'Encouraging' your kids to support the Albion

[Sarisbury Seagull]

The thread from the Leicester fan has got me thinking. My boys are 3 years and 1 year old. Since they were born I've bought every item of baby/kids clothing and merchandise the club has brought out and basically done everything I can to ensure they will love the Albion and out of the clutches of my other half's family who all support Southampton. It seems to be working with the 3 year old who loves watching videos of us scoring and always talks about Bobby and Glen Murray.

Living just outside Southampton they are not their local team though and growing up here they weren't mine as a kid. My dad took me to lots of games from the age of 7 and then as soon as I could drive I got a season ticket. I love this club and am so grateful to my Dad for introducing me to the Albion.

One thing I've never done is go to the football with my mates and have a few beers etc with them though. I read on here and twitter a lot about mates going together and having a great time at their local teams games. The football is almost a secondary thing. So should I carry on 'making' the kids support Brighton rather than their local team or take them to Southampton (who I despise!) and let them make their own mind up?

 

[Grombleton]

My nephew is 8. His dad (now AWOL) was a big Arsenal fan but thankfully down to me and his step-father to be we've converted him to the Church of Albion. Though he has been on a Portsmouth ran football school this half-term, so I was a bit worried about that...though he did wear his Albion shirt along to it, so hopefully they've got the message.

It took me a while as a kid to become an Albion fan, I fell in love during the struggles and hearing the updates on Southern FM from Tony Millard as to how badly we were doing that week - then when I delivered the Argus as my after school job I was hooked after reading about them each day. I hope my nephew has the same calling - he's been to the Amex a few times and i'll be dead before he pledges allegiance to any other club.

 

[GT49er]

Let them make their own minds up. They will anyway.

 

[Nixonator]

The father and son experience is the bread and butter of football.

How many albion games will you able to take them to?

If the answer is - lots, then keep up the good work.

If the answer is - not many, then you would be depriving them of live football (can't beat it) so you might have to make a tough decision.

All besides the point though as your most difficult task ahead is discouraging them from supporting all manner of MEGA SIX PL shithouses.

 

[SUIYHP]

If the dad's invested enough then the kids will respond to it. It won't be easy if all if their friends at school are saints fans. Think the best strategy is to let them make their own mind up when they're old enough, but make sure they always remember what stock they came from.

 

[Berty23]

I live in Warwick and my 8 yr old loves Brighton. We get to the Amex a few times a year and some away games. My old man buys him a full kit every year for his birthday (he never got me one). However, we also follow brackley town who play national league north. Anyone who doesn't watch non league football is missing out. It is great. We only support them as a family friend is player/coach.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Very tricky this one

Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk

 

[Mackenzie]

My children have never lived in Brighton either, but I've taken them all to matches since they were 4 years old. We'll be travelling down from mid-Wales for the Reading game on Saturday, they are just as excited as I am.

I'm proud that they have this passion for the club despite our geographical difficulties.

 

[Hampster Gull]

My two boys have only ever lived in north London, close to Arsenal. They are Albion fans though, through and through. Great to keep together

 

[Reagulls]

I have 2 daughters 12 and 9, they've both been to the Amex a few times, the 12 year old would rather look at her phone for the entire match but the 9 year old asks me the scores when I see them every other weekend, they now live in hedge end near Southampton, she is surrounded by Southampton fans at school but remains a loyal seagulls supporter... That's my girl.

 

[Triggaaar]

One thing I've never done is go to the football with my mates and have a few beers etc with them though. I read on here and twitter a lot about mates going together and having a great time at their local teams games. The football is almost a secondary thing. So should I carry on 'making' the kids support Brighton rather than their local team or take them to Southampton (who I despise!) and let them make their own mind up?

When they're at the age many kids are interested in football, are they going to be going with you each week to watch us, or doing something else? If the latter, then I guess it doesn't matter, if they're going with you, you might as well have them as Albion fans.

If they want to go and watch some local games with mates when they're older, they can. Then they might move town anyway. And when available, they can meet the old man for a Brighton game.

Let them make their own minds up. They will anyway.

That depends. My 10 year old supports Brighton because I do (and she goes to the games). She could never support anyone else now, it's part of who she is.

 

[Baldseagull]

The thread from the Leicester fan has got me thinking. My boys are 3 years and 1 year old. Since they were born I've bought every item of baby/kids clothing and merchandise the club has brought out and basically done everything I can to ensure they will love the Albion and out of the clutches of my other half's family who all support Southampton. It seems to be working with the 3 year old who loves watching videos of us scoring and always talks about Bobby and Glen Murray.

Living just outside Southampton they are not their local team though and growing up here they weren't mine as a kid. My dad took me to lots of games from the age of 7 and then as soon as I could drive I got a season ticket. I love this club and am so grateful to my Dad for introducing me to the Albion.

One thing I've never done is go to the football with my mates and have a few beers etc with them though. I read on here and twitter a lot about mates going together and having a great time at their local teams games. The football is almost a secondary thing. So should I carry on 'making' the kids support Brighton rather than their local team or take them to Southampton (who I despise!) and let them make their own mind up?

I understand your concern, I had similar thoughts when starting the indoctrination process, but with my lad being born 1997, I had the additional concerns at times over whether I was indoctrinating him into a life of supporting a club unlikely to give him much joy.
If going with his mates is something he really wants to do at some point, he will go to Saints game, and he may end up with a soft spot for them, but Brighton will be his team and it will be a you and him thing.
My dad never took me to football, it was a mate at school that got me in to it, using the train we met other lads our age going to the games, one of whom became a close friend to us both, best man at my mates wedding. I recommend sticking with the Albion, and in time he may well persuade a mate to join him, or make friends out of those that are making the same journey.

 

[Easy 10]

I took my 6 year old son to his first ever game at Withdean, a 0-0 draw with Wycombe. Dreadful game in the drizzle, it was cold, we got soaked. Despite that, he was asking me questions all afternoon about the game, our players, the opposition, the smattering of away fans. Despite the surroundings, the lack of atmosphere, the horrible weather and the woeful 'entertainment' on offer that day, he showed such an interest that I felt we really connected in a new way that afternoon, and a new Albion fan was "born". On the walk back to the car I bought us some chips, and he was juggling the matchday programme with his bag of chips as he flicked through the pages, walking along, looking at the player profiles. It fair warmed my heart.

The following Saturday we were at home to Rotherham, and naturally I'd bought us both tickets again. So that lunchtime I said "get your coat then son, we're playing Rotherham".
"Do we have to dad ? Mum said Robert could come round this afternoon, we were going to play the playstation"

I checked my stride, turned round, and thumped him. Knocked him clear across the room. "You're DEAD to me", I hissed. And stormed out.

We won, 1-0. Dean Cox.

 

[graz126]

From Doncaster I actually tried to discourage my youngest (only 1 with real interest in football) from supporting Brighton and took him to lots of Donny games. During this time I actually took him to a few Brighton games. And now he loves the Albion and aint really interested in Donny. I always said to him you can always enjoy days out with ya mates if ya follow Donny. But turns out I have myself a great companion to watch the Albion instead.

 

[The_Viper]

My dad never really pushed it on me and my sister, neither of us were born or lived near Brighton, we were all the way out in Leicester. My friends dad took me and his son and a few others to a Chelsea game as they were huge Chelsea fans and they smashed Coventry 6-2, another took us to a Leicester game or two (all birthday party type affairs) and then we drew Northampton in the Worthington Cup and my dad got us tickets. I will never forget that night on the stands, I was only 8 or so and it was shit weather, we got beat 2-1 (Storer scored) but I felt like I was home amongst the fans. I think encouragement influences somewhat but sometimes it's just love at first sight and my sister had the same experience when we played Coventry I think it was.


As a bonus I just found the starting XI for that night

Mark Walton
Peter Smith, Ross Johnson, Gary Hobson (Capt.), Stuart Tuck,
Stuart Storer, Jeff Minton, Michael Bennett, Kerry Mayo
Jamie Moralee, Gary Hart.

 

[Megazone]

The trick is not to force the kids to Albion matches, but to manipulate them into going, all whilst looking like a good parent.

When we're in the Prem, you'll be able to give them the option of going to Church for Sunday Mass, or watching the Albion.
If that doesn't work, after Church, explain that the Priest was preaching: God guarantees a place in Heaven for all Albion fans who attend the matches, even if they miss Church.

If that doesn't work, buy them a Playstation and go no contact.

 

[Justice]

The thread from the Leicester fan has got me thinking. My boys are 3 years and 1 year old. Since they were born I've bought every item of baby/kids clothing and merchandise the club has brought out and basically done everything I can to ensure they will love the Albion and out of the clutches of my other half's family who all support Southampton. It seems to be working with the 3 year old who loves watching videos of us scoring and always talks about Bobby and Glen Murray.

Living just outside Southampton they are not their local team though and growing up here they weren't mine as a kid. My dad took me to lots of games from the age of 7 and then as soon as I could drive I got a season ticket. I love this club and am so grateful to my Dad for introducing me to the Albion.

One thing I've never done is go to the football with my mates and have a few beers etc with them though. I read on here and twitter a lot about mates going together and having a great time at their local teams games. The football is almost a secondary thing. So should I carry on 'making' the kids support Brighton rather than their local team or take them to Southampton (who I despise!) and let them make their own mind up?

You can't force anything on them, my youngest for example took me 15 years to break him and turn him away from his mothers Man Utd, he's now a STH lives and breathes the Albion. Watching live football and your kids seeing your passion makes all the difference, my lad was well on the way one Friday night at Southend when I accidentally hit him in the face when we scored all those years ago he describes everything about that night like it was yesterday. My oldest has been Albion daft all his life ever since I took him to York at home at the Withdean we lost 1-0.

If you took your sons to a Saints game it wouldn't work you won't be showing any passion for Southampton, take them to an Albion game and they will be intrigued to know why Dad has lost the plot screaming at men on a football pitch.

 

[Dolph Ins]

I took my 6 year old son to his first ever game at Withdean, a 0-0 draw with Wycombe. Dreadful game in the drizzle, it was cold, we got soaked. Despite that, he was asking me questions all afternoon about the game, our players, the opposition, the smattering of away fans. Despite the surroundings, the lack of atmosphere, the horrible weather and the woeful 'entertainment' on offer that day, he showed such an interest that I felt we really connected in a new way that afternoon, and a new Albion fan was "born". On the walk back to the car I bought us some chips, and he was juggling the matchday programme with his bag of chips as he flicked through the pages, walking along, looking at the player profiles. It fair warmed my heart.

The following Saturday we were at home to Rotherham, and naturally I'd bought us both tickets again. So that lunchtime I said "get your coat then son, we're playing Rotherham".
"Do we have to dad ? Mum said Robert could come round this afternoon, we were going to play the playstation"

I checked my stride, turned round, and thumped him. Knocked him clear across the room. "You're DEAD to me", I hissed. And stormed out.

We won, 1-0. Dean Cox.

My middle son was born in 1995 so when I started taking him to football we were at Withdean. I wanted him to love football, I think he only went to the Withdean once, so we went to away matches instead. The Albion away fans are a brilliant bunch and my son went on to be a sth at the Amex.

Football fans seem to have a perverse liking for misery so maybe he would be even more passionate if he had frozen his bits off whilst half drowned at Withdean. I'm not sure we can ever tell what influence we have on our kids. Oh and youngest has not the slightest interest in football but if I have a spare ticket to the Amex he is very happy to come.

 

[Me and my Monkey]

I hate to say I, but there is nothing quite like supporting your home town team. As a child I followed a few different clubs, for a variety of reasons, but living in a desolate, sterile, commuter belt town, with no "big" club nearby, this is what I did. I could have supported my local non-league team but wasn't motivated enough about football then to do so. I moved to Brighton 20 years ago, and my younger son was born and brought up here. The Albion is in his blood, and being his local team he has been able to get involved in so many ways other than just going to matches. It would have been so sad if he had missed out on all that just because I'd persuaded him to support Villa/Leeds/Bournemouth/Norwich/etc...

 

[Hiney]

We live in Southampton, but I drip-fed my kids on The Albion from the day they were born. Fraser went to his first game at 6 weeks although he doesn't remember too much about it.

I took him to games from around age 5, but all he wanted to do was eat sweets and didn't really take too much interest.

The real clincher was 15th November 2009. Fraser was 7 and Macy 6. We went to St Marys and watched us DEMOLISH Southampton. We were right next to the home fans and the kids got really into it. From that day on, it was properly Albion all the way. He had a great day at School after that and has now developed an excellent pathalogical hatred for Southampton