now. It's not something I take for granted.

I do also feel like at times I should have taken a step back, just so that things were clear. Whilst I like having a friendly approach, I do think it's a mistake to try to keep this approach to everyone. Some people just want to post and that's it, whereas I used to see it as a challenge to try to get people involved, to get to know them better.

I have no idea why @Cobby and @Riverleeno disappeared. The last interaction I had with Riverleeno (who I didn't know well) was him giving me £5 towards the donation drive many, many seasons ago.

Cobby, used to sit with me and @super_pie at games. It was nice to have someone joining us and I think our relegation caused issues there. I know, Jake sometimes asks me about him, but we no longer speak. I don't really invest any time to myself, I just communicate mostly with those who talk to me. But Cobby was a very good member; his sharing of stats and posts focused on things along those lines were generally very interesting.

Some people on the mentioned list by @liampie just outgrew us, or became involved with other areas such as Twitter.

I put a lot of effort into trying to socialise between us all, which I have fond memories of those days.

I am very pleased with how things go when we have the content. Our recent members of the month make a huge impact, I know my dad likes to play his role down but he brings that element of socialising and the banter in a way that makes PON enjoyable to be around.

[liampie]

you cant blame yourself, being friendly and trying to interact with people is part of building a community. i would not be here if it was not for how your family made me feel.

i am just hoping to try to rekindle some of that magic those members brought.

i wished more than anything mark would come back.

[DangerousSausage]

It's not just about PON, it's about Notts and football in general. Football is a routine, and for many people Covid interrupted that routine and they haven't been able to get back into it since. Or it gave them the chance to discover new hobbies or change their priorities in life. They might even just have drifted away when we got relegated to the tinpot league. And if you spend less time thinking about Notts, you're less likely to be involved in a fans' community like PON. It's nothing to be taken personally, it's just the nature of it. If we keep the community lively and provide lots of things to talk about, it'll invite more people to dip into it again if they fancy

[NottsTastic]

Ever since I rediscovered PON, I haven’t looked back. The previous call to action prompted me to join, and a wave of members did the same. It was pleasant, and it would be nice to see some of these fans give PON another chance. The site can only grow with the contribution of others.

For those who are not registered, I would say, dive in. Introduce yourself, relax, and be welcomed by many friendly and considerate fans.

Start by posting once or twice a day, take a break, but when you return, check your notifications and start participating again. It’s a great community, and I’m grateful to be a part of it.

[MagpieLane]

I understand that all sites have individuals who come and go. Just maintain a close-knit community that continues to be friendly and participate in discussions. New individuals will join in due course.

[Alex]

I really love the forums but unfortunately social platforms like Facebook and etc are killing the forums and communities like this. 
It’s hard and very important to keep it alive. In my opinion.

[Fan of Big Tone]

20 hours ago, Alex said:

I really love the forums but unfortunately social platforms like Facebook and etc are killing the forums and communities like this. 
It’s hard and very important to keep it alive. In my opinion.

I think you are right about Facebook and the like having a detrimental affect on forums which is a real shame, I would rather post on a well moderated forum than Facebook which is largely un moderated.

I do think that there is definitely a place for forums, where people can get into the habit of talking to the rest of the community especially a friendly one like this, it can even help well being and mental health especially when members are supportive of each other.

[cheeky~k8]

It would be nice to have some of them back to bring another opinion on things and a few bits of content here and there, sometimes people get too busy or nowadays focus on social media which has reduced forum success for alot of other communities but i think as a forum we can build better friendships than you could on social media with strangers because you can get to know others better.

[Alex]

That’s true 

[RetroPie]

I don’t believe Twitter competes with a site like this, as this is a community. Fans have formed a sort of network there, which is normal, but it’s not the same as this. I view it more as a platform for quick attention, with a large portion appearing to be people who want to be seen.

That’s fine, that’s social media for you. This is about unity and having a constructive discussion on club matters. As for inactive members, only they know why they don’t post, but if they had any sense, they wouldn’t have left in the first place. Nothing prevents people from visiting occasionally if they’re short on time.

[Chris]

Social media is a massive tool for any site; it just depends on how you use it.

There will always be a larger number of people on social media, but there's no reason why they wouldn't be a part of a site like this. The people living within the communities of this land. Especially in the UK and US, compare it to how the high streets have changed and how supermarkets have taken over. However, we can still find good local shops if you look hard enough.

PON in my eyes can labour a better sense of togetherness and deliver far more than the restricted features Facebook/Twitter have.

[super_ram]

On 03/12/2023 at 16:48, Chris said:

For me, the Pride of Nottingham has been a very steep learning curve. All of my previous experience went out of the window, but I found myself creatively making a difference within a local passion back when there was very little out there. My first sites were built around the days of MySpace, one of which became very popular, and it was me struggling to keep up with the site rather than me trying to generate the interest.

I sometimes wished I had learned to be how I am now, although you can't change the past, and you can only move forward.

You can see I deeply care about our club, the fans and creating a space where people can be in harmony with what is going on. There's a reason why PON has become what it is and has grown during some very troubling time. Fact is, when I started PON there was room for us.

Despite the unpleasant reaction I got from some people, these things no longer bother me though.

Personally, I see it as a shame when one good member loses their way because 2 more will eventually come along. I know, JJ found it difficult with his job and ultimately walked away from PON as a result of having very little time and, having lost some of his passion for the club due to the way we were being treated.

@Magic magpie cared so much, that he became a real driving force in an effort to bring about a change. Having him and JJ now would be like a dream team with how much support the site has now. It's not something I take for granted.

I do also feel like at times I should have taken a step back, just so that things were clear. Whilst I like having a friendly approach, I do think it's a mistake to try to keep this approach to everyone. Some people just want to post and that's it, whereas I used to see it as a challenge to try to get people involved, to get to know them better.

I have no idea why @Cobby and @Riverleeno disappeared. The last interaction I had with Riverleeno (who I didn't know well) was him giving me £5 towards the donation drive many, many seasons ago.

Cobby, used to sit with me and @super_pie at games. It was nice to have someone joining us and I think our relegation caused issues there. I know, Jake sometimes asks me about him, but we no longer speak. I don't really invest any time to myself, I just communicate mostly with those who talk to me. But Cobby was a very good member; his sharing of stats and posts focused on things along those lines were generally very interesting.

Some people on the mentioned list by @liampie just outgrew us, or became involved with other areas such as Twitter.

I put a lot of effort into trying to socialise between us all, which I have fond memories of those days.

I am very pleased with how things go when we have the content. Our recent members of the month make a huge impact, I know my dad likes to play his role down but he brings that element of socialising and the banter in a way that makes PON enjoyable to be around.

@Cobby got married and settled down away from Nottingham. He's also now the father of a young son ,so his priorities have probably changed.

[Ohh Tommy Johnson]

1 hour ago, super_ram said:

@Cobby got married and settled down away from Nottingham. He's also now the father of a young son ,so his priorities have probably changed.

Whhaaat?  Surely his priority now is to get his son inducted at Notts?!!

[Benji]

I can’t see why PON can’t do well in a world with social media. The Facebook page is popular, and fans on Twitter support it now and then. I don’t use either much to talk about Notts. I came from Twitter, but I find PON more laid-back. You could get health issues with some of the oddballs on social media. The “always right” and “you can’t have your say brigade”.

[liampie]

@super_ram yes i know, its probably due to him not coming so often or whatever due to his family life but its a shame it keeps if completely off the site. i have seen him post in the facebook group which is nice but i do wished some would rethink the community here because it is very special.

[Fan of Big Tone]

@liampie My old Dad used to say “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” in other words no matter how much coercing, begging, encouraging etc., you do people will make their own choices and we have to respect that, it’s a shame many old favourites have left but who knows one day they might return like I did. Meanwhile other new friends join us and they become regulars.