Liverpool FC Forum

jonnymac1979 wrote:All joking aside, it can be hard work this job.  You don't see the amount of PM's I send and have to reply to every day. 

I spend a lot of time on here during my 9 - 5 working day just leaving the forum on in the background while I do my work (usually playing Mini Pool and drinking coffee) and once I have read up on what's been posted, it's quite easy to monitor the place every five minutes or so because you just refresh the New Posts page.  If someone has made a bad/racist post/thread, or a repeat thread when there is already an active topic of a similar subject, I'm on it in a flash.  It's not rocket science.

The hardest part of this job is when it blows up sometimes, with members in-fighting.  Last year a couple of members were at each others throats regularly where we have to step in and dilute the anger for the good of the forum; similarly there are issues going on at the moment with one or two members where it may seem the subject is being completely ignored by the moderators.  None of the public members know whether or not the flare-ups are being dealt with because we do it all by PM.  I probably send more PMs than post, if I'm being honest.

During the build up to the European Cup final last May, there was an absolute invasion of these boards by fans of other clubs from last seasons "Last 16" who had applied through the UEFA ballot and had been lucky to get tickets for the Ataturk.  When their sides were eliminated (Juventus for instance) their fans were logging on here and asking for hundreds of pounds for these tickets, trying to make a quick buck at the expense of Liverpool fans who were desperate to go to Istanbul.  You were having to do this all day, looking out for these rip-off merchants, editing or at worst deleting their posts.  Not easy.

Similarly, I remember one member disagreeing with me over a thread I edited.  A Turkish fan logged on and started typing hatred about how he was going to take a knife to Taksim Square that night and stab random Liverpool fans, the ACTUAL evening of the final.  I just edited it immediately and a member complained about censorship.  It was a busy day on the boards.

That's fair enough, by all means if you disagree with anything we do, let us know.  We won't get it right all of the time, but don't think we don't do our best for this place because we do.  My personal feelings on whether we need more mods?

I really don't think we do.  I can certainly think of candidates for the position.  There are a number on here who I think could do the job, probably people with far greater diplomacy than me as well.  I know I can be a hothead, when calmness is needed.

But we do this for free, and ultimately, the reason why I don't stand for the usual repeat piss takers, is because they are not moderating themselves.  Why make my job harder than it has to be when I do this voluntarily?  I won't stand for that.  By piss takers, I don’t mean members who’s opinion I disagree with.  Everyone is entitled to their opinon.  What I mean are members like this.  Here is a quote for you from one of Hustler’s many ID’s.  Hustler has been warned more than a dozen times he is not welcome anymore to post on here. 

Shankly turns in his grave wrote:I dont give a monkey's really, literally, i wanna voice my views and have 1 million screenames and emails lined up.
SO ban me all you like, 12 months from now I'll be on Luis Garcia 1825. etc etc. know what I mean.?

ArsH*les

One of the first things you learn when you are a moderator on a forum such as this is “Less Is More”.  Why do more just because of some internet nerds?  Not worth anybody’s time and effort is it?  Especially not mine.

People have said it numerous times already in this topic but at the end of the day, people should be mature enough to self-moderate themselves.  It's not that difficult is it?  The moderators should only be called upon when necessary and I think that the four of us at the moment work well together for now without upsetting the balance.

Any comments let me know.