Is Anybody Listening???!!!!!

I seem to have set a trend for retirement announcements in the last few weeks - watch out blogging can be dangerous for our favourite national sports!

Whilst I would be delighted if Michael Vaughan and Freddie Flintoff have read the blog, I would be devasted if in some strange twist I had ended their sporting careers because of what they had read.

I didn't see Freddie saying "if that Ben Thompson is retiring then perhaps it is my time is up too" on Sky Sports News this week - but I do feel in exhalted company.

You also have read it here first - I am turning to the 7's circuit in India to make my millions too!!!

It has been a completely different month for me but I haven't regretted my decision for one minute - especially when all you hear are the horror stories of preseason training.

The pictures of the London Welsh marine training camp, for example, look horrendous - come on guys have a heart - as if the players aren't feeling bad enough at the moment!!!

London Welsh captain, Michael Powell (third from left), updated his status on Facebook half way through the camp - "now know what hell is!!" - yeah I am really missing it!!!

I'd like to say a quick thank you to collybs who kindly posted a link to the blog on the popular National League Rugby message board. (Thanks also to Richard Lowther, Wakefield supporter, for providing the service!)

I have been a big fan of the message board for a long time - it is a great source of information (especially the signings and departures section) and more importantly it represents the opinion of the fans that are travel the length and breadth of England to follow their team.

I know that a lot of players and management staff regularly go to the board to glean information.

In my opinion, if any of the clubs aren't looking at them and using them in a positive way to understand the people they are trying to attract through the gates, then they are missing a perfect opportunity.

There is no doubt that there can be some odd posts from disillusioned fans, players and, more than likely, even a few curve balls from people who should know better but the majority offer a great insight into rugby at this level, both on and off the pitch, and should be embraced.

In the past clubs have seen the fans' forums/message boards as a negative and a place for disgruntled fans to rant and rave - but as Bad Company famously (or not!!) sang "There is no smoke without fire"!! and if this is the case they are missing a trick.

As with any opinion or advice - even this blog I hear the cynics cry - the reader has total discretion about what, why and how they use the information that is being written and being handed to them on a plate.

This may be a surprise but I passionately believe that club officials should be actively involved in the forums (and should have one on their website!!) - there is obviously a limit to information that can or should be released - but they have a perfect platform to interact with the paying public that large companies would have paid researchers thousands of pounds for before the internet revolution.

There is no doubt the fans' comments are being monitored and read - I wonder how long it will be before we see a major step change and the forums being used to their full potential - it has to be have a positive effect for the fans, clubs and rugby as a whole.

I would be delighted to hear your comments on the subject - I will definitely get involved in the discussion!!!