It's not my fault, I get up eight hours before you lot!!

I was on Walsalls board and noticed that they had 1826 members as opposed to our 455. Similar size towns, similar size clubs, similar big teams around them, similar attitudes, expectations, concerns etc.

So how to make the membership grow??

Obviously stop telling people to 'welcome to the board,' much as I enjoy it, we'll have to grow up a bit, be juvenile on other forums amongst ourselves, apart from that we don't seem to attract the rarfy element that HUFC2005 and Rivals does and I think that directly springs from the level of debate we actually have here.

But how about, wait, hear me out.....getting an advertising board at the ground?? Not this season obviously, it's too late to get any benefits from it, but how about next season?? Big nasty colourful Bunkerboard , maybe with Snowy's classic cartoon of the Trash Street Kids as background??

Why Kev?? I hear you ask...well....we do seem to have a good moan about the same things again and again and again without actually doing anything apart from put up and shut up. We do tend to eat what we're fed, but if WE had 1800 members or more out of the crowds we attract we'd have a big loud valid voice and a forum from whence to speak. A much more professional and polished approach.

Example : 'Mr Green, the 1800 members of the Pooliepride Bunker are ABSOLUTELY PISSED OFF with Tom Hark. have a word will you??'

The bones are here, we just need to put the flesh on them. After all, most of the Bizz is the opinions of Bunkerites and it sells quite well (help me out John, Ian) so the interest is there, we just need to exploit it. Like everything you start with an image and build the intrigue.

Wha' think??

Well I reckon the image of supporters clubs is stuck in the days of flat caps, hand knitted scarves and rattles where you had a woodbine in the corner of your kite as you shouted 'Play Up Rovers,' and passed the kids over your head.

To quote the Jam, 'This Is The Modern World.' and everybody does stuff on the run. So if we're going to have a voice it'll have to be one fashioned to suit the times. All I'm saying is, focus the resources that already exist and watch the numbers swell.

Monkey Bizz sells much more than I thought, and obviously we sell more when the results are good.

To advertise at Pools isn't peanuts mind.

One thing people have said to me when I've been flogging the mag is that they have looked at The Bunker, and they don't understand half of what is being posted due to the large number of in-jokes.

The other boards cater for different types of Poolie, but given that the average Bunkerite is a bit older and wiser than users of the other boards, we would definitely have more weight when it comes to changing things.

No Mr Shore, I'm saying that we could become sizeable enough not to be ignored by the establishment.

I'll 'hark' back to the music (geddit??) again. There's a ready example although it could be much more than that. Do you know anyone who wants that music still?? No, me neither. So we have a chunter on here, maybe on 2005 (not that anybody other than a prepubescent teen would understand it) and Rivals have a chin as well. Result?? Nowt, big fat zero.

But put all that together, along with the big chunk that buy the Bizz, become the voice of the terraces and suddenly the majority of the support is saying 'CHANGE THE BLOODY MUSIC JOHN!!!!!' at a volume that can't be turned down.

Johns point on the in jokes is very valid but that comes from the familiarity of having come some distance together and being personal friends and acquaintances. Hopefully I addressed that when I said we'd have to grow up in public and do the other stuff elsewhere. Most of us are quite able on a computer as well, posting links and pictures and stuff, all of which I've learned to do since the advent of the Bunker and which not everyone can. Yet.

But I'd pay good money if this was a magazine, the entertainment value can be excellent some days. Someone always knows something about something and is willing to share it.

But the Bunker's charm (I'm not sure that's the right word ) is that it is minority. If it became mainstream, you'd lose all that. I'm not sure it's worth it?
Besides I suspect you might be disappointed if you think a large membership would mean you'd have more clout. In my experience of life (sigh), it would just mean more people agreeing that something ought to be done but still not doing it

Well here I go - I'll post my first message - the ususal welcome is ecpected. When the old HUFC board split I went the way of HUFC2005 site as I didn't want to miss Heady's positive attitude to life but over recent months have looked a this board on a regular basis as the other has its periods when the kids in ICT at college take over and I'm of an age where even the term ICT is a stange one.

It would help if there was one forum that the club would have to take more account of. If you can get on with the Walsall lot then why can't you get on with the other Pools forums? Isn't it time for peace moves to be made?

Hello Splod,
The 'Walsall lot' are jolly, reasonable people who have interesting views, as of course are many on the other Pools forums. But so often on the latter the rogue element takes over and threads are reduced to the hurling of gratuitous insults.

Walsall haven't, have a look, very similar to here.

We wouldn't need everyone trying to do everything either, we'd just have the numbers to be taken very seriously. That's the only aim I have in mind. At that point it wouldn't matter who took the lead.

Splod has it dead right and I think it's a misnomer that we're 'anti' any other board, it's just something of a process of natural selection. The warring factions seem to gravitate to Rivals as it's part of a national network and they can bump heads with anyone from any club at any time, HUFC2005 seems to attract the younger members. Sometimes we find their posts on these mediums as risible/shocking/remarkable/inflammatory or just ridiculous and highlight it for everyones perusal, just the same as occasionally someone brings an item of news into the spotlight.

I'm not saying the 'Walsall lot' in any disparaging way. In fact quite the opposite. The way in which fans of another team have been able to join in the banter has been first class and in fact was the final factor that lead me to post on this forum.

I think that's the crux of it Kev...someone would have to take the lead. But who? Many might like to in theory, but we're busy people

I think one thing that marks this board off is people's willingness not to take themselves too seriously. Well, not all the time, anyway

What's draggy about many football boards is the element who think it REALLY MATTERS whether they win arguments or not. Any way this isn't a football board at all. Not really....

Oi Splod

welcome to the board

Strewth - I lasted a good 15 minutes before that. Thank you

Walsall haven't lost their way because their numbers have swelled, in a lot of ways, regional differences apart, they're very similar to us. There's just four times as many of 'em.

There are natural leaders on here, that much was demonstrated by the CD project, there are talents that emerged that people didn't know they had. Point being we don't have to have elected leaders, spokesgadgies/bewers, voice of the people types. We just need the numbers and if a beef comes along we'd have the clout for someone at some time to express it once we'd got a common consensus. That already happens, it's just never expressed and we don't have the confidence because we don't have the numbers. Odd times people send individual e-mails and get bland political replies. That's what I'd do in their shoes, but if that bland reply was being reproduced for half the regular attendance to see, you're frying different fish aren't you??

And that's exactly why it could be a go-er. Because it's not draggy or narrow focussed. The only thing everyone has in common is that they're football fans, in the main Hartlepool fans, but with a bit more nous and breadth of vision than your average fan. Uppity people tend not to last on here unless they're very very good at what they do and people of that mindset tend not to seek witty company anyway.

So stop arguing and get recruiting or I'll tell them about the Burn Valley incident!!

Aye, I knew it would all get personal sooner or later. I thought you were supposed to be far too young to remember anything I might or might not have got up to in the Burn Valley??
But, seriously, do you think there are many people who don't already know about the bunker? There must be many who visit but (like Splod until now) don't feel they want to post, for whatever reason. That's probably significant. I don't really agree that football is what bunkerites have in common, tho footy might have sparked it off.

I never said you got up to anything in the Burn Valley. You did!! Wink Laughing I only said there was an incident in there..........

There probably are many who visit, yes, just like Splod, but when I floated the idea, what happened?? He advocated a joint venture with the other boards. That's just the sort of input we want. First question I asked, how to increase numbers and a hitherto unposted poster comes along with a good suggestion, one down, x-many to go.

Name me the Bunkerites who don't follow Pools or another league club?? They may have other common ground but it's ultimately all about Pools.

kev ..small is beautiful, why does being bigger mean better? I'm not really interested in sacrificing an excellent board in the name of getting a bigger voice, who's to say we'd all agree anyway, it's a message board not a political party with an axe to grind.
If people wanna join they can join, no problem, but to chase numbers for the sake of it makes no sense to me.

Well just a few questions.

1. Do you want to spend the next five years listening to Tom Hark?

2. Do you want IOR to pay rent for the rest of their tenure??

3. Do you want the Rink End back??

4. Do you want to paddle through shite outside the Millhouse side every fortnight??

5. Do you care what you pay for tickets??

I could go on Snowy, me old matelot, but it was definitely never meant just to be for he sake of it. Have another read, maybe I haven't explained very well.

AW welcome to the board man!

I think it's a good idea Mr.Kev!!!! :sweet:

Get an advert in Monkey Business aswell!!!!

1. As long as the tune indicates we've scored they can play the fog horn from the lighthouse for all I care.

2, 3, 4 & 5. ....HEY... what about putting up for the council and then.....

Thanks for all the kind comments chaps, one of the things that helps the uts board is the different forums, especially the off topic bit where people chew the fat over a huge range of non-walsall related issues.














ps - now welcome to the board

while i agree with the sentiments of the idea Kev i am not sure we would finish up with what you are aiming at
we are seen as cliquey but that can also be said about the other factions of pools fans hudsa and the corner flag elite or even the lounge lizards who we as a group perked up for a short while
but as for changing anything i think we are on to a hiding to nothing
look at the corner flag situation they have a lot of members but will eventually in my opinon succumb to HUFC or IOR
my own experience of fans from a fanzine point of view is "FICKLE"
they let you down constantly and retreat to their own comfort zone
sometimes it is like drawing teeth trying to get a mag together
lots of empty promises it takes us two months or more to get forty pages
i know this concept is different in the sense we are electrically connected but i dont think we would get massive numbers to back what we are trying to do some rules would have to be laid down and even that would upset some of the regulars
the bunker welcome as you pointed out would have to go and all bad language would have to be curtailed if you are to be taken seriously
it would only take one up rising to see our members resign en masse and we are back where we started
then there is the spamming aspect as we would be targeted by undesireables

i like what we have now but will go with the majority if they think we need change

Isn't it great when all we can complain about is the music!!!!!!!

i personally think the board is fine, i post on 3 other boards and each one has different people of all ages and personalities.

with this board there seems more discussions and less jokes, some of the discussions are boring and to be frank like watching question time but some of the puns and stuff that is wrote is absolutely hilarious. as with all boards we all see posts which we skip through as we dont want to read them/ or think we dislike the person writing them even though we may not know them. me i kind of just skim the long posts as half the time i cant be bothered to read them.

one thing for sure though is the members of this board are generally helpful in things, usually through a pm or posts what have been written. the thing what sticks out like has already been said is this board has a lot more older/mature and some sensible people here

the two best stories of late for me one sad and one good have been adg phone incident and the next one elvis sharing with us the joy of his bairn finding her independence. things like this cheer me up when ive had a shit day not the phone the happy things....















bloody hell im getting like you lot writing long posts

And what's wrong with Question Time like????



PS....This week I taped the North East football programme cos I missed the big Pools feature last week....I can't miss Question Time!!!!

:sweet: :sweet:

like i said we all different mutters you would be the last person i would expect to watch Q Time but this is why we cant take people on 1st observations. darlo fans welcome to the board like

I watch it cos I like a laugh and getting irrated at the same time!!!!

Plus if you watch it whilst having Teletext on Pg.155 is even better....the texts are better than any programme....funny as feck!!!!

I stay up all night when Elections are on aswell....the Texts on Election Day are even funnier than 'The Life of Brian'!!!!

we all have our crosses to bear

PS....I put 2 days Holiday in when Elections are on so I can stay up all night and not worry about going to work the next day!!!!
Council and General Elections!!!!

That is sad!!!!

But a very good post timmy. You're gradually getting to be a proper bunkerite

I fully and absolutely concur with Mr.Head!!!! :sweet:

The Tom Hark thing wants some clarification, yes, it may be irritating to some, but that's looking at it from a personal musical/taste angle. It's a burst of instantly recognisable music that provokes a Pavlovian response from the crowd and so works for 99% of the crowd, that's why most clubs employ it.
it's a bit like the theme music of Coronation Street, it's a recognised 'brand indicator' of a good time and that's all it's there for, to change it for the sake of "I'd like a change I prefer......", is to miss the point.
It does it's job in as much as it get's the crowd clapping, they obviously like it so why fix what aint broke.

we are very fortunate on UTS that we have the satdium announcer as a regluar poster, so I think a lot of what we say is taken back to the club on our behalf.We also have the head of safety and security who will come on and post if there are any any issuses around that (last week it was a lad being banned).

Not all the registered members post, but anyone who comes on from a different team who is there for the banter and not to just wind people is is welcomed with open arms.We do have the "kid" element but they are mostly kept in check by the senior members of the board and as a lot of people know each other personally on there it can be fun at times.

Oh and we have been told that several players and DD himself read it too!

I was listening until you said Coronation Street. What your actually saying it seems to me is that it 's good enough for the dumb fuckers who don't know any better so you've just got to put up and shut up.

Which neatly brings me round to a point I made in post 1. Are we content eating what we're fed?? Whetjer we like it or not. If so, lets never air another grievance. As long as you can dribble from both sides of your mouth at the same time you'll be OK.

I have said that the music is a bad example, it's just a recent topic on which no-one was pro-Tom Hark. There's bigger issues.

A sponsor board would be a bit far fetched but mentions in the programme and monkey business wouldn't do any harm.

As for Tom Hark I'm thoroughly sick of it as well. Before kick off, before the2nd half, after every goal, at full time...? it's boring and past it's sell by date. it's naff having music after a goal full stop but if we have to, let's have something original and fun like One Step Beyond

Oi!!!! that's ours!!!!

TUT, TUT, Kev... the old 'you were listening' line may work with some, but not with me. As for the bit about Corrie...I never watch it but, I'm familiar with the brand because of the theme....simple innit.
Tom Hark..? do I like it...er, no, but that's not the point. it's there for all the ordinary bods to clap and be happy to .... again, simple innit?
Now stop being so grumpy and denying others their simple pleasures just because you're a snob..... and conform .... or I'll send the bairns round.......

p.s how many miles is it exactly

Ah......conformity.

Well this is where the idea withers and dies isn't it??

There used to be a character played by Paul Whitehouse on The Fast Show who agreed with everyone so his mates used to disagree in front of him so he didn't know what to say. The punchline of the sketch was always 'Oh tell me what to think....!!!!!!' The implication being he wanted to toe the populist line.

Like I said, it was only a harebrained idea and it's got stuck in the rut of Tom Hark because no-one is reading the bit where I said that was only an example. If everyone wants to hide among the great unwashed, well fine.

Snowy, snobs don't come from Flaxton Street.

oh well, it's not original

how about the Pogues, Fiesta?

They get free beer at Walsall.

Are you saying that you can't get a train direct to Darlington ?

LET'S START AGAIN......I don't care, this board is all warm and cuddly and we are top of the league and steaming, life is just so good and if the great unwashed and Tom Hark want to camp in my back garden they are welcome. I am happy and beyond caring

However..... don't you ever insinuate I am a populist ... I have spent my entire life being an awkward tw*t and intend to continue the tradition

I'm offski........

You don't mess about Salty lad, already you are practicing your Polish

Excellent, free beer and we have the first of many converts.....

If you'd said 'convents' instead of converts, you may have got another new 'supporter'.....

Why do nuns go around in pairs?













So the first nun sees that the second nun don't get none!!






Actually,


Erm,


I'll,



Just get my coat...... bolt