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Mondays Comment by Huw Williams
While pondering on what to write for this week's article for Bulls News, I started thinking about the internet and the huge difference it has made, and can make, for football supporters, particularly those, such as ourselves, who support the small clubs.
If you support Man United, Arsenal, or any of the other top-flight clubs, you have always been able to find out all you need to know, and more, from the national media. However, for years, as a Hereford supporter, my only source of information was the Hereford Times, whose coverage of the Bulls has never been much to shout about, and for the thirteen or so years when I lived away from Hereford, there was nothing at all.
I remember reading (in Talking Bull I think), of the struggle of a HUFC fan who was on holiday in New Zealand to find out the result of the Welsh Cup final. Now all he would need is access to the web in an Internet Café and he could read a full report a few hours after the final whistle.
As HUFC fans we have now access to a variety of sources. For up to the minute news, information and speculation the guys on this site do a great job. There's the official site, which is not quite so on the ball, but does feature long interviews with GT and so on. Then there's "From the Sticks", which is crude, irreverent and entertaining ? also quite educational: who would have thought that you would find a football site with a whole section devoted to that ancient English king, Cnut?
With access to the Internet, if you have something to say on any topic and a bit of time to spare, you can make your thoughts known to the world. The easiest way is via a fans forum, of which there are quire a number. I first found the confguide forum through the link on Terrys old website, and now visit it every day. It's full of wit and lively debate, and because it's open to all, quite a lot of crap as well. That's the beauty of it, everyone's opinion has equal weight, no one controls it, other than to try and ensure that nothing offensive, racist or downright libellous appears. Occasionally it gets bogged down in bickering as a result of some childish post from a rival supporter, but usually it makes for great reading.
There's a core of regulars on the forum, posting under some entertaining names: Len Weston's Last Stand, Parkabull (of season ticket fame), and Talie the Dragon Slayer's Dad (whaaaat???) to name but three. Many others, including me, only post occasionally, but it's a great way to share what other Bulls fans are feeling and talking about. There's a whole on-line community of supporters out there, and whether we are Hereford based, or exiled elsewhere in the world, we can all be part of it.