thedonkeycentrehalf
Moved back to wear the gloves (again)
- Jul 7, 2003
- 9,131
My son was born in August 2000 just before the start of the football season. Albion were about to embark on their second season at Withdean with a young Bobby Zamora destined to lift the club away from the basement division. My son will be eleven this summer. He was enrolled as a Junior Seagull when he was only a few weeks old and I’ve always tried to keep him Albion. He trained at the Albion Soccer Schools from the age of 5 and I started taking him along to matches – his first was a 1-0 home defeat to Watford (Chris Eagles wonder goal) “Dad, I’m bored, can I go home”. No son, there’s another half to go yet.
It’s not been easy keeping him Albion. He went through a period of asking why he couldn’t support Manchester United. His cousins all did so why can’t he. “Why don’t you support a good team Dad?”, “why can’t we support a team who are on the telly?”. Many of you with young kids will have gone through this.
I persevered in dragging him along to Albion games whenever one of our group had a spare ticket – kept on buying him the latest shirt with his name and age on the back. Slowly he stopped asking about other teams. When building work started at Falmer, I started to show him the webcam and gallery pictures. Once there was something to see I would take him along to see the shiny new ground being built. “That looks like a proper football stadium Dad. Can I get a season ticket with you when it opens?” Of course you can son.
This season, he has attended more games than ever, thanks to mates who, for various reasons, have not been able to make matches throughout this last season at Withdean. His season ticket for Falmer is secured and he keeps looking at the webcam. “Look Dad, the seats are being put in now – are we sitting where the seagull is?”.
Tuesday 12th April 2011 – his last game at the Withdean as my mates will all be back for the last two games. One nil down and not even a minute on the clock. “Dad, I don’t like this. I’m nervous. We’re not going to win tonight” Don’t worry son, loads of time to get back into the game. Winning at half time and he keeps badgering my mate to check the Southampton score on his mobile. “Dad, if they lose we’re up aren’t we”. Maybe son. Not long after we are losing again. “Dad, I’m nervous again”. Murray hits the bar. Don’t worry son, we’ll get the result tonight.
The final whistle goes, relief all round. “Dad, we’ve done it. We’re going up” Big hugs all round. “Can we go on the pitch Dad?” No son, by the time we get there, the stewards will have moved everyone off. “I want Gus’s name on the back of my shirt next year” The ‘no lap of honour tonight, you were told to stay off the pitch’ message comes over the tannoy. Son looks disappointed. We mill around, waiting for the row to clear so we can head home. All of a sudden, the players reappear. Big grins from the son and all around. The party starts again.
Eventually it’s time to leave and make the walk up the steep hill back to car. Doesn’t seem so steep tonight with such a spring in our step. “Put on BBC Sussex Dad” They’ll have finished broadcasting now son, it’ll be music for old folks. We put the radio on, Jonny Cantor is interviewing half naked players in the showers. We get home to Worthing at 10:40 and still they are broadcasting from Withdean and about to talk to Gary Hart. “Can we stay in the car and listen Dad?” No son, it’s way past your bedtime. We walk through the door and his mum asks why he has such a big silly grin on his face. “We won mum, we’re up to the Championship and next year we’re going to get promoted to the Premier League”.
I don’t know what time the boy finally went to sleep but I know that I went to sleep with a big grin on my face. Not just because of the Albion but with a fathers pride after such a wonderful father/son evening.
If you're still reading this, thank you for indulging a very happy middle aged man:albion1:
It’s not been easy keeping him Albion. He went through a period of asking why he couldn’t support Manchester United. His cousins all did so why can’t he. “Why don’t you support a good team Dad?”, “why can’t we support a team who are on the telly?”. Many of you with young kids will have gone through this.
I persevered in dragging him along to Albion games whenever one of our group had a spare ticket – kept on buying him the latest shirt with his name and age on the back. Slowly he stopped asking about other teams. When building work started at Falmer, I started to show him the webcam and gallery pictures. Once there was something to see I would take him along to see the shiny new ground being built. “That looks like a proper football stadium Dad. Can I get a season ticket with you when it opens?” Of course you can son.
This season, he has attended more games than ever, thanks to mates who, for various reasons, have not been able to make matches throughout this last season at Withdean. His season ticket for Falmer is secured and he keeps looking at the webcam. “Look Dad, the seats are being put in now – are we sitting where the seagull is?”.
Tuesday 12th April 2011 – his last game at the Withdean as my mates will all be back for the last two games. One nil down and not even a minute on the clock. “Dad, I don’t like this. I’m nervous. We’re not going to win tonight” Don’t worry son, loads of time to get back into the game. Winning at half time and he keeps badgering my mate to check the Southampton score on his mobile. “Dad, if they lose we’re up aren’t we”. Maybe son. Not long after we are losing again. “Dad, I’m nervous again”. Murray hits the bar. Don’t worry son, we’ll get the result tonight.
The final whistle goes, relief all round. “Dad, we’ve done it. We’re going up” Big hugs all round. “Can we go on the pitch Dad?” No son, by the time we get there, the stewards will have moved everyone off. “I want Gus’s name on the back of my shirt next year” The ‘no lap of honour tonight, you were told to stay off the pitch’ message comes over the tannoy. Son looks disappointed. We mill around, waiting for the row to clear so we can head home. All of a sudden, the players reappear. Big grins from the son and all around. The party starts again.
Eventually it’s time to leave and make the walk up the steep hill back to car. Doesn’t seem so steep tonight with such a spring in our step. “Put on BBC Sussex Dad” They’ll have finished broadcasting now son, it’ll be music for old folks. We put the radio on, Jonny Cantor is interviewing half naked players in the showers. We get home to Worthing at 10:40 and still they are broadcasting from Withdean and about to talk to Gary Hart. “Can we stay in the car and listen Dad?” No son, it’s way past your bedtime. We walk through the door and his mum asks why he has such a big silly grin on his face. “We won mum, we’re up to the Championship and next year we’re going to get promoted to the Premier League”.
I don’t know what time the boy finally went to sleep but I know that I went to sleep with a big grin on my face. Not just because of the Albion but with a fathers pride after such a wonderful father/son evening.
If you're still reading this, thank you for indulging a very happy middle aged man:albion1:
