Took my eldest to his first Albion game

[Buzzer]

Originally from Worthing, I grew up an Albion fan but haven't been for years. I took part in the marches but since the demise of the Goldstone I could never find a good enough reason to go to Withdean.

Last week, however, he started mentioning Chelski so I decided that I'd nip it straight in the bud and take him to the Chesterfield game. Bought the tickets and home strip for him, picked him up from the ex and walked to the ground.

He was brimming with pride, walking down Preston Drove and Road seeing other Albion fans wearing the same tops.

Yes, the Withdean is a bit of a hole, although Goldstone in the last few years wasn't exactly the Emirates Stadium.

Yes, the Albion were pitiful although we picked up in the second half and the second goal was a bit against the run of play.

Yes, the turnout was low - I remember 30,000+ fans in the 80s.

But.....I think he's hooked. He was bewitched by the whole occasion. The other kids stamping their feet in the South Stand, seeing Gully, cheering when we won. The halftime hotdog. Everything about it was just fantastic through his eyes.

So, even though these aren't exactly easy times for us, there's at least one good thing we can take from the Chesterfield match - a lifelong Albion was created. Oh, and I've decided that I ought to put my money where my mouth is and start going regularly again too.

I'm taking him and his little brother,4, to the Blackpool game on Sunday.

He'll thank me one day!

 

[cjdavis]

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

cheering when we won. T

Fantastic news...although not sure that bit happened!

Still, a positive change from the bloke i spoke to at work, who said he'd lost interest and wasn't going any more...despite going to all except one game at Gillingham, this was the worst he'd seen!

Good work

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

He was bewitched by the whole occasion. The other kids stamping their feet in the South Stand, seeing Gully, cheering when we won. The halftime hotdog. Everything about it was just fantastic through his eyes.

You told him we were the ones in BLUE, didn't you?

 

[1066gull]

Re: Re: Took my eldest to his first Albion game

You told him we were the ones in BLUE, didn't you?

 

[Publius Ovidius]

keep this as a stricky


mods

 

[Buzzer]

oops meant scored...sorry, in my own little dream world!

 

[Zesh Rehman]

Originally from Worthing, I grew up an Albion fan but haven't been for years. I took part in the marches but since the demise of the Goldstone I could never find a good enough reason to go to Withdean.

Last week, however, he started mentioning Chelski so I decided that I'd nip it straight in the bud and take him to the Chesterfield game. Bought the tickets and home strip for him, picked him up from the ex and walked to the ground.

He was brimming with pride, walking down Preston Drove and Road seeing other Albion fans wearing the same tops.

Yes, the Withdean is a bit of a hole, although Goldstone in the last few years wasn't exactly the Emirates Stadium.

Yes, the Albion were pitiful although we picked up in the second half and the second goal was a bit against the run of play.

Yes, the turnout was low - I remember 30,000+ fans in the 80s.

But.....I think he's hooked. He was bewitched by the whole occasion. The other kids stamping their feet in the South Stand, seeing Gully, cheering when we won. The halftime hotdog. Everything about it was just fantastic through his eyes.

So, even though these aren't exactly easy times for us, there's at least one good thing we can take from the Chesterfield match - a lifelong Albion was created. Oh, and I've decided that I ought to put my money where my mouth is and start going regularly again too.

I'm taking him and his little brother,4, to the Blackpool game on Sunday.

He'll thank me one day!

brung a tear to the eye

 

[Bry Nylon]

That is good news. Went to the Bournemouth game the other evening and just couldn't help thinking what a depressing experience the whole thing is, and it worried me that kids at the game would soon get fed up with the whole piss poor, ramshackle nature of it. The fact that you say otherwise is heartening and gives us hope.

I was lucky enough to be taken to my first Albion game by my Dad too, at the Goldstone back in mid-70s, for my 7th birthday treat.
To be honest I can recall virtually NOTHING about the game itself, but was absolutely bewitched by the big crowd, the atmosphere, the flood lights fizzing on thru the drizzzle and the sea-mist at half-time and bathing the pitch in bright white light; the chanting and singing; the ear splitting roar that echoed around the rafters in the West Stand when Brighton scored and then watching the sea of people behind the goal on the (then) uncovered north stand tumbling down the terracing and lobbing bog roll over the cross bar.
Overall, it was the feeling that SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING - I wasn't quite sure what, exactly - but all that mattered that I was THERE. And that I wanted to go again and again and again. Hooked.

All followed by a brisk walk across Hove Park after the game past lines of mental police dogs and back into the Opel Manta (cool 70's car Dad!) in time for Sports Report on Radio 2.
Sadly, they don't make birthdays like that anymore ....

 

[clapham_gull]

All the respect in the world and I'm glad my dad dragged me along in the 70s.

My dad has trouble walking now, but we get him along in a motorised buggy.

I suggested to him he may wish to watch the televised game at home, but he wasn't having any of it.

 

[Bry Nylon]

PLEASE don't take offence at this as none is intended (I have parents well into their 70s), but I think a motorised buggy race around the running track at half time would be COOL.

 

[clapham_gull]

All well be, but I saw a kid told off on Saturday. He had a pair of those new trainers with wheels in the heels and was rollering along to get a burger on the track.

So I think its a no, no.

 

[alan partridge]

Originally from Worthing, I grew up an Albion fan but haven't been for years. I took part in the marches but since the demise of the Goldstone I could never find a good enough reason to go to Withdean.

Last week, however, he started mentioning Chelski so I decided that I'd nip it straight in the bud and take him to the Chesterfield game. Bought the tickets and home strip for him, picked him up from the ex and walked to the ground.

He was brimming with pride, walking down Preston Drove and Road seeing other Albion fans wearing the same tops.

Yes, the Withdean is a bit of a hole, although Goldstone in the last few years wasn't exactly the Emirates Stadium.

Yes, the Albion were pitiful although we picked up in the second half and the second goal was a bit against the run of play.

Yes, the turnout was low - I remember 30,000+ fans in the 80s.

But.....I think he's hooked. He was bewitched by the whole occasion. The other kids stamping their feet in the South Stand, seeing Gully, cheering when we won. The halftime hotdog. Everything about it was just fantastic through his eyes.

So, even though these aren't exactly easy times for us, there's at least one good thing we can take from the Chesterfield match - a lifelong Albion was created. Oh, and I've decided that I ought to put my money where my mouth is and start going regularly again too.

I'm taking him and his little brother,4, to the Blackpool game on Sunday.

He'll thank me one day!

what a nice post

 

[Brightonfan1983]

1st games stay forever but they play havoc with your memory. My first was home v Watford on New Year's Day 1983 but in my mind it was a scorching summer's day and Wardy played one-twos with Frank Worthington...

 

[British Bulldog]

Originally from Worthing, I grew up an Albion fan but haven't been for years. I took part in the marches but since the demise of the Goldstone I could never find a good enough reason to go to Withdean.

Last week, however, he started mentioning Chelski so I decided that I'd nip it straight in the bud and take him to the Chesterfield game. Bought the tickets and home strip for him, picked him up from the ex and walked to the ground.

He was brimming with pride, walking down Preston Drove and Road seeing other Albion fans wearing the same tops.

Yes, the Withdean is a bit of a hole, although Goldstone in the last few years wasn't exactly the Emirates Stadium.

Yes, the Albion were pitiful although we picked up in the second half and the second goal was a bit against the run of play.

Yes, the turnout was low - I remember 30,000+ fans in the 80s.

But.....I think he's hooked. He was bewitched by the whole occasion. The other kids stamping their feet in the South Stand, seeing Gully, cheering when we won. The halftime hotdog. Everything about it was just fantastic through his eyes.

So, even though these aren't exactly easy times for us, there's at least one good thing we can take from the Chesterfield match - a lifelong Albion was created. Oh, and I've decided that I ought to put my money where my mouth is and start going regularly again too.

I'm taking him and his little brother,4, to the Blackpool game on Sunday.

He'll thank me one day!

What a quality post!

I wish more people would take kids along to the Withdean. I started taking no.2 Bulldog last season and he thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the atmosphere in the family stand was quality, Watching little kids stamping they're feet & singing was a joy to behold. There's loads of moaning about the price of tickets at the Withdean and yes £24.50 is high, But take a kid along and the price is £28 which then represents value. My only gripe is it is confined to the family stand, If that price could stand for any part of the ground i'm sure it would encourage more people to take kids along. Maybe it's time the club tried a family day where you pay the £28 for an adult & child to sit anywhere in the ground? There'd be nothing to lose after all.

 

[Goring Gull]

Great to hear this in our current times of turmoil

 

[Woodchip]

Re: Re: Took my eldest to his first Albion game

...Maybe it's time the club tried a family day where you pay the £28 for an adult & child to sit anywhere in the ground? There'd be nothing to lose after all.

Apart from H & J block where the language can get a little colourful.

 

[H block]

I have just started taking my eight year old and to be honest he is more interested in getting a burger than the actual footie.He thinks we are poor and thats where the difference is because when I first started going in the middle sixties there was so little football on the tv that it was just brilliant to go to a professional game.

He sees so much of the Henrys and the Ronaldos on the box that our standard does seem piss poor to him.
Mind you at least hes going to be a fan and I have promised him that one day there will be an atmostphere.

 

[British Bulldog]

Re: Re: Re: Took my eldest to his first Albion game

Apart from H & J block where the language can get a little colourful.

In my experience most of todays kids seem to know more swear words than I do.

 

[East Staffs Gull]

The one bright spot for me on Saturday was the level of enthusiasm shown by the relatively full family stand. Plenty of cheering, singing and foot-stamping. We need these people, and more like them.