Throwback Thursday - The Very First Devils Website

Finny

Finny

Well-Known Member
#1
Thread starter #1
I don't usually get involved in such things, but the news of John Jones got me thinking about all the great things BT did when they were sponsors. One of which (at least I think it was down to BT?) was the creation of the very first Cardiff Devils website. It had such a catchy web address I can still remember it 16 years on. And with the magic of those archive websites it can still be viewed here:

http://web.archive.org/web/19961101210835/http://www.cwtc.co.uk/devils/
In it's day it was ground breaking and I would visit it every day in school.

Even better was the old Guestbook, which was the nearest thing we had to the inferno back then:
http://web.archive.org/web/19970709142113/http://www.cwtc.co.uk/devils/devilsgb.html
Surprisingly I can't find a single post from myself. Maybe I used a different name back then. That or all my posts were deleted.....
 
wildthing74

wildthing74

Well-Known Member
#2
#2
Strange reading some of the posts on there from fans who sadly no longer follow the team. I was not in the least computer savvy and to he honest all the stuff written in the programme about Devils website went way over my head. Crazy to think how much easier things are now.Before the Internet it was the old chat lines at about £30 quid a minute to follow away games as a kid or pray that teletext updated before going to bed for school on Monday.
 
kettdevil1

kettdevil1

Well-Known Member
#3
#3
That takes me back!! I used to sneak on to the only work computer and read the posts every lunchtime...... looking back a few things come to mind...... Firstly, we appear still to be arguing over the same things, secondly, it was a real trip down memory lane to see the names of some of the posters (an amazing number are still active Devils fans) and finally it was incredible to see some of the players posting in the guest book. Would love that to happen now.

Thanks for posting.
 
wildthing74

wildthing74

Well-Known Member
#5
#5
Finny said:
wildthing74 said:
Crazy to think how much easier things are now.Before the Internet it was the old chat lines at about £30 quid a minute .....
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*snigger*
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My guess would be them other chat lines cost even more! I'm pretty sure I spent most of my parents phone bill calling 'ice hockey hotline' :lol:
 
wildthing74

wildthing74

Well-Known Member
#7
#7
drummer-sean said:
wildthing74 said:
Before the Internet it was the old chat lines at about £30 quid a minute to follow away games as a kid or pray that teletext updated before going to bed for school on Monday.
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What's teletext? :twisted:
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You kids these days don't even know you are born. I'm old enough now to start saying that rather than kept getting told it. :Banana
 
Finny

Finny

Well-Known Member
#8
Thread starter #8
Teletext!

IIRC they used to update the scores at the end of each period? As Wildthing said, staying up late waiting for the scores to be updated - though you could never be sure they had the score the right way around.

Many times I remember us being 4-0 down at the end of the first period, then somehow being 6-2 up at the end of the second........

I was only ever allowed to ring the Devils Hotline if there was a Friday night playoff game. The introduction message from John Lawless thanking you for calling seemed to go on for 15 minutes before you would actually get the latest score.
 
I

Iceraider

Member
#9
#9
Ah the memories! I remember spending entire evenings in the chat room with regulars like Dragon, Pandora and Tony. So many great people driven away by years of politics
 
mazza03

mazza03

Well-Known Member
#10
#10
Iceraider said:
Ah the memories! I remember spending entire evenings in the chat room with regulars like Dragon, Pandora and Tony. So many great people driven away by years of politics
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Me too it's such a shame that people like them have left.
 
J

J.J

New Member
#11
#11
Finny said:
I don't usually get involved in such things, but the news of John Jones got me thinking about all the great things BT did when they were sponsors. One of which (at least I think it was down to BT?) was the creation of the very first Cardiff Devils website. It had such a catchy web address I can still remember it 16 years on. And with the magic of those archive websites it can still be viewed here:

http://web.archive.org/web/19961101210835/http://www.cwtc.co.uk/devils/
In it's day it was ground breaking and I would visit it every day in school.

Even better was the old Guestbook, which was the nearest thing we had to the inferno back then:
http://web.archive.org/web/19970709142113/http://www.cwtc.co.uk/devils/devilsgb.html
Surprisingly I can't find a single post from myself. Maybe I used a different name back then. That or all my posts were deleted.....
Click to expand...
Dear Finny,

Please bear with me as this is my first post on here but I suspect the first of many!
I just wanted to say thanks for posting this which I read last evening and it brought back many many memories of happy times when the Devils were a huge part of my life. I named and launched the website which was created with the expert help from some BT colleagues back in 1995. At the time of your post Dave Murray had taken over responsibility for it and I really enjoyed reading the guestbook and being reminded of the high standards he set as an administrator when at all times he was protecting the reputation of a fine club, its players and supporters!
At the time I dont think anyone really recognised that Devils Heaven was without doubt years ahead of its time and certainly well in advance of anything seen anywhere in Sport at that time and that includes the Billion pound football clubs that exist today. Lets hope we can all work together to help get our club and its supporters to a position where we are seen as leading the field once more!!! Thanks again JJ
 
mazza03

mazza03

Well-Known Member
#12
#12
J.J said:
Finny said:
I don't usually get involved in such things, but the news of John Jones got me thinking about all the great things BT did when they were sponsors. One of which (at least I think it was down to BT?) was the creation of the very first Cardiff Devils website. It had such a catchy web address I can still remember it 16 years on. And with the magic of those archive websites it can still be viewed here:

http://web.archive.org/web/19961101210835/http://www.cwtc.co.uk/devils/
In it's day it was ground breaking and I would visit it every day in school.

Even better was the old Guestbook, which was the nearest thing we had to the inferno back then:
http://web.archive.org/web/19970709142113/http://www.cwtc.co.uk/devils/devilsgb.html
Surprisingly I can't find a single post from myself. Maybe I used a different name back then. That or all my posts were deleted.....
Click to expand...
Dear Finny,

Please bear with me as this is my first post on here but I suspect the first of many!
I just wanted to say thanks for posting this which I read last evening and it brought back many many memories of happy times when the Devils were a huge part of my life. I named and launched the website which was created with the expert help from some BT colleagues back in 1995. At the time of your post Dave Murray had taken over responsibility for it and I really enjoyed reading the guestbook and being reminded of the high standards he set as an administrator when at all times he was protecting the reputation of a fine club, its players and supporters!
At the time I dont think anyone really recognised that Devils Heaven was without doubt years ahead of its time and certainly well in advance of anything seen anywhere in Sport at that time and that includes the Billion pound football clubs that exist today. Lets hope we can all work together to help get our club and its supporters to a position where we are seen as leading the field once more!!! Thanks again JJ
Click to expand...
Welcome back JJ I remember those days with a great fondness, it's good to see you involved again :Banana
 
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