That's all folks...

I've genuinely enjoyed my time on here for many years and believe here have been some great moments along the way with some really insightful engagement.

Lately it all appears a little too strained with people too ready to beat down on others, or in the case of recent events for me, people who try their utmost to prod away with such provocation.

For the language I used yesterday in a public forum, it was unacceptable and I sincerely apologise to all of you.

I asked for the support of our Moderators and quite frankly feel let down. I accept and appreciate it is not an easy role to conduct and I imagine it is probably unpaid, but by accepting to fulfil the role you should be able to be objective and listen to serious questions posed, particularly around provocation and bullying, of which is all too frequently occurring on here.

I have written this piece in an attempt for the forum to allow people to accept and comment on views that don't align with their own and debate in a rational and respectful way.

At no point whatsoever should it develop an overtone of bullying.

It's for these reasons I'm signing out of here - and wish you all immense joy and goals and wins for our beloved Saints.

 

That's a pity....take it easy for a few weeks and reconsider. I hope you'll return.

 

William,
I hope you don't go. Take some time out, come back when you're ready and use the ignore button.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Never a good time.

We are all Saints fans in here and like brothers and sisters, fight now and again. Dell Boy is a good egg, even if it seemed his posts were winding up in the end, that's not his normal style and it is easy for things to quickly escalate out of turn on the forum; goodness knows that I can vouch for that. For all the frustrations this place can also offer some sanity and comfort - don't lose that option.

Hope to see you and your fat fingers ( ) back soon.

 

Interesting post, and very thought provoking. I get irked by a thread that simply becomes a squabble. The issue of free speech is a difficult one. I am sure most of us believe in a concept of free speech, but the problem is that most of us really mean you are free to say what you want so long as I agree with it. Debate should never descend into personal attack, but it does so with boring regularity from the Houses of Parliament to the local pub. This thread reflects that. While I don't like that, I take comfort from the fact that there are a lot of people on here willing to engage in reasoned debate - the politics thread provides substantial evidence of this. The mods are on a loser. Close down debate and they will be accused of muffling legitimate (if unsavoury) views. Let it run, and they will be accused of not listening to objectors.

We are responsible for our conduct on here. The mods job should be to check legitimacy of a post. We have stickies for music, for politics and for general off-topic stuff. Great. That's how it should be if this forum is to be the pub chat that all seek, I believe. In pub chat we take the piss, but it should always be with a sense of humour. Not always easy to get that across, and there are occasional posters who go outside the limits. Maybe it's time for others to point the finger, and voice objections. In other words, don't leave us William Tell. Stay and help keep the forum a decent little boozer

 

Shame Bill - hope you'll reconsider after a few days, when all the dust has settled.

I'm sure I can speak for all on here & hope today goes well (ok?).

 

Everyone gets a bit...tetchy, when Saints aren't doing well. We're like a swarm of angry wasps. A couple of wins and it'll be all love and cuddles, and dreams of glory again. Not sure which is worse tbh.

Anyway, it's not worth quitting over a spat, either in the stadium or on here. Come back and cheer the team, we might win on Saturday (though that would involve scoring more goals than we concede, not sure we remember how to do that).

 

Sometimes you just have to step back from an argument....nothing wrong with not having the last word. The main problem on a forum though is that we aren't face to face.....I have a sarcastic sense of humour which I use with friends to good effect, but I'd be careful with it on here because people take you literally.

All the best, William. Hope to see you again.

 

I never made a grand exit but I have cut down on this forum a lot last couple of years. It has the same problem most forums have, it's a little too clicky (spelling?). I prefer Twitter now @oli_speaks give me a follow I'll follow back.

 

I just find it a little weird why people would want to spend so much time here, I understand if there's a game on or some big news at the club, but normal day to day stuff seems strange to me. It reminds me of when i was a kid and used to visit chat rooms.

 

All the best mate, I sympathise with some of your reasoning and you're evidently in a tough place today as mentioned last night hope that goes as well as possible today.

You're a cracking poster who never seems to get too involved in spats.

Hope to see you back one day.

 

That's a shame Billy, you've always been an amusing, offbeat poster who has offered some interesting opinions, the forum will be a little bit poorer without you IMO.

 

When we destroy WBA 4-0 on Saturday, the temptation to post will be too great for you to handle. So enjoy a couple days rest, and smile.
Life is too bloody short to do anything else.........

 

Not a good time to make these decisions so I am hoping you will reconsider in a few weeks. We need contributors like you or it will just get really boring. I mean who wants to talk to Fats all day.......

My condolences for your loss and I hope all goes as well as it can on these occasions.

 

Too scared to say Fran then.

 

All the best William and hope you come back to us soon

 

Interesting. I could say that there are cliques in my local boozer. I only go once, maybe twice a week. But there are those who seem to never leave. Each time I go in, I feel like I've walked in half way through a conversation and have to work out what the **** is going on! But I don't think it is a question of there being a clique, which implies exclusion. One of the regulars will see my confused face and say something like "Twat-features over here was just saying .." (we use lots of terms of endearment like this around here) and you're in. The problem is that this stage is missed out on a forum like this. I can find myself wondering what the hell is going on when I encounter some witty repartee between regular posters. I left Southampton in 1959, and the number of family members I have there is rapidly dwindling so I miss out on many of the local exchanges. However, I don't think this is because anyone on here is trying to exclude anyone else deliberately. Indeed, my experience is that, given the problems that always exist with a virtual community, it is a pretty nice place to visit. Sorry you feel otherwise, Clem.

 

And too off the lace as she'd realise that, believe it or not, I've not been on as regularly as I had in the past! Too busy

 

I had noticed that you weren't involved in the contretemps yesterday. I thought you must be ill.

 

Any special delivery instructions for that saucer of milk?