| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB 11:57 - Apr 30 with 27762 views | hubble |
For the denizens of this board the fate of WATRB is probably not much more than an afterthought. It has an interesting place in the Rangers' message board pantheon, catering for perhaps a different demographic than this one. It is generally looked down upon by the more highbrow message boards and politically it is summed up by the fact that it is (as far as I am aware) the only Rangers' board that is majority pro-Brexit.
It seemed to have its heyday several years back, but has persisted as one of a quartet of most popular QPR forums, the other three being this one, the ersatz QPRdot.org and not606. However, in recent times it has been riven by internecine strife, with whole threads dedicated to accusations and counter-accusations, much to the detriment of the board as a whole.
Things reached a head a few months back when two key members of the admin team left to form a rival message board that was free of the in-fighting that clogged WATRB. Having formed the new board they attempted to recruit posters from WATRB, resulting in a Stalinesque clampdown from the remaining admin, which included severe breaches of forum protocol, i.e. reading the private messages of board members. The private message function was subsequently removed all together and left remaining members in a kind of limbo, with the in-fighting and arguing continuing.
I was one of the members who was contacted by the new forum and moved over. In trying to contact a friend from WATRB by simply posting on the forum I was put on the naughty step ( pre-mod) and all my posts either criticising the handling of the whole debacle or trying to reach my friend were deleted.
What I find fascinating about all this and message boards in general are what they reveal about us, about tribalism, belonging, ideas of ownership and connection and loyalty. With larger clubs pretty much the only thing that binds the disparate members of football forums is their allegiance to a particular football team, to which most have no more connection that any other 'brand'. With smaller teams like ours, there is something more profound that binds most of us, a physical connection to the place itself, often through place of birth or strong family connections. At bottom it is about belonging, in a world that is increasingly globalised and empty of value. I wouldn't be surprised if there have been anthropological studies of fan message boards, but if there haven't, there should be.
Of course there are other issues at stake: for WATRB it's about income, footfall driving revenue, hence the desire to cling to its membership and fight off any interference. But the mistake is to alienate your core users in the first place. Where this board succeeds so admirably I think is in its inclusivity: it is by and large a broad and tolerant church. Exclusivity is not useful in a free-to-use forum that relies on numbers.
It's also fascinating to note how different each QPR board is (let alone forums in general) in their unique 'flavour'. This is partly due to how the board is administered, partly due to the look and feel of the board itself. Hiving off non-QPR related threads to sub-forums is attractive to some posters who want their QPR fix unadulterated, but for most, the open, anything goes style of this board is much more attractive. The original (and I think best) QPR forum, qpr.org, was an uncensored and completely open forum which had the benefit of being privately funded. Boards funded by advertising like this one (I think that's its key funding model, please correct me if I'm wrong Clive) and WATRB have to place certain restrictions on posters to avoid falling foul of the dreaded Google adwords bots that flag up things they don't like, such as swear words. These restrictions are fairly easily circumvented by members using asterisks for letters, or creative alternatives to standard expletives. Again, the very fact that this happens is interesting in itself. We are all slaves to the mighty Google and other mass media social media platform purveyors to some extent. Perhaps to a scary extent.
The splinter forum has a witty name if you've been a long-term follower of QPR message board wars: Rangers Fantasy Island. A name that seems apt when refugees from WATRB wash up on its shores. As a fledgling QPR forum it doesn't even register on Google unless searched by name directly. It will be interesting to see (from an anthropological perspective at least) what happens to the various QPR forums over the next few years, especially if the decline in the club's fortunes continues. On here at least there is much outside of QPR to continue to entertain its members.
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| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:49 - May 1 with 4606 views | qprxtc |
The very last thing I want to talk about on a QPR message board is QPR (as in serious talk about managers, tactics, crap players etc. Ephemeral QPR talk is just dandy).
This board is good for talking ephemerally. |  | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:49 - May 1 with 4614 views | Northernr |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:47 - May 1 by smegma |
What about the other 'numero uno' fan Myu ???? I believe they were behind WATRB site to be a Paladini mouthpiece and no longer even watch QPR. |
Who never missed an opportunity to tell people that they were doing their site for free, out of the goodness of their hearts, while I was earning an absolute stack of cash for running LFW - which, of course, can be seen from my lifestyle and bulging bank balance.
Bad times. Setting QPR against QPR. |  | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:56 - May 1 with 4569 views | Boston |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:49 - May 1 by Northernr |
Who never missed an opportunity to tell people that they were doing their site for free, out of the goodness of their hearts, while I was earning an absolute stack of cash for running LFW - which, of course, can be seen from my lifestyle and bulging bank balance.
Bad times. Setting QPR against QPR. |
Well it did pay for your own Underground Line. |  |
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| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 15:03 - May 1 with 4555 views | Boston |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:10 - May 1 by runningman75 |
You have been listening to James O'Brien on LBC too much. I voted remain but have friends who voted leave many whom parents were immigrants to the UK. |
Was a regular listener to Mr O’Brien, not that I agreed with all his thoughts but enjoyed his intellect....had to give up. Not that I care about his position on the EU, unfortunately he’s developed Brexit Derangement Syndrome and far too many of his shows feature childlike slagging of callers. | |
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| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 16:20 - May 1 with 4489 views | robith |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 15:03 - May 1 by Boston |
Was a regular listener to Mr O’Brien, not that I agreed with all his thoughts but enjoyed his intellect....had to give up. Not that I care about his position on the EU, unfortunately he’s developed Brexit Derangement Syndrome and far too many of his shows feature childlike slagging of callers. |
I love that he called his book "How To Be Right"
Yeah, if I screened everyone I spoke to so I only had to debate absolute weirdos on subjects tailor made to what my team of researchers had drummed up for me, I reckon I'd win most arguments too.
Loved him when he first came on the scene, but he's bloody intolerable now |  | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 16:36 - May 1 with 4452 views | LongsufferingR |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:49 - May 1 by qprxtc |
The very last thing I want to talk about on a QPR message board is QPR (as in serious talk about managers, tactics, crap players etc. Ephemeral QPR talk is just dandy).
This board is good for talking ephemerally. |
...and nobody manages talking ephemerally better than you in any of your late night posts! |  | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 19:22 - May 1 with 4311 views | charmr |
I have been listening to LBC for years. Lately I find James O’Brien tends to listen less and inerupt more on any topic. | | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 20:54 - May 1 with 4194 views | GroveR |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:54 - Apr 30 by Sharpy36 |
Rivals was number 1, end of. |
Amen to that.
We had football games between us and the Bees (still have good mates from that) and used to meet up in the old BushRanger for beers with Varc, E17, Ingham, Stevenage, RoadDog, Ron, Simon and many others. Mainly because we were legally old enough to drink, rather than wà nking keyboard warrior anger over tinterwebnet.
Simple rules are the best ones: if I wouldn't say it to your face in a pub I won't say it to you online. |  | | |
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| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 08:50 - May 2 with 3987 views | BlackCrowe |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 19:22 - May 1 by charmr |
I have been listening to LBC for years. Lately I find James O’Brien tends to listen less and inerupt more on any topic. |
Same. Long time LBC listener but there's less and less i can tolerate on the latest scheduling.
Farage? Automatically switch stations. O'Brien same. Eddie Mair - bland and robotic.
Ferrari still good and used to really like Ian Dale's drive time but he's now got an evening slot which seems a waste. |  |
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| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 09:13 - May 2 with 3962 views | Metallica_Hoop |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 08:50 - May 2 by BlackCrowe |
Same. Long time LBC listener but there's less and less i can tolerate on the latest scheduling.
Farage? Automatically switch stations. O'Brien same. Eddie Mair - bland and robotic.
Ferrari still good and used to really like Ian Dale's drive time but he's now got an evening slot which seems a waste. |
I get up at 6ish so catch some Steve Allen.
The guy has me in stitches I properly burst out laughing some mornings.
His 'in conversations' are also very good, he lets the interviewee.... talk!.
Somewhere I have a Nik Ferrari loyalty card number 800something from about 18 years ago. |  |
| Beer and Beef has made us what we are - The Prince Regent |
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| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 09:22 - May 2 with 3946 views | Mick_S |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 08:50 - May 2 by BlackCrowe |
Same. Long time LBC listener but there's less and less i can tolerate on the latest scheduling.
Farage? Automatically switch stations. O'Brien same. Eddie Mair - bland and robotic.
Ferrari still good and used to really like Ian Dale's drive time but he's now got an evening slot which seems a waste. |
The absolute king of talk shows - untouchable!
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| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 09:45 - May 2 with 3910 views | BklynRanger |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 13:51 - Apr 30 by loftboy |
I once bumped into Pete outside the ground, when I told him my user name he took a step back and genuinely thought I was going to punch him. [Post edited 30 Apr 2019 13:53]
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I think he probably did a lot of stepping back around that time. I remember Hook having a prolonged rant at him and Scott Jones in the White Horse, their faces consisting of a curious mixture of 'above it all' smugness and great fear for their personal safety.
I definitely agree that that period was divisive and damaging, but I do also have a fair amount of nostalgia about it tbh. Quite possibly because I had the Atlantic Ocean between myself and the direct impacts of it, just turning up now and again to have a look. But there did seem to be a bit more originality and chaos around which kept things lively. I'm probably just getting old. |  | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 09:53 - May 2 with 3893 views | ingeminate |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 09:45 - May 2 by BklynRanger |
I think he probably did a lot of stepping back around that time. I remember Hook having a prolonged rant at him and Scott Jones in the White Horse, their faces consisting of a curious mixture of 'above it all' smugness and great fear for their personal safety.
I definitely agree that that period was divisive and damaging, but I do also have a fair amount of nostalgia about it tbh. Quite possibly because I had the Atlantic Ocean between myself and the direct impacts of it, just turning up now and again to have a look. But there did seem to be a bit more originality and chaos around which kept things lively. I'm probably just getting old. |
They were strange times, I was in the Green when Nick de Marco bumped in to some enemies - heated if civil conversation ensued with Nick's boyfriend dramatically eye rolling his boredom in the background. |  |
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| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:18 - Feb 21 with 3019 views | Marc |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 16:17 - Apr 30 by rsonist |
Have never bothered to verify but it's always felt like we have a comically disproportionate number of different message boards and quarrelling fans associations relative to our size. |
Always wondered if that's the case with other similar sized clubs. We would probably top a table for most fan forums, Facebook groups etc. |  | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:27 - Feb 21 with 2999 views | Northernr |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:18 - Feb 21 by Marc |
Always wondered if that's the case with other similar sized clubs. We would probably top a table for most fan forums, Facebook groups etc. |
Mate, try and navigate the online world of Leeds United.
They are massive TBF. | | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:33 - Feb 21 with 2975 views | Mick_S |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:27 - Feb 21 by Northernr |
Mate, try and navigate the online world of Leeds United.
They are massive TBF. |
Are they as big as Forest are now? | |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:38 - Feb 21 with 2948 views | Marc |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:27 - Feb 21 by Northernr |
Mate, try and navigate the online world of Leeds United.
They are massive TBF. |
Holy crap, the amount of results for Leeds forums with a quick google search  | | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 15:01 - Feb 21 with 2889 views | PunteR |
This is the best message board by far. Had a gander on WATRB before it kicked off. Was alright actually. Then last year it kicked off so i never went back..
How's the Fantasy one going then? |  |
| Occasional providers of half decent House music. |
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| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 15:50 - Feb 21 with 2799 views | CroydonCaptJack |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 15:01 - Feb 21 by PunteR |
This is the best message board by far. Had a gander on WATRB before it kicked off. Was alright actually. Then last year it kicked off so i never went back..
How's the Fantasy one going then? |
The Fantasy one is ok. Nice bunch of posters on there (some post on here as well)
There are not that many of us but it is generally a pleasant environment until it gets political. So just like here really  |  | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 16:14 - Feb 21 with 2733 views | colinallcars |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 15:01 - Feb 21 by PunteR |
This is the best message board by far. Had a gander on WATRB before it kicked off. Was alright actually. Then last year it kicked off so i never went back..
How's the Fantasy one going then? |
I'm a relatively recent poster - which board is Fantasy Island and why ? |  | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 16:38 - Feb 21 with 2665 views | Marc |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 16:14 - Feb 21 by colinallcars |
I'm a relatively recent poster - which board is Fantasy Island and why ? |
A new forum set up by a group that grew tired of WATRB by the looks of it. I went on WATRB this morning, for the first time in well over a year, and did notice something quite wasn't right on there. Especially the lack of many regular posters among those I remembered. | | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB (n/t) on 17:41 - Feb 21 with 2555 views | distortR |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 14:27 - Feb 21 by Northernr |
Mate, try and navigate the online world of Leeds United.
They are massive TBF. |
[Post edited 22 Feb 2020 0:38]
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| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 20:15 - Feb 22 with 2203 views | TGRRRSSS |
ONe thing I never understood was QBP actually a real QPR fan?
He seemed to be a an STer for some time but never sure.
God seeing some old names on here - is Pablo Hoopster still around?
Not spoken to him in some time now.
Others known of or met down the years,m Sharpy, Hook, Ted, Dagenham, UUURRRZZZZ.
Going to Chelscum in 2008 with GanjR, Stuart and his old man in the home end.....
Paladini really did bring chaos to the club even beyond when we had the debacle that was the Promotion season under Tango and Cash... INcredible even moments of celebration seem to be a cross between farce and tragedy (in it's way) when following QPR. |  | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 21:12 - Feb 22 with 4351 views | smegma |
QBP was romoured to have been West Ham many moons ago while living in a block of flats just off Fulham Road called Little Chelsea House. That's according to some bloke who appeared to be stalking him about 6-7 years ago, | | | |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 22:12 - Feb 22 with 4256 views | Marc |
| Board wars: the slow implosion of WATRB on 20:15 - Feb 22 by TGRRRSSS |
ONe thing I never understood was QBP actually a real QPR fan?
He seemed to be a an STer for some time but never sure.
God seeing some old names on here - is Pablo Hoopster still around?
Not spoken to him in some time now.
Others known of or met down the years,m Sharpy, Hook, Ted, Dagenham, UUURRRZZZZ.
Going to Chelscum in 2008 with GanjR, Stuart and his old man in the home end.....
Paladini really did bring chaos to the club even beyond when we had the debacle that was the Promotion season under Tango and Cash... INcredible even moments of celebration seem to be a cross between farce and tragedy (in it's way) when following QPR. |
Rumour has it he was originally Chelsea. No idea if true or not.
Has he been spotted down HQ since the early part of the decade? If not, then there's probably the answer in there somewhere. | | | |
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