Frequently asked questions

What is Trusupporter.com?

Trusupporter is a social archive for fans memories and stories.

Why does Trusupporter exist?

We believe that every fan has a tale to tell; and that the memories and stories of a true supporter / fan are important. We want to make sure that these memories and stories are shared with other fans and preserved forever. We want to hear yours. Funny, sad, ordinary, extraordinary, amusing, weird... we want you to tell your stories and memories so that they can be captured forever for all fans to share. Why are you a fan? Who introduced you? What have been the best times and worst? Why do you have such a passion? Could anything stop you being a fan? What experiences have you had being a fan? What's been going on in your life? What 'ups and downs' have you had? Have you had any times where your support was particularly important? What people have you met being a fan? What have been the funny times and has there been any sad moments? Don't let it be that the only people that hear your stories are your friends down the pub or family at home. Don't let those memories fade and eventually die. Preserve them, forever, on Trusupporter. Let them be part of history to be shared with other fans now and in the future. The teams, football players, sports stars, music artists and celebrities that win the support of fans they have plenty of time in the spotlight. Their place in history is assured. Trusupporter exists to fill a 'gap', that is to make sure that fans have a place in history. Take football clubs for example, they have a rich history trophies won, players, league positions, attendances, international caps, Managers etc., etc., in fact, just about everything except who the fans are or were! Trusupporter will accumulate a vast archive of supporters and their unique stories and memories. It will be a truly fascinating journey. An amazing archive providing a huge insight into what it means to be a true supporter. Every fan has a tale to tell. Tell yours...

Is it just for true supporters?

Yes.

What is a true supporter?

We have defined it as 'it matters'. You could spend many hours debating the definition of a true supporter or true fan. We reckon most people can tell the difference between a true supporter and someone who has a passing interest. For us it's all to do with passion. Either 'it matters' or it doesn't.

Is there an age limit?

No but the site is only for true supporters and it must be the case that the fan is old enough to know they are a true supporter. We believe that 13 is an appropriate age but this is not a 'hard and fast' rule. Some younger than 13 may already know they are 'fans for life' and many over 13 may not be. Please do not buy this service for a new born or for very young children - the order will be cancelled. Just because you are a die-hard fan doesn't guarantee that they will be! Sorry, but it is disrespectful to other participating fans. They must have the re-assurance that only true supporters will join them.

Who is the service aimed at?

The true supporter / fan.

What benefits do I get?

First and foremost it's a place in history for you, a loved one, special friend or colleague. Somewhere your support or theirs is acknowledged, recorded and honoured. Every fan has a tale to tell and this is your place to tell those tales and have them recorded in history for other fans to share now and in the future. Each participating fan can record a TRU:code that will remain unique to them. A range of other benefits are available depending on who it is you support. See the relevant section on the website.

What if I haven't got any good stories to tell?

You have. It is stories and memories that are important to you. It doesn't matter if they are not entertaining to someone-else. A social archive like this needs all kinds of tales. We guarantee that, if you need it, we can help get those stories out of you. An easy way to get started is to start with the Questionnaire. When you Register or Reserve your Registration Code we will email you with some ideas and questions to help stimulate you. A life-long Burnley FC fan said to our founder that the greatest gift that his father gave him was "taking me to Turf Moor as a boy". We completely understand that statement and its importance. To that individual that is an important memory and as such it is absolutely proper for it to be published on Trusupporter.com. We cherish such information. Keep an eye out for news of forthcoming events. These are a great chance to meet other like-minded fans and the trusupporter team may be able to get you talking so we can film or record you!

What kind of stories and memories is Trusupporter interested in?

We are interested in you, what you are a fan of, your life, your experiences. You don't have to have stuck a Sunderland AFC flag at the top of Everest; swam the channel to see Nirvana in Calais; run naked round the dormitory to win a bet to get a ticket to a special match or event (incidentally, if you have done any of these things do let us know). You don't need to be an extreme fan either, such as Dave Burnley or John Westwood, albeit they are more than welcome. No fan is 'too ordinary' provided 'it matters' and they genuinely support the team. There are so many stories we want to hear. There is no such thing as an unimportant memory. If it is important to you then that is all that matters. Anyhow we believe there is beauty in the mundane and ordinary. What beer do you drink, in which pub, after the game? What makes you laugh? What makes you cry? Do you cry? When does your blood boil? What gives you goose bumps? Why can't you sleep? When do you feel calm? Which is best the event or the anticipation of the event? Do you have any pre-event superstitions? Do you have a routine? In addition to sharing your passion tell us about yourself. You can use your Profile on Trusupporter almost like an autobiography. Maybe your life has taken many turns, perhaps the one constant has been the focus of your support.

What can I have in my Profile?

There are Chapters for written stories and memories, a Photo Gallery, a Questionnaire and a section for Video content. More will be added in due course.

What are the Chapters for?

This allows you to have separate headings. You can have different Chapters for different stories. In addition you can have different Authors for each Chapter. This means you can write about yourself and/or others can write about you. This facility is also useful for posthumous profiles for example, the family can buy a Profile for a now deceased member of the family. Each member of the family can relay their own memories of the deceased individual making it a very personal account.

What is the Photo Gallery for?

You can post photo's of yourself but also other images associated with your support such as memorabilia you possess or other artefacts.

What is the Questionnaire for?

This acts as a prompt to help 'kick start' the memories and stories you may wish to elaborate on. If you don't fancy yourself as the next T.S. Elliot then the Questionnaire may prove useful.

What is the Video for?

To capture memories, stories and images to share with other fans.

What if my memory has wavered away from historical accuracy?

It's not a problem. If your memory is that Bob Latchford beat three defenders and scored from 40 yards out but someone-else thinks it was an open goal and he tapped it in from 10 yards then that's all part of the 'rich tapestry'. One of the wonderful things about the site is that many fans can recall their version of events and they may not all tie-up! Wikipedia does factual accuracy, we do memories and stories and these are fallible!

Can I amend and update my Profile?

Yes. You can make changes any time and as frequently as you like.

Can other people access my Profile to make changes?

Yes, but only if you share your log-in details with them. Please be careful who you share your password with.

Can other people offer feedback on my Profile?

No. The site sets out to offer a dignified home for your memories and stories.

Will there be bad language or other offensive material on the site?

No. The team at Trusupporter will be vigilant in enforcing high standards. We will be 'BBC-like' as we want the site to be used by all ages, for example, we'd certainly want children to be able to read about their Grandad or Nanny without exposure to any offensive material.

There are already lots of supporter / fan sites available. What's unique about Trusupporter?

Trusupporter is exclusively devoted to archiving the memories and stories of true fans and true supporters and giving them a place in history. There is no news or gossip and no messageboard - there are already sites that deliver these services. Trusupporter is aimed at providing a dignified and fitting tribute to the person telling their tale.

Is it just for fans of football teams and other sports clubs?

No. It is starting with the supporters of Blackburn Rovers FC, Burnley FC and Preston North End FC but other fans will be included in due course.

Why did you aim at the supporters of Blackburn Rovers FC, Burnley FC and Preston North End to feature at launch?

We wanted three North-West teams because Trusupporter is based in the NW (Northwich). We wanted the teams to be in close proximity to aid word of mouth and we wanted teams with a large, passionate supporter base. We do appreciate that it is a tad controversial (!) picking teams were there is such intense rivalry (sorry about that).

Is there a supporter of Blackburn Rovers FC, Burnley FC or Preston North End FC working at Trusupporter.com?

Erm, well, at the time of writing these FAQs there is no-one at Trusupporter who supports any of these teams but we have had a lot of help from genuine supporters of each of these teams and for that we are very thankful. The teams supported by the first three people at Trusupporter are Widnes Vikings; Manchester United and Hull Kingston Rovers. Does the MU fan come from Manchester? C'mon now, don't be silly!

Is Trusupporter free?

The website is free for anyone to view and read the stories and memories of participating fans. However it isn't free to publish your stories and memories. There are three reasons for this: 1.it's a way of sorting out true supporters from passive supporters. If you only have a passing interest you'll have other things to spend your money on; 2.often it is the case that if something isn't paid for, it isn't taken seriously. Capturing your memories and stories is important. It needs to be done with courtesy and respect. We want a high quality service with high quality content. We want to maintain a standard and pedigree that offers a fitting and lasting tribute to fans; 3.as our role is to be a social archive to offer a place in history and preserve memories and stories, we need to be here next year, next decade and next century. To give you the reassurance that your memories will remain forever we need to fund the website in a proper manner.

How much does it cost to Register?

The cost is detailed on the site. Click on the relevant Buy option on the Create TRU:code page. If you want a Special TRU:code this will cost extra, again this can be accessed via the Create TRU:code page.

Can I purchase this service as a gift for someone-else?

Yes. It's suitable as a gift for a loved one, special friend or colleague. On the Create TRU:code page you can choose the relevant buy option from (i) buy for yourself; (ii) for someone-else; or (iii) posthumously. The service is also appropriate as a corporate gift. For more information about the corporate side please email enquiries@trusupporter.com.

Can I buy this service for someone who has died?

Yes. The service can be bought posthumously. This is an important part of Trusupporter. On the Create TRU:code page you can choose the relevant buy option from buy for yourself, for someone-else or posthumously.

What is the TRU:code?

Trusupporter allows each registered truesupporter / truefan to create a TRU:code that is unique to them. Once a TRU:code has been bought it is not available to anyone-else. For example, if, say, a fan of Burnley FC buys ANDY no other person can buy it. It is also possible to Reserve a TRU:code. Once reserved it cannot be taken by anyone-else during the reservation period. Once the reservation period has expired, if the Code is not purchased then it will become available again for someone-else to buy or reserve. The TRU:code can be made up of numbers 0 to 9, letters A to Z and the following special characters - hash (#), full stop(.), underscore (_), ampersand (&) and hyphen (-). It can also include spaces i.e. a field with no entry. Only one space is permitted between digits. This means, for example, that you could have 'ANDY S' or 'ANDY#1' or 'ANDY-S'.

How do I buy or reserve a TRU:code?

Create your desired unique TRU:code on the Create TRU:code page and check if it is available. If available you can then buy or reserve the code. Once bought it is yours and no other fan can have it. If you choose to reserve it, you have a period within which you can buy it. During this period no other fan can buy your chosen code. If you want a Special TRU:code this can only be bought and cannot be reserved.

What is a Special TRU:code?

A Special TRU:code is a TRU:code of special significance and likely to be highly desirable to many fans. In fact, it may, in future, have investment value. For example, SCOTLAND, LANCASHIRE, RED DEVILS would be Special TRU:codes. These are released on a periodic basis and those available at present are detailed on the Special TRU:codes page which can be accessed via a link on the Create TRU:code page. As with the TRU:code there can only be one and therefore each is unique.

Can I reserve a Special TRU:code?

No.

Why would I want to Reserve a TRU:code?

To stop some-else getting it! For all we know there may only be one PNE fan known as BLACKY but we'll wager there are quite a few more fans out there supporting other teams that would also choose BLACKY as their TRU:code. It is safer to buy a TRU:code because once bought it is yours. However if you are unsure whether to buy or if you want to save up then you can reserve your desired TRU:code. This gives you a period within which to buy the code and prevent another supporter buying or reserving it. At the end of the Reservation period, if you have not bought the TRU:code it will become available again for anyone-else to buy or reserve. It is not possible to reserve a Special TRU:code. These can only be bought.

Is the resale of TRU:codes allowed?

Yes. The Terms and Conditions explain how this can be achieved.

Once I have created a published a Profile on Trusupporter can anyone see it?

Yes.

Can other people contact me through Trusupporter?

Yes, provided (i) you have an email address; and (ii) you choose to display the contact button (Contact Me for the living or Contact Family for a posthumous profile). It is optional whether or not you have this button displayed. Any communications will be passed through to you by Trusupporter.com without revealing your email address. It is then up to you to determine whether to respond. It may be a good way of reacquainting yourself with a long lost friend or perhaps as a way of meeting new fans.

What is the difference between 'Til I Die' and 'Forever'?

Anyone buying the service 'Til I Die' is buying it for the rest of their life. Upon notification of death Trusupporter will then identify whether someone is willing to buy a permanent listing through Forever. If not, the profile will be removed. Forever means just that, that the profile will remain on Trusupporter forever. If you buy 'Til I Die' but want your heir or family to buy Forever after you have passed-away please make sure you let them know! It might be an idea to add it to your Will! Needless to say, 'Til I Die' cannot be purchased posthumously!

Isn't this just another social networking website?

No. Trusupporter is a social archive recording memories and stories and preserving them to share with other like minded individuals. We want Trusupporter to have a slightly 'reverential' feel about it, you know, like the feeling you get when you go into a big Church or Cathedral. It is about respect and solemnity whilst also being warm and engaging. The real strength of Trusupporter is down to the people who are on it and the stories they tell. If you are a true supporter we hope you'll join us. Every fan has a tale to tell tell yours.

Can I have a link to my social networking site or any other site?

Yes. You can create a link in one of your Chapters.