Crazy Diamond Posted 5 July, 2012 Share Posted 5 July, 2012 I was criticised the other week for mentioning the activities of Saints fans on Twitter. Unfortunately I feel compelled to write about it again, seeing as things have taken another turn, and not a good one. It wasn't so long ago that people who claimed to be 'in the know' came on forums like this and posted the odd thing that was 99% of the time absolute ********. Now, with Facebook and Twitter, the idea of pretending to know something has taken a bit of a twist. There are people who start Twitter accounts pretending to know all about transfer rumours and go around making up wild stories in order to get attention. There are even people who pretend to be agents, who talk about exact details of deals, and it turns out to be nothing but rubbish. They're harmless if you take it at face value, just as posters on here who say they know something are harmless, or those stupid 'club name here-rumours.com' websites are. It is however, very sad, and one wonders what on earth possesses people to do such a thing. Then there are numerous people who are bothering journalists from various different broadcasters and newspapers. That's fairly harmless, although I must say it does look a bit sad when one journalist, just doing their job, tweets about an article they have just written and is suddenly bombarded several times by a handful of people who want to know more. If there was more to tell, or at least more that could be said, it would be in the article. As I say, it's a bit sad in my opinion, but ultimately it's harmless. One journalist even started taking the ****, such was the number of tweets he'd had to put up with. You might argue though that he should expect questions if he posts such information, I suppose. Unfortunately, it stops being harmless when a player gets bombarded on their personal Facebook account - not a Facebook page or group, their personal account - which they use for keeping in contact with their friends and family. Alexander Buttner who we're apparently interested in - and that's a point worth mentioning, at this stage it's apparent interest - has been receiving messages from Saints fans who want to know more and want to get in contact with him. I looked at his Facebook profile to see if it was an open page where anyone with a Facebook account could see what people have written on his wall etc. It's not an open profile, which kind of gives it away. He probably doesn't want to be contacted by anyone other than who he is friends with. Glancing at the left hand side of the page there aren't even any signs of friends, it's all his relatives that he's trying to keep in contact with. If Alexander Buttner wanted an open forum to talk to supporters of any club, or anyone at all for that matter, I would suspect he'd have a Twitter account. Which brings up the next point. Someone has actually pretended to be Alexander Buttner on Twitter. The real Alexander Buttner does not have a Twitter account as far as I can make out - which tells me he doesn't want one, and perhaps doesn't want to be bothered by people. Ammar Jemal was subject to people getting in touch with him on Facebook last year - at the very least, his profile was an open one, and he replied to most people. In the end he didn't even sign. The majority of what I see as a little bit sad and in some cases stupid on Facebook and Twitter is harmless. I don't particularly care what other people think about the supporters of the same club as me, but I'm not alone anymore in thinking that it's getting a bit embarrassing. Pretending to be an agent is pathetic. Making up transfer rumours then claiming to be an authoritative voice is very sad. Bothering players on Facebook or pretending to be them, even if it's someone's idea of a joke, is just not right. I'm interested to know your thoughts on this one. I'm not 'getting worked up' by it, as some have suggested, and I'm not some sort of wannabe-dictator who says what you can and can't do, nor am I against freedom of speech. I just think what's going on at the moment, particularly with the Buttner developments, is wrong. Next week I start a job where I'm responsible for a sporting body's communications and social media as it happens, and all of it has got me thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingwing Posted 5 July, 2012 Share Posted 5 July, 2012 Here here! Rabble rabble rabble... As a serious addition I can't imagine a bundle of people "from the internet" emailing and spamming a player is really going to help them or setting up a fake version of them is going to contribute to anything. I can see welcoming a player and trying to vocalise support for a transfer being a nice gesture but in reality as fans of a club we are only the consumer and more or less have to wait and see what the club we support gives us, there's nothing much we can actively do to help (and probably in some cases trying really doesn't help). I miss the days when the internet wasn't really popular some times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spudders Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 Serious stuff this Internet malarkey! I read about a girl who committed suicide because she was bullied via Facebook & it made me wonder why she killed herself rather than just stopping using Facebook? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 The lengths of oddness people go to on twitter and less so, Facebook is remarkable When someone posted a picture of Lallana's missis that time on here it was a sad time Twitter it seems, is swarmed with utter losers who take it too far and will eventually drive the openness from football away. The idea of having a bit of banter with players and just chatting to them, managers, journos is great. To make up stories, hound players and journos and stalk possible future players is sad in the extreme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 Serious stuff this Internet malarkey! I read about a girl who committed suicide because she was bullied via Facebook & it made me wonder why she killed herself rather than just stopping using Facebook? Indeed The virtual world is the young'uns reality it seems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeSixty Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 If anyone wants to bombard my facebook page and pay me 30k a week for the privilege, feel free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westofshannonsaint Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 I'm sure every club has it's internet nutcases. it's a bit sad & sometimes I wonder what is lacking in peoples lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadgerBadger Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 nowt as daft as folk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlakeySFC Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 (edited) The lengths of oddness people go to on twitter and less so, Facebook is remarkable When someone posted a picture of Lallana's missis that time on here it was a sad time Twitter it seems, is swarmed with utter losers who take it too far and will eventually drive the openness from football away. The idea of having a bit of banter with players and just chatting to them, managers, journos is great. To make up stories, hound players and journos and stalk possible future players is sad in the extreme I agree with CrazyDiamond that bombarding a players personal facebook account is pretty sad. However I think it's wrong to say everyone on twitter tweets constantly to journalists/players etc. about signings and that they're all odd is a sweeping generalisation. From my experiences with other Saints fans on twitter, I would say about 80-90% seem really decent down to earth people that share their real problems, saints related activities etc. with fellow saints fans and the twitterverse. The other 10-20% are still alright people but just get desperate when it comes to saints signings etc. and are usually a bit younger of age (15-18 ), you get a few nutters in all walks of life. I think it's pretty desperate to continually hound journalists/players etc. too but it's only a small proportion of the Saints fans on twitter that do that. They're not bad people at all, they are just a bit more impatient than the average Saints fan. I honestly think out of the 2,000 people I follow I know of only 10 that regularly pester players/journalists for information. I personally think Twitter is an amazing tool, which enables you to get a closer view of what goes on in a footballers life rather than this vague idea that they all have herociously hot birds, live in a mansion somewhere and go out on the lash alot. Twitter allows these people to get a closer insight into the world of football, and some people take that too far, but 80-90% of Saints fans on twitter are just regular people that like the closer insight into football that Twitter allows. Edited 6 July, 2012 by BlakeySFC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
for_heaven's_Saint Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 Tldr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dune Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 I was criticised the other week for mentioning the activities of Saints fans on Twitter. Unfortunately I feel compelled to write about it again. If nobody was interested last time why would they be interested this time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dronskisaint Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 If nobody was interested last time why would they be interested this time? Er...you just responded.....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilippineSaint Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 What I don't understand about this thread is Crazy Diamond is moaning at people for using Facebook and twitter to basically abuse players potential players and the like and then admits in the same blog to checking out there facebook page and ensuring that the twitter account is the real one (how the hell does he do that?) Is Crazy Diamond the stalker that he is hunting? and should he be on the multiple personalities' thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dune Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 Er...you just responded.....? No i didn't, that was Sour Mash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickfire Double Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 It's a decent point: some of the Twitter melting around transfers etc is starting to make Saints fans as a collective look bloody daft. @jordansibley, please can we sign some players, pretty please cos it's my birfday tomorrow and it's all what I want in the whole widest world and anyway if we don't we're get regulated and I bet you and nigel never thought of that #saintsfc #signsomeplayerz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasoneuelllfanclub Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 actually the ones that do ask journo's questions normally get more out of them. take the graeme bailey @ sky tweet for example. he would not have tweeted about saints lining up a "very exciting deal" had the person not asked them about any saints news. ok we are none the wiser to the player identity and whether or not the deal is still a live but it does give us fans something to speculate about. yes the ones that send personal messages to potential targets are going a bit too far however from what I can tell buttner has been happy to reply. if he wasnt then he would not reply. twitter is a great tool for fans as long as it is used sensibly and people are respectful of others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golac's Cunning Stunts Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 I think it can be a useful tool. Take for example this clever chap who tweeted: @crstig Just sent a message to every player linked with the club worded thus "Y U No Sign for #saintsfcyet?" Now are you telling me that any potential new player isn't going to read that and immediately sign? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickfire Double Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 ^ I'm going to go out on a limb here, and suggest that tweet was in fact a joke, born of the absolute melting on the #saintsfc line. But Georgeweahscousin will no doubt correct me if I'm wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansums Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 Slightly ironic that someone in the media is complaining about people talking bollix on social media sites when there has been plenty of made up bollix printed over the years. The thing about social media is that anyone can use it which is a shame, much like anyone (female) can have children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ant Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 The TL;DR version is that this sort of activity is mostly harmless - people are making fools of themselves, few would think they are indicative of the club's entire fanbase. At the very worst I suppose a player could be put off signing, but every club has its share of weirdos so any top pro would surely be used to that. In reality they probably just ignore 99% of fan 'interactions' and get on with their lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raging Bull Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 Don't overly give a flying one about reporters etc being questioned, after all if you don't want a response don't post. I do however have a slight issue with plumbs like harty saint boy who have problems constructing a coherant sentence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry the Badger Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 I would suggest that any player being put off by a few overexcited fans probably doesn't have the mental toughness required! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPTCount Posted 6 July, 2012 Share Posted 6 July, 2012 it's all a bit much if u ask me, and as a journalist u can't have it both ways, chasing and bombarding celebs for info & gossip and then turn around to the ppl who you are trying to 'entertain' to get off ur back and stop hounding you. anyone can put their facebook profile on private, so if they don't want to be contacted then they won't be. as for twitter, if ur on thier promoting ur own work don't be offended when ppl take interest, or want to know more, u are the informer. twitter is very public, everything u post can be seen by everyone, well for the most part. and as for fake accounts, its all part and parcel of the internet bubble ppl live in, the anonymity of it all and the bullying are over excessive, but i don't take the internet too seriously, u only have to look at youtube comments to realise how bad it's all become with haters and trolls online. and the humour that has evolved from being able to give someone or something that can't talk a voice, or giving them a completely different voice, the fake berba account springs to mind, and the cat that appeared at WHL this season had a twitter account within minutes. and i know there's a us golfer who's beard has more followers on twitter than him. and if u don't like the aggro, or abuse, u can always use that magical button, the one that logs u off and turns off ur computer. and if it's too much create a new account, or get ur secretary to do ur twittering so u don't have to deal with all the jonny nojobs. at least ur not getting chased down by thousands of screaming fans and having to jump garden fences to get away, or having a mob throw bins at ur car. it's the internet, just chill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raging Bull Posted 8 July, 2012 Share Posted 8 July, 2012 I see deppo's on twitter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 8 July, 2012 Share Posted 8 July, 2012 Don't overly give a flying one about reporters etc being questioned, after all if you don't want a response don't post. I do however have a slight issue with plumbs like harty saint boy who have problems constructing a coherant sentence! Harty Boy Saint is onto any sniff on #saintsfc like Gary Glitter in an Early Learning Centre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raging Bull Posted 8 July, 2012 Share Posted 8 July, 2012 Harty Boy Saint is onto any sniff on #saintsfc like Gary Glitter in an Early Learning Centre. He asked 1 reporter the same question 3 times within 24 hours about 3/4 weeks ago! I guess that's the problem with everything being so instant these days, waiting for things is a thing of the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 8 July, 2012 Share Posted 8 July, 2012 He asked 1 reporter the same question 3 times within 24 hours about 3/4 weeks ago! I guess that's the problem with everything being so instant these days, waiting for things is a thing of the past. Aye, he's onto Niko again today I notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Diamond Posted 8 July, 2012 Author Share Posted 8 July, 2012 I see deppo's on twitter On a fan asking about name and number printing... "I think that club charges £6 but I printed some off the internet onto fabric and got my nan to sew them on. Saved £££s!" Superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ART Posted 8 July, 2012 Share Posted 8 July, 2012 I made my opinions known about players using Twitter some time back on here. Familiarity breeds contempt. If a player, journalist chooses to expose themselves on Twitter or Facebook to the public, and interact with supporters, then they reap what they sow. As for supporters blindly being taken in my false accounts, then I can only draw a comparison with those taken in and answering to the "Hello Dare" emails from our Nigerians friends. Twitter operates a Verified Account system that most genuine celebs, players, media personalities use. Where Facebook is concerned it is up to the individual player, journalist, etc. to decide if he wishes to interact and receive messages from just anyone. Again, most genuine accounts of a personality are tailored to only accept messages from friends. I have myself written expressing appreciation to several players on Facebook for adding me as a friend, and receiving courteous replies, but, at no time, have I gone on to pump them for insider information as I know one or two on here have tried to do. In life, most of us know our place and don't take advantage of players. journalists or their friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kraken Posted 8 July, 2012 Share Posted 8 July, 2012 On a fan asking about name and number printing... "I think that club charges £6 but I printed some off the internet onto fabric and got my nan to sew them on. Saved £££s!" Superb. Hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raging Bull Posted 8 July, 2012 Share Posted 8 July, 2012 Hilarious. Hi deppo xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilko Posted 8 July, 2012 Share Posted 8 July, 2012 Serious business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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