Clubs mustn't take Webbies for granted

The webmasters of the Official Hereford United Website are hoping that the updated version of their website will be on-line today.

Apparantly server and hosting problems have delayed the long awaited re-launch.

"The new site has been ready for two weeks, but due to an old Hosting company playing silly badgers with the domain name going live has been very annoyingly delayed. Should be up tomorrow with a bit of luck and a following wind!" said chief webbie Mark Farmer yesterday.

Any good site takes up a lot of time and effort and those involved with the upgrade are to be applauded for dedication.

It is not known whether all or most of the costs of the Official website, other than the webbies time, are covered by the club. One expert suggested that if the club had to pay all the costs including the time put in by those involved they would be lucky to have any change out of £15,000 per year and probably somewhat more.

Forest Green Rovers currently pay nothing towards their website which is run by one person. He is said to spend ten hours a week updating the site which is somewhat smaller and easier to run than Hereford's current site let alone the up-graded version.

Even at £10 per hour that is £100 per week for labour costs or over £5,000 per year without adding hosting costs etc.

Here's what the webmaster of Forest Green recently said:

The club pay no bills whatsoever for the running of the site, server space, domain names, forum cost, forum licences. Let alone the hundreds of hours (done at my/my company's cost) it takes just to keep it in the state its in! It has all come out of my pocket so far this year. The whole site was taken offline as a desperate measure by the server providers earlier this may after the club failed to pay the bills after months of reminders and warnings. It went backonline as soon as I found out, infact within the hour after I paid it for them. I'm still waiting despite plenty of promises to be paid back.

I used to get a pass to get in to watch games in return for doing it, but I guess with things being so tight nowadays even thats been stopped.

Official sites are many supporters first contact with a club. An informative and well run site must be worth thousands to a club with the advertising and sales that can bring. Hereford's isn't one of those dull PTV sites, that in itself gives it an advantage simply by being different and some might say more attractive to the eye. Long may it stay independent.

These days Webmasters are an integral part of a football club. Their input should be recognised by club and supporters alike.

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