• We have today (22nd April) confirmed the closure of JackArmy.net on 31st May. Our reasons are varied but after a twenty-five year stint at the heart of the online Swansea City community, the time is right for us to bow out. You can read more at the link below https://jackarmy.net/2026/04/22/jackarmy-net-twenty-five-years-and-out/

JackArmy.net - Twenty-Five Years And Out

Thanks for that. The Indy a few years ago went away from the exclusive route of news as it had its flaws. Good or bad. And now leans mote into insight and discussion. It fundamentally meant you wasnt chasing your tail. I think if the forum was its own entity, it's the platform then for what it is, opinions and views. And a platform to share such news from other outlets to discuss. If Jack Army Net can't be the site for exclusive news or regular insight then it needs to lean into its biggest asset that not even the Indy in all respect gets. And that's the volume of chat. The question then remains if this is a project for those who love the Swans or can it also be beneficial to those working as well in some compacity. That doesn't mean throwing a 100 adverts on the site, but does mean working closely with said outlets that benefits the people on the site and the people running it.
Anyone can claim “exclusive”.

But only JA.net claims “First”.
 
Gonna be a sad day for all swans fans when this site finally closes, i do use the other site but just dont find it user friendly, as other must do too this site ( as witness the matchday thread that often has 5x the pages as the indy )
 
If we could keep the forum alive , that should be the priority. Phil has said to me many times that it’s not the “news” that drives sites like these it’s the forum and the community that builds up around it. People come to these sites for the forum and conversation, not the articles. In the main anyway. If forum posts drop so do clicks, hits and advertising revenue.
I would love to see the forum continue too.

But there will be costs involved which have to be covered somehow. My experience of setting up a website when I was self-employed for a year or so (2005/6, so a long time ago) is that you have to pay for (a) registering a domain name for x number of years, and (b) essentially, renting web storage space on which your content sits. Plus (c) any external content which is public but copyrighted that you’re channeling through, such as fixtures lists, league tables, maybe match highlights, etc. And (d) any bespoke/ editorial content (paying people/ yourself to create stuff) may have a price.

Ideally your forum content is sufficiently interesting that you guarantee advertisers a decent mix of eyeballs and thus break even (or better).

In the right hand margin of these pages (at least on my iPad screen) is a league table provided by Football Web Pages. I wonder if they are the hosts and responsible for much of the above.

In an ideal world the new owner/ manager steps into Phil’s shoes as regards all of the above but that no doubt will call for contracts to be terminated/ renewed …

Just my 2 cents in terms of helping those who want to try to take this on … I am quite motivated by helping others but less so about actually taking anything on myself, as I’m self employed (two jobs, though notionally in retirement) once more and that, plus obligations to close family members having a hard time, has to take priority.
 
I would love to see the forum continue too.

But there will be costs involved which have to be covered somehow. My experience of setting up a website when I was self-employed for a year or so (2005/6, so a long time ago) is that you have to pay for (a) registering a domain name for x number of years, and (b) essentially, renting web storage space on which your content sits. Plus (c) any external content which is public but copyrighted that you’re channeling through, such as fixtures lists, league tables, maybe match highlights, etc. And (d) any bespoke/ editorial content (paying people/ yourself to create stuff) may have a price.

Ideally your forum content is sufficiently interesting that you guarantee advertisers a decent mix of eyeballs and thus break even (or better).

In the right hand margin of these pages (at least on my iPad screen) is a league table provided by Football Web Pages. I wonder if they are the hosts and responsible for much of the above.

In an ideal world the new owner/ manager steps into Phil’s shoes as regards all of the above but that no doubt will call for contracts to be terminated/ renewed …

Just my 2 cents in terms of helping those who want to try to take this on … I am quite motivated by helping others but less so about actually taking anything on myself, as I’m self employed (two jobs, though notionally in retirement) once more and that, plus obligations to close family members having a hard time, has to take priority.

How much does it cost Leight?
 
Jack Harris would be a great site owner and expand on his current great contribution.
 
Jack Harris would be a great site owner and expand on his current great contribution.
JH would be a wonderful replacement for Phil, but does he want to do it or have the time to do it ?
Going on what I’ve read on here about what is involved it appears to take a lot of time and knowledge to run a site as brilliantly as Jackarmy.net has been since its inception.
I certainly hope that someone has enough knowledge and experience in this type of project and the passion to keep this site alive.
I would miss this site tremendously, which has kept me informed and entertained for many years and hope for a last minute reprieve to keep us all sane through the summer.
If it doesn’t happen then we’ll still be Swans fans and worry and get ecstatic in equal measure through the next season and many more to come (hopefully) but here’s hoping 🤞
Huge thanks to Phil, all mods and contributors.

ps Phil should be officially recognised as an off-field club legend along with the brilliant Kev Johns.
 
JH would be a wonderful replacement for Phil, but does he want to do it or have the time to do it ?
Going on what I’ve read on here about what is involved it appears to take a lot of time and knowledge to run a site as brilliantly as Jackarmy.net has been since its inception.
I certainly hope that someone has enough knowledge and experience in this type of project and the passion to keep this site alive.
I would miss this site tremendously, which has kept me informed and entertained for many years and hope for a last minute reprieve to keep us all sane through the summer.
If it doesn’t happen then we’ll still be Swans fans and worry and get ecstatic in equal measure through the next season and many more to come (hopefully) but here’s hoping 🤞
Huge thanks to Phil, all mods and contributors.

ps Phil should be officially recognised as an off-field club legend along with the brilliant Kev Johns.

Great post Big J.
 
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