I met this morning at SJP with David Stonehouse (Toon Chief Exec.) to discuss the letter I sent to him a couple of weeks ago - on your behalf - outlining our concerns/dissatisfaction with the Official web-site.

Along with my letter, I provided about twenty typical examples of the kinds of errors and screw-ups which the bbs members had brought to my attention. I suggested that in our view the Official site should provide supporters with comprehensive, accurate, timely, and up-to-date information on all matters relating to the Club.

David is very approachable, open and forthright, and certainly not as defensive, cautious and inherently aggressive as his predecessor, which made the experience an enjoyable one. He explained that he was rather preoccupied by matters relating to the Club's recent on-field problems, but to his credit, never gave the impression of wanting to just hear what I had to say and get me out as quickly as possible.

He said the Club fully accepts and recognises that the present web-site is deficient. NTL took-over the operation of the site from Planet Football some time ago under the terms of their wider agreement with the Club, and have subsequently advised the Club that the basic design of the site and the database is outdated, and that it needs to be totally replaced to provide the functionality needed. The Club and NTL are presently in the course of discussions as to the form of a new web-site and the detailed operational and technical matters relating to it - as well as on other potential Internet projects.

David believes it will be around six months before a new web-site is available, and therefore is also working to improve the editorial content of the present site that is presently controlled and managed by NTL using information provided by the Club, and other sources.

The proposed new web-site is part of a project to improve the Club's overall 'media relations', and includes the imminent recruitment of additional resources to support this drive. A key objective of one of the new appointees will be to liase directly with the NTL editorial staff to improve the quality and accuracy of information presented on the existing web-site.

I indicated that while I could understand that NTL should have the technical capabilities and the desire to develop the new web-site, I felt that the editorial side of the operation should ultimately be managed by NUFC at SJP to ensure the content is both current and absolutely accurate. It is difficult to believe that doing this remotely - ie. staff at SJP providing information to NTL to input into the site - will prove to be entirely satisfactory. David undertook to further review this aspect with NTL to ensure the correct decisions are made.

I indicated that there is a thirst for information well beyond first-team matters, with fans around the world being keenly interested in the future development of the Club, and enjoy reading about Reserve and Youth team games. I also told him how much interest there is on the Greenspun bbs even in Training Ground Reports - especially on a Friday before the Team Pick Competition deadline!

Apparently, NTL have recently put in place a new web-site for one of its other PL partners - Middlesbrough. So, we can take a look at that site and evaluate their technical competence, ahead of them working on our project. If anyone has any feedback on that site, if they e-mail it to me, I will consolidate the comments and forward them to David Stonehouse.

All in all, an agreeable, constructive and I hope worthwhile exercise. It will be some time before we see the replacement Official web-site, but hopefully we will have positively influenced its initial development.

I would like to think that this little exercise can provide a model of how the Club and its supporters can work together when both parties approach issues positively and constructively for the benefit of Newcastle United. My initial impressions of our new Chief Executive is that he could well be the long-needed catalyst to bring the parties much closer together. Let's hope so.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

Answers

Thanks for that Clarky - interesting stuff indeed.

By the way, was any mention made (by either party) of nufc.com? Not a perfect site by any means, but surely a million miles better than the official effort.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

Nice one Clarky, very interesting!!

Not certain I fancy looking around a Boro site...although it might provide a few laughs but I'll think about giving it a bash at some point ;)

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

Anything about a useable password protected BBS? With contributions and OPEN EVENINGS for players?

There must be 50 pros on ther books along with a similar amount of youth players and general staff. I am sure one of them could give us an hour of tere time each night to keep us entertained in a chatroom.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

Thank you for your efforts and posting, Clarky! Very good news to see they do actually recognize the problem. Understandable that there are more immediate concerns, and the timetable sounds about right. Re-doing the site will take awhile if it's to be done properly. so when are they taking applications for a liaison? ;-))

And yes, the liaison should have the ability to do updates on his/her own. News can break far too quickly to rely on an NUFC liaison trying to track down someone at NTL, who's probably working on 3 other projects, and expect them to do an immediate update. NUFC is just another project to them. Ideally, it seems logical that NUFC should have their own web team(maybe only 2-3 people) who would take care of daily content updates. NTL would just provide the backend and design support.

Will have a look at the smogmonster site and let you know of any comments.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

Ciara, you would be idealy suited to work on a new NTL NUFC web site. you certainly get my vote

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

Clarky what exactly is it that you do that allows you to be meeting with all the Toon Executives and Ilke? or have I just fallen for something? I am slipping Heeeeeeeeeeeeeellp.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

Syme,

I write to them when I see things happening I don't like, in the hope that something positive can be achieved. I've realised that simply bitching about things achieves nothing.

In this case, many concerns were being expressed on here about the sub-standard quality of the NUFC Official Site, which many found to be an embarrassment. So, I volunteered to collate the many examples of screw-ups that were provided to me, and I wrote to David Stonehouse expressing our collective concerns. One or two people even offered to assist the Club to sort out the web-site, and those offers were also passed on.

After receiving my letter, Mr. Stonehouse asked me to meet with him to discuss the content and to tell me what action the Club were taking, which I did earlier today.

I hope that explains my involvement.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

Clarky,

It does mate thanks for the explanation (not that it's any of my bees wax) It's obvious to me Clarky that you are a doer, you make things happen when you see a need to change things you get up of yer backside take responsibility for your actions and make a difference. If only we had that kinda commitment from those carthorses that take the field every saturday we would be top of the league (champions league0

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

Nice one Clarky mate. Who would have thought that piss heeds like us can meet with the rich and powerful of our beloved club.

Did you express sympathy over his makem connections and a resounding rendition of "Peytat Reyd"? Now, that's something I'd love to see :-)

Good to know that we aren't the only ones noticing the 'odd blip' at .cock (I assume you didn't tell him that's how it's known among fans) and that the club take us seriously.

Here's to new hope :-)

-- Anonymous, December 15, 2000

So what did he have to say about the teampick for Saturday?? Gawd - some folks will do owt to get a full 11 points!

Nice one Clarky - well done.

-- Anonymous, December 15, 2000

Screacher, I did tell you that desperate men will resort to deperate action didn't I? Well, I'm saying nowt - so there!

Actually, I woke up at 3am this morning convinced it was Saturday, that I'd missed the Team Pick deadline, and handed you the initiative by being stuck with my cr@ppy selection from last week.
Can you imagine the frustration of wasting all that arse-licking that was required to get some inside info?

-- Anonymous, December 15, 2000

Well done Clarky - nice to know they are listening at least! (:o)

-- Anonymous, December 15, 2000

well done young man! Carry on with the good work.

-- Anonymous, December 15, 2000

Cheers Clarky......well done.

Can I work with Ciara please?

Yours The Soon to be redundant ITK

-- Anonymous, December 16, 2000

ITK, sorry to hear about your redundancy. Is it because BBC are losing MOTD?

you could always do a des and switch sides, then again how about a complete change

With your fine physique and dress sense, you would make a great male stripper.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 2000