CFCnet has always wanted to keep the website completely free, but our problem is that the software, hosting, bandwidth and other related charges cost money which is where the problem lies.  When we started in 1999 with six readers this wasn’t an issue, however, as we’ve grown to over 180,000 unique readers each month, we are confronting an altogether different proposition both in financing and quality of debate!  Remember the ‘intelligent forum’?! I think it’s fair to say that’s not a true moniker any longer.

To help the financial burden we already carry advertising on the site and this partly helps offset costs.  However, we need a new option – one that benefits everybody yet keeps the site essentially free for most people.  What we have decided to do is to create an new and exclusive part of the website. This designated area will be brand new, shiny and will evolve with your comments and suggestions so you will be able to shape the direction it takes.

There will be no crap, no adverts, little if any moderation and most importantly to some of us… no away fans (Yes! – Peter). It will be constructive in criticism and will be intelligent in debate. There may be a membership fee or it may be invitation only. Either way when you enroll you will become an integral part of CFCnet at its deepest level, in an inner sanctum without the issues people currently complain about, and as a deep level CFCnet member, you will also be able to take advantage of discounted services and products that are advertised within CFCnet such as special offers and travel.

Just a footnote in that membership is not compulsory and you will be able to post and read the current forum and the main site exactly as you do now.

More information coming soon…

Talk about it in our forum [Click Here]

Chelsea today released a statement confirming what some of us had heard whispers of, but were praying wouldn’t come to anything. Pat had a massive influence on Frank’s career and was a well known and well loved person at Chelsea.

The statement read: ‘It is with great sadness that we have to inform you that Pat Lampard passed away this afternoon.’

‘Frank would like to acknowledge and say thank you for the compassion shown to him by the manager Avram Grant and all the staff at Chelsea Football Club during what has been a terribly traumatic period for him and his family.’

‘Frank and his family would also like to thank all the people that have been inundating them with wishes of support.’

The club has also set up a book of condolence online for those wishing to pay their respects. You can leave a message of condolence by clicking this link.

Can I ask all our readers to check out the United Kingdom 2008 Fanzine Awards on footballfanzineawards.com and vote for CFCnet.  That is, of course, if you feel inclined to do so!

A VOTE FOR CFCNET IS A VOTE FOR CHELSEA!

I’d ask you to vote, not for the site’s personal ego, but to acknowledge all the hard work by a team of 50 people who slave night and day to bring you the best independent Chelsea news and content service. 

Fifty people?  Yes.  That’s a team of fifteen writers, 25 forum moderators, a few technological specialists, a gifted digital artist and a guiding hand of Peter Sampson, Toby Brown, Grahame Fendle and Rob Hobson.  You won’t believe how much work everybody puts in, especially Peter, Toby, Grahame and Rob.  Thousands of hours for free.  For your entertainment.

People think CFCnet is rich.  Hardly.  As Grahame Fendle pointed out in CFCnet magazine, issue 5, we’re poorer than a church mouse and all the advertising revenue is ploughed straight back into site development, hosting, broadband charges etc.  We earn nothing.  Zilch. Zip.  Therefore, to be acknowledged as one of the Premier League’s best fanzines would at least be some reward for all the hard work and effort put in.

The prize?  Not much.  If we won we’d receive an engraved trophy that would spend three months with Peter, three months with Toby, three months with Grahame and three months with Rob.  Or 12 months in Peter’s garage.  Probably the latter.

So, get your mouse clicking and go to www.footballfanzineawards.com and get voting.  We’d appreciate it.

We were approached by Roman-esque wealthy contributors seeking to build a wonderful site and forums of their own. They were quite appreciative of our site and especially our forums, and have offered to fully fund CFCnet, under one condition.

That condition is that our team here assisted them in producing a joint-forum for their own team and supporters.

Thus, as part of the all new experience on offer here, allow us to introduce THCFCnet – a joint venture between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

None of our forums nor the main site will be directly affected and we will still have a Chelsea forum, Transfer Talk forum, Chelsea matches forum etc… However, we will also have identical Spurs versions of each forum too.

We will also have Spurs fans signing up with the abilities to post in the Chelsea forums, while Chelsea posters will be given the option to post in Spurs forums. The Off-topic forum is still being negotiated and may also be shared with the Spurs fans, so it could be a forum where both sets of fans can enjoy banter on multiple other topics they should have in common.

Moderation will continue as is, and we will seek to increase the number of moderators from our new supporter base to join the current ones, who have been doing a magnificient job so far.

We are not so naive as not not realise that this may not go down as the most popular decision with our regulars, but this will ensure we can continue as the site will be well-funded.

We implore our regular visitors and contributors to understand the position we were left in, and hope that you will not be so disappointed to realise the necessity of our actions. Our calls for donations were not done for negligible reasons.

THCFCnet will be launched some time in June, with a rich blue and white background to display the unity of two fansites. We here in CFCnet hope that not only will our Chelsea fan community can continue onwards without much interference, but that it will be a complete success.

We are in early negotiations with an Arsenal forum to possibly join in. It is of the view of our very kind contributors that such a site which includes undoubtedly the three biggest London clubs will attract a lot of visitors and as a result, advertising.

With this in mind, we would hope to produce a site which not only gains more money from advertising, but would be self-sufficient by 2010. We also believe that we can continue to grow, and have a very real possibility of being the biggest fansite in the world by 2014.

I hope you will all join us in celebrating the continued future of CFCnet, and also recognise this monumental occasion in the history of CFCnet too.

The CFCnet staff.