First off, I want to say I really enjoy it here. Well, I used to really enjoy it here. It’s still fun, but it’s a shame that the ’site is no longer making the most of its potential. We’ve just had the opening weekend of the Premier League season, yet there’s been no activity on the forums for a couple of days, and no articles on the home page for a fortnight.

Now, I hope people don’t think I’m merely criticising the site because as I’ve said, it can be very enjoyable. I know it’s not been easy with the changing of locations, and so on, but this time last year, we had 12 members bidding on players to create fantasy Football Manager teams. Are there even 12 active members on this new ’site? I’d love to help in reigniting the activity on here, as this is the only football based website I enjoy contributing to. It’s one of the only places you can come without debates turning in to obscenity filled slinging matches about which team or player is better because of this and that.

So, all I thought I’d do is create this thread so we can possibly discuss how to make this place as good as it used to be. For example, how did FMSB attract its members originally, when it was first started? If it worked then, surely it could work again. Also, I’d like to see a few more features, but right now, the only one I know I can keep going by myself is the Goal of the Week, which was started a few days ago.

I hope what I’ve tried to say here comes through clearly and correctly!

First off, the reason the Academy’s ground to a halt is because people seem to have lost interested and honestly, it’s not much fun posting every day when few (if any) reply! I’d also consider turning the goal of the week competition into an article.

The truth is though, we need new members, and we need the current ones to actually contribute. That’s not really happening.

To answer your question Owen we attrated members at first by providing exactly what you said as a haven away from GameFAQs. Following that we just posted the link on there and people came back, this time we haven’t done so because 1 we tried to aim more football orientated and 2 the regular guys that came here stopped going there so kinda defeated the object.

I can see your poinbt badderman and I’m ashamed to say that i’ve been poor recently, but thats just been the nature of everything going on in my life right now, I want to get this place back how it was but I’m stuck for ideas.

Anyone any suggestions where to advertise?

A “FMSB Talk Tactics” feature every week? We can talk about different tactics and their usage in the real world or FM. Also promotes discussion and debate.

To get new users, all I can think of is maybe a facebook group? I don’t think advertising is really for us.

I like the idea of the facebook page. However with that you have to be careful that people don’t start talking on the facebook page more than on here.

If it’s just a Facebook page with a link to the main site, and a disabled discussion board and wall, then that’d be fine.

I quite like the tactics idea, Lumaca. Like I said, I’ll keep the Goal of the Week going, which could become an article like badderman suggested, and another feature I’d like to see is multiple members contributing a paragraph or two each week about the goings on in a particular country or league somewhere around the world, where it’s not easy to find out all the news without doing a little research.

Finally, I think you admins really need to decide whether you’re going to be an FM or football or FM and football ’site. I’d prefer it if it were 50/50, plus you’ve already got FM in your title, so surely that’d make sense. It also enables many more topic possibilities.

I did a player report on the Dutch Eredivisie on the last version of the FMSB, but when projects start piling in, I kinda neglected it

And yes, more topics that promote discussion would encourage members to post more often. Also, don’t the admins have e-mails of past members that FMSB can send a notification that the forum is up and running again?

nfortunately Lumaca because the last site died suddenly I don’t plus I’ve formatted since, now unless they are in a a back up of the old site that Bishy has I don’t think we will have.

I like the 50/50 split and the idea of a facebook group, maybe also facebook advertising as an option. The tactics idea is fantastic and I may set to work on that and the around the world news thingy.

What w also really need which I’ve been wanting for awhile but Bish has been busy is for Bish to run through exactly what you guys as non admin/mod members can do. For example you can all submit articles as far as I am aware.

Yeah, if Bish was involved a bit more overall it could be a little easier.