Club's Attitude To Family Stand & Gully's Gang

[eastlondonseagull]

I blame the parents. All kids should be dragged to the football. Providing they've finished their shift down the pit first.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Yes there is some amazing artwork in the stand, but I had to go on a tour to see it. Normally, understandably fans stand in front of the artwork eating and drinking.

I went to the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery and the fuckers made me walk around huge buildings to see a vast number of paintings. I was expecting a small room with a slideshow. f***ing coalition. It would have been easier for me to stay at home and Google them.

Maybe you should think about getting a £2 for 2 bags of Haribo and watching football on the box. It works out a lot cheaper and one doesn't have to muck about with fresh air (sometimes, with fresh air there is an element of risk with rain).

 

[Beach Hut]

Not sure how many kids you have Sally but if chips is their norm are they obese by any chance ?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

There seems to be a plentiful supply on her shoulder.

 

[jackalbion]

Sounds like a gimmick to me. How many kids can you entertain at a time? You'd need hundreds, surely?

I'm not for it me and a friend were talking about who went there this weekend to watch you know who play and he thought it was weird that they had it and he said that every child that played on it were playing as barca man u etc so it proves that it may steer you away from your own team also it proves palace are all plastics

 

[jackalbion]

There was a teenager about with a baloon hat infront of me in the WSU got in my bloody way so when he popped it I was happy also what really grinds my gears is when kids don't concentrate and muck around it just annoys everyone else

 

[Foolg]

Sounds like a gimmick to me. How many kids can you entertain at a time? You'd need hundreds, surely?

Exactly, If you've got a handful of Playstations, they'd probably cause more hassle than enjoyment. Admittedly you'd probably have several kids chuffed at getting a go, but imagine the hundreds of others who couldn't get on, whining and moaning at parents.
How enjoyable would it be for parents too? Taking your kids along to the football only for them to bugger off and sit on a console they've probably got at home. I got hooked as a kid on the football (AT WITHDEAN, in what was then division 2, today's league 1), as i said, there was no form of entertainment (usually on or off the pitch ). But i kept going, it was the idea of watching football with my old man that kept me going, not the idea of sweets or playing on a games console. In fact, he says it was me that got him into going to the Albion, he used to be a part time spurs fan.

I say keep it up Albion, I think you're doing a bloody good job, and judging by this thread so do most others. If i were a club employee reading this, i'd be pretty pleased, 1 or 2 moaners on NSC? They must be doing something right eh.

 

[Mental Lental]

I don't get it, as I kid I was hooked by the atmosphere and the football, not because the club gave me a baseball cap or there was a sweet stall.

Bang on. Dad took me to Fulham away for my first game when I was 7 and felt so grown up! Hanging in the pub drinking shandy while Dad was having a few lagers before the game, the NOISE! It was EXCITING! Couldn't have given a toss about a packet of fecking lemon sherberts (although I didn't say no when they were offered). And the SWEARING! It was BRILLIANT! Although I was told that if I repeated any of it back home I'd get a clip round the ear.

"Family stands" don't belong in football, if your so precious about your little ones hearing a few naughty words then don't bring them. When they reach 12 or 13 they'll come on their own anyway.

 

[pigbite]

Bang on. Dad took me to Fulham away for my first game when I was 7 and felt so grown up! Hanging in the pub drinking shandy while Dad was having a few lagers before the game, the NOISE! It was EXCITING! Couldn't have given a toss about a packet of fecking lemon sherberts (although I didn't say no when they were offered). And the SWEARING! It was BRILLIANT! Although I was told that if I repeated any of it back home I'd get a clip round the ear.

"Family stands" don't belong in football, if your so precious about your little ones hearing a few naughty words then don't bring them. When they reach 12 or 13 they'll come on their own anyway.

Agree with your first sentiments but don't agree that family stands don't belong in football. I'm not precious about my kids hearing some bad language but football grounds are still full of unnecessarily agressive, abusive and vitriolic behaviour that would still put many people off coming at all if every part of the ground was full of it. I would say, however, that there is a difference between areas of the ground being more family friendly and the ever increasing move to American style packaged entertainment that makes the game itself of secondary importance.

 

[Stat Brother]

Not sure how many kids you have Sally but if chips is their norm are they obese by any chance ?

There seems to be a plentiful supply on her shoulder.

Nice tag teaming, boys.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Sorry

 

[joker]

To be fair I can relate to the problems of taking kids to football, I have three grandsons and two granddaughters that like to go. Having said that, call me selfish but I also want to enjoy the football so decided to buy my season tickets in the WSU, the grandchildren come with me there or stay indoors, their choice. I do sympathise as I say but you can always say no if the kids worry for sweets etc, or take some with you, you have to look at theplayers we have now got and how far we have come in the last couple of years, Tony Bloom is not a charity he is a business man and to compare him and his style of business to Dick Knight is unfair and impossible. Dick Knight is a legend and I, along with thousands of Albion fans will be eternally grateful to him, reality is though that he had taken the club as far as he could and he was the first to realise that.
The club is doing it's best and learning the modern way as it goes, to compare our experience also with Cardiff, as an away coach organiser we sat in traffic jams all the way from paying the toll (£17.50) to the ground, finally getting there at 7.20pm, that is not the way to treat away supporters, irrespective of age.
I think a lot of people have to realise, football clubs are not just there to encourage youngsters to the game, people of all ages, youngsters, youths, working age & seniors, male or female, make a football crowd and to coin a phrase, you can please some of the people some of the time etc.
I would suggest a constructive letter, not a grumble, direct to the club and leave it in the more than capable hands.

 

[hitony]

To be fair I can relate to the problems of taking kids to football, I have three grandsons and two granddaughters that like to go. Having said that, call me selfish but I also want to enjoy the football so decided to buy my season tickets in the WSU, the grandchildren come with me there or stay indoors, their choice. I do sympathise as I say but you can always say no if the kids worry for sweets etc, or take some with you, you have to look at theplayers we have now got and how far we have come in the last couple of years, Tony Bloom is not a charity he is a business man and to compare him and his style of business to Dick Knight is unfair and impossible. Dick Knight is a legend and I, along with thousands of Albion fans will be eternally grateful to him, reality is though that he had taken the club as far as he could and he was the first to realise that.
The club is doing it's best and learning the modern way as it goes, to compare our experience also with Cardiff, as an away coach organiser we sat in traffic jams all the way from paying the toll (£17.50) to the ground, finally getting there at 7.20pm, that is not the way to treat away supporters, irrespective of age.
I think a lot of people have to realise, football clubs are not just there to encourage youngsters to the game, people of all ages, youngsters, youths, working age & seniors, male or female, make a football crowd and to coin a phrase, you can please some of the people some of the time etc.
I would suggest a constructive letter, not a grumble, direct to the club and leave it in the more than capable hands.

8 pages, Top, TOP post Sir

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

haven't read the moan but it is a football match, If the little uns want more entertainment they are welcome to huddle round 'Jack2's portable DVD player, although it's never off Curious George

 

[hitony]

I will merge this to the main thread, pointless having 2 threads running, I appreciate you did'nt see it

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

although Jack (age 2 an a bit) and myself are FS regulars I can't take the OP seriously following the comment about getting wet at the West Ham match

 

[Bwian]

Hello Everybody,

This is my first ever posting, so please be gentle!

As a supporter of many years, the response to a question recently asked by Return of the Rev, on "Ask the club" has angered me enough to write now.

When asked about our younger supporters Insider dismissed his question by saying "the family stand is family friendly, and there is artwork and a sweetstall".

With respect, either he is not a parent or he has not been in the East Stand on a matchday.

The poster was correct in saying that the concourse is like a pub. As soon as we enter the turnstile, we are faced with large amount of men standing around drinking, which is very ironic given that as the poster also mentioned children are not allowed in Dick's Bar.

Yes there is some amazing artwork in the stand, but I had to go on a tour to see it. Normally, understandably fans stand in front of the artwork eating and drinking.

As for the sweetstall, they have to be joking. We all know that this was supposed to be a betting outlet which again seemed inappropiate for a family area. Now it is a sweetstall, the club is ripping off parents by charging high prices for their fayre. The children pester, the adults pay.

£2 for a bottle of drink, £5 for a plastic (not even glass) jar of mini football chocolates, £1.99 for a small bar of chocolate. Surely they must be joking!

Yesterday's efforts with the juggler and funny linesmen were to be commended, but lets be blunt for a family day it did not amount to much.

If the club is serious about investing in its future fans, then to put it simply it needs to properly invest in its young fans, not take them for granted.

I mean this in the way that in the past when we were desperate for young blood, the kids were given sports bags, baseball caps, watches. Now that they are tied in, this year they got a pencil, stickers, notepad and a fixture list! Sum total, about 50p each if that.

To cap things off nicely, at Withdean we used to get soaked, but then we all did. Now in a £105M stadium, against West Ham, we got absolutely soaked still. Why? How?

If we want to keep 10,000 young fans, we need to do better, otherwise we will have to do it all over again in the future.

After leaving the Goldstone a whole generation was lost. If the club is not careful all its efforts through Dick Knight in recent years will be wasted as new fans become disenchanted.

(An incensed season ticket holder in the family stand)

Like others I'm sure this has to be a wind up but I feel like welcoming our latest empty headed contributor with a response.

Why do 'modern day parents' like you insist that your kids have to be included in everything? There are times when adults want an all-adult environment and a pre match pint or two has that appeal to many of us. I don't use Dick's Bar but if I did, I wouldn't want it full of kids-adults have the right to a kid free zone and a football bar fits the bill. The club has provided you and your spoiled, chip eating kids a whole SECTION of the East Stand. A large Section, it's not the whole of the East Stand (thank f***). It has a roof over it that will sometimes be ineffective down at the front because, as you may have noticed on your daily runs to the chip ship or McDonalds, rain rarely falls straight down.

By going to The Amex you are going to watch a football match. It isn't a f***ing creche. It isn't a kiddies play area. Kids are welcome but they should fit in with the adults-not the other way around.

The Amex is, first and foremost, a FOOTBALL STADIUM. If you don't like being amongst a load of football fans, enjoying a beer or two in our fantastic new stadium then please, do us all a favour and cancel your direct debit. Then you and your brats can pig out down the local chippy to your (clogged with saturated fat) heart's content-but only if it isn't raining.

Bozza, have you been playing with the moron magnet again?

 

[Commander]

Bang on. Dad took me to Fulham away for my first game when I was 7 and felt so grown up! Hanging in the pub drinking shandy while Dad was having a few lagers before the game, the NOISE! It was EXCITING! Couldn't have given a toss about a packet of fecking lemon sherberts (although I didn't say no when they were offered). And the SWEARING! It was BRILLIANT! Although I was told that if I repeated any of it back home I'd get a clip round the ear.

"Family stands" don't belong in football, if your so precious about your little ones hearing a few naughty words then don't bring them. When they reach 12 or 13 they'll come on their own anyway.

I think family stands do belong in football, as it makes parents more willing to bring kids at a younger age. Also, it means that as a kid you then get the excitement of moving to the naughtier stands the older you get. I started watching the Albion in the West Stand as a 7 year old with my Dad, then we moved to the South for a few seasons, then the Chicken Run, then eventually the North once I was old enough to go in there with him, and then finally the North without him. A kind of football supporter apprenticeship, I suppose.

 

[Crennis]

Bring in the bulldozers, rip the East Stand down and build a fully enclosed bouncy castle equipped with monkey bars, ball pits and a McDonalds staffed by Teletubbies...

With a brand new state of the art stadium, opened in the 21st century, where fans still get wet on an average night because the stand was not built big enough, there is absolutely no vision for the retainment of the fans of the future

Word to the wise: kids are waterproof. If they're cold buy them a nice warm coat, if thats too expensive then wrap them in a bin bag and stuff it full of straw!

 

[Pbseagull]

I don't understand what the problem is. Did you go to the Goldstone as a kid? Were you given sweets there? Did you stay completely dry?

I don't get it, as I kid I was hooked by the atmosphere and the football, not because the club gave me a baseball cap or there was a sweet stall. Quite how you can be 'incensed' by this I really don't understand. Either kids like the football, or they don't. I don't see how bribing them with sweets etc is going to make any difference to whether they become lifelong fans or not.

Totally agree, I first went to the Goldstone as a 9 year old with my older brother. It was the excitement of going to a match and watching the football that kept me going back.