Tuesday night, a Fathers' Pride

[Since1982]

Great posts. I had both my sons with me on Tuesday - can't remember the last time all three of us were at a game together. The eldest had his first experience of the Albion at home to York on an infamous day at the Goldstone! For my youngest it was home to Bury in the early years at Withdean, Zamora scored a penalty and it was so wet and cold I had to take him into the gents during the 2nd half to warm his hands on the hot air dryers. For all three of us it was our last chance to be at Withdean and what a memorable night - erases the memories of all those crap games and given a year ago we didn't know if I would even be alive by now it was even more special.

 

[Martinf]

What a fantastic post. Similar story for me with my three boys. It's very hard to keep them interested if their mates follow Arsenal, Chelsea etc. But I've taken them to as many games as possible. I remember about four years ago dragging the three of them to a game at Withers. It poured with rain and at one point I looked at the three of them, struggling to see anything through the wind and the rain and I thought 'what the fook am I doing to the poor little buggers?'. But the other day they were arguing as to who will accompany their old man to the first game at The Amex (unfortunately I cant afford ST's for all three of them). There's still a lot of work to do to win back the lost generation but by Christ what the club has achieved over the last couple of years and is about to achieve is amazing and will gain us many new young fans who will get hooked for life.

 

[Lurker]

I've only just seen this thread... excellent read, well done Donkey and everyone.

My boy (it's his 14th birthday in 9 days time) was born up here in the Midlands.
I did the obligatories ... Albion shirts until he we was about 4 or 5 years old, and he wore them on the days when I got him dressed.

Unfortunately, my wife's two sons were STH at Highfield Road, as were two of my boy's cousins and his uncle. Add to that his Nan & Grandad and his Mum were all staunch Cov fans, so the odds were heavily stacked against me, especially as he idolised his two older brothers.
As soon as he started school, most of the other kids were wearing Cov shirts .... so that was the final straw, his head was turned in the wrong direction and I was all on my own.

He's done the obvious games with me since, like the play off final at the millenium (even his two brothers came to that!), but I've always known there was hope.
On the day Cov played their last ever game at Highfield Road, and when most of Cov wanted to be there, where was my lad?
In Rotherham with his dad watching the mighty seagulls!

He remains a solid Cov fan, always will be I guess, I'll have to live with that, but last Saturday Cov v Millwall at the Ricoh were letting kids in for a £1 ... and his big brother offered to take him.
I therefore phoned the Walsall ticket office about 1pm on Saturday and asked if there was any chance of a POTG or a returned ticket for me?
My boy heard me and said ... "Can you get one for me dad?"!!!

That was a great moment.
He'd turned down the chance to go and see his favourite team in order to come with me to watch the mighty BHA!

Walsall ticket office said there were 200 tickets left on POTG, but wouldn't reserve them ... it was just first come first served.
We jumped straight in the car and drove to the ground, managed to get ourselves in .... and my boy loved it.
Atmosphere was great, he cheered every goal, clapped everything Bennett, Bridcutt & Murray did, and wished they played for Cov.
He refused to join in the songs, but he asked me if he could run on the pitch at the end!!

He won't admit it .... but he cares, he really does, and it's fantastic for me to know he's prepared to take the ridicule of his mates and his family to stand shoulder to shoulder next to his dad supporting the Albion, albeit part time.

I don't kid myself .... if it wasn't for Gus, BHA would not have the respect and credibility in the footballing world that we now have .... and my boy would have been cheering in two goals from a woman abuser on Saturday, instead of standing next to me watching the best football he's seen all season.

Thanks Gus.