FanPost

A disclaimer for our readers from the editor

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This is not a story in its own right, which is why I am making this a fanpost. I don't want it on NewsNow, I want it for people who read our site. Moments ago, I got into a twitter argument with AVFC FansForum. The basic issue at hand was the fact that earlier this week Alex wrote an article in praise of Paul Lambert's work with the club. On twitter during the match today I expressed some displeasure at Lambert. AVFC FansForum sent us this wonderful screed:

After some questions, I figured out that the point of the tweet was to basically say "How have you changed so quickly?" Which spurred this.

I don't want to get into a Twitter slapfight here, but I want to make some very clear. It's something that takes a few more characters than I have available on twitter, which is why you're reading this.

In answer to that inane tweet: yes. I 100% endorse them. Them being the multiple authors on this site. What makes 7500 to Holte great, in my mind, is that we have some of the very best Aston Villa writers on the internet. There's no one on this site who is willing to go with the prevailing sentiment of Aston Villa fans simply because it is that sentiment. Everyone who writes here writes intelligently and does so in a well-reasoned manner. There are certainly times when our emotions get the best of us and we say things that are just dumb, but those are the exceptions.

For a significant chunk of 2014, this site became the Robert Lintott Villa Page. I was writing a ton, and there were few opinions or ideas on the front page that weren't mine. I don't think I'm an idiot, but having only one set of opinions makes for a really bad website. So I set out to recruit more writers and re-engage some of the writers we had around to write even more. I very specifically didn't set out to find writers who agreed with me. I instead wanted people who wrote well and thought about what they said. That's how we've ended up with a really sharp crew of writers.

Now, do I agree with everything on 7500 to Holte? Heavens no. Perhaps more than anyone, I get into it with Alex. it happened today on twitter, spurred by heightened emotions from how dreadfully Villa were playing. He's contrarian by nature, and it makes him good at what he does. He dives into everything and tries to figure out the truth. And I end up disagreeing with him a fair amount.

But do I endorse him? Do I endorse our other writers? Absolutely. Disagreement, contrary to the opinion of so many Villa fans, does not mean that one person is right and one is wrong. This is sport. These are opinions. The only way to be wrong is to think in a binary manner like that.

So if you want a website with one unified editorial voice and opinion, head on off. I'm not sorry to lose your pageviews because you aren't the type of reader I want. If you want good, smart writing that expresses a broad range of opinions and you're willing to engage in a conversation with an open mind, I hope that you'll stick around. I've worked very hard to get that here, and I think we've finally gotten close to the balance I always imagined this site having.

And for AVFC FansForum and anyone else who needs one, this is your disclaimer:

WARNING: Opinions expressed on this site vary and are those of the authors themselves. If you didn't realize that different people have different opinions this site may be too high-level for you.

Thank you to the vast majority of everyone reading for helping to make this site such a fun place to work for. For most of you, I'm preaching to the choir, and I love that. So thanks, and we'll be back to normal coverage now.

This FanPost was contributed by a member of the community and was not subject to any sort of approval process. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions held by the editors of this site.

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