I think it's wise to take an anyone but palace approach to this
'Encouraging' your kids to support the Albion
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I think it's wise to take an anyone but palace approach to this
spongy
Well-known member
I'm Brighton.
My wife is Newcastle.
This season is the first time we've had the chance to really up the ante on the rivalry. It's made life rather interesting I must admit.
Our wedding day last year was the day of our visit to St James Park. She enjoyed the day more than me.
She will be in the away end on Tuesday. I shall be in my usual seat in SWC hurling abuse at her for 90 mins.
Our 2.5 year old daughter has a decision to make in a couple of years that's for sure. I should win her over as Brighton will be her home town team and it's easier to take her to the Amex than for wifey to take her to Newcastle.
My wife is Newcastle.
This season is the first time we've had the chance to really up the ante on the rivalry. It's made life rather interesting I must admit.
Our wedding day last year was the day of our visit to St James Park. She enjoyed the day more than me.
She will be in the away end on Tuesday. I shall be in my usual seat in SWC hurling abuse at her for 90 mins.
Our 2.5 year old daughter has a decision to make in a couple of years that's for sure. I should win her over as Brighton will be her home town team and it's easier to take her to the Amex than for wifey to take her to Newcastle.
The op should buy the DVD to that Southampton game, which I think was gus's first game in charge . Murray did the damage
Normal Rob
Well-known member
I often take my 3 to Huish Park to watch Yeovil, our nearest league club. To me it's the experience of watching live games that is key. I'd be more than happy if they grew up supporting Yeovil - it's their local club. When i lived in Sussex, i grew up watching my local club. If they decide to support Albion then that's great too. I think they'll probably grow up having a place in their heart for both.
symyjym
Banned
My nephew has just got into the football and has a season ticket with his dad. His dad has also paid for him to be a mascot in April but he doesn’t know it yet. Should be a memorable day out for him, and his mum and dad gets the special treatment for the day.
I agree with this, a friend of my wife and her other half are Arsenal fans, their kid was also supposed to become one by virtue of that but they live in Hove and all his friends (well the sensible ones anyway) are Albion fans. Anyway to cut a long story short, a few years back the Albion and Arsenal met in the FA cup (we all know how that ended) Arsenal Dad goes home feeling relieved and the kid goes home and into his room with mixed emotions. His room was decorated with Albion and Arsenal posters and flags (as you do)
but the young Albion fan took matters into his own hands and when dad went to his room to discuss the match he was confronted with shredded and cut up Arsenal flags, posters and a smashed arsenal mug, Dad doesn't talk about football anymore.
As I'm not from Brighton but moved here about 20 years ago I wasn't an Albion fan (yeah yeah plastic JCL etc). When my son came home from school, during his first week in reception, and said he was going to be a Chelsea fan as some of his new friends were it seemed wrong. So I started taking him along to games at the Amex here and there to convert him to the local team. Watching matches live seemed to spark something in him and he is now a passionate Brighton supporter. Also some of his friends are now Brighton fans too after taking them along to matches as well. I guess what I'm trying to say is that gentle encouragement to support a team rather than forcing them seems to work best.
robinsonsgrin
Well-known member
no kids... but did always try my utmost to indoctrinate any child i have taught.... BIG time!
Falmer Flutter ©
Well-known member
We're on the South London/Kent border, so plenty of Palace and other London teams' fans at my sons' schools. Both lads have Albion school bags and wear Brighton shirts for football training. My eldest is almost 10 and has had a ST for three years now and been to almost 20 away grounds. The youngest (7) has taken longer to catch on, but now wants to come to more games although still not ready for a full ST. It's only a matter of time, though.
Someone earlier mentioned the father/son bond and it is so true. My dad was a West Ham fan, but growing up in Eastbourne never took me to games. If he had, I'd probably have a ST at the Olympic Park now. I was determined to change that with my kids. The eldest loves the whole day. The trains, the noise, the singing, the smells, the jokes with my mates who I first went to the Goldstone with, and other friends I've gained much later in life from watching the Albion. I'll never forget the moment when Ulloa scored at Forest. It was the first time I really saw my eldest lose it in celebration. He was swinging his shirt around his head and everything. I knew then that he'd got it. Similarly I'll never forget his disappointment up at Boro. In some way I felt like the worst dad in the world to let him suffer like that, but first day of the season he was raring to go again.
Yes, none of his friends are Brighton fans so he currently won't have that group of mates to go with when he's older like I have. No reason why this couldn't change, though, especially if he decided to go to uni in Brighton. But do you know what, I've no intention of not going to games so I'm looking forward to seeing both my lads growing up as Albion fans, sharing their highs and lows , and maybe them buying their old man a pint or two.
Someone earlier mentioned the father/son bond and it is so true. My dad was a West Ham fan, but growing up in Eastbourne never took me to games. If he had, I'd probably have a ST at the Olympic Park now. I was determined to change that with my kids. The eldest loves the whole day. The trains, the noise, the singing, the smells, the jokes with my mates who I first went to the Goldstone with, and other friends I've gained much later in life from watching the Albion. I'll never forget the moment when Ulloa scored at Forest. It was the first time I really saw my eldest lose it in celebration. He was swinging his shirt around his head and everything. I knew then that he'd got it. Similarly I'll never forget his disappointment up at Boro. In some way I felt like the worst dad in the world to let him suffer like that, but first day of the season he was raring to go again.
Yes, none of his friends are Brighton fans so he currently won't have that group of mates to go with when he's older like I have. No reason why this couldn't change, though, especially if he decided to go to uni in Brighton. But do you know what, I've no intention of not going to games so I'm looking forward to seeing both my lads growing up as Albion fans, sharing their highs and lows , and maybe them buying their old man a pint or two.
Fred Oliver - Legend
Well-known member
Living in Eastleigh I do the same, however i have also BANNED anything RED from their bedrooms!
I've lived in Sheffield for 25 years and my son is 10. Basically, he's been exposed to football and cricket on tv since he was born and as soon as he was old enough to understand, I told him he was welcome to support a Sheffield team (it would always have been United not Wednesday LOL) but that I was a Brighton fan (along with all that that entailed). It was no contest and by age 5 he'd been to the Amex, Elland Road, Hillsborough etc and absolutely loved it.
He used to do football training on a Saturday morning and amongst the Wednesday, United, Chelsea and Barcelona kits he was easy to pick out in his green and black Brighton away kit with "Mackail Smith" on the back.
It helps that there is no football conflict in our family as my father in law is a Wednesday fan but isn't really that bothered about football these days and my wife has been fully converted to the Albion and has been to a fair few games herself (I was very proud when she started referring to Brighton as "us" and "we").
Most of his mates are United or Wedslol but it just makes for good banter between them (and me) and he's been to watch United a few times. We also took one of his mates to the MK away game last season and he live it despite being staunch United.
It'll only continue the same way as they grow up I'm sure.
Oh and cricket wise he's Yorkshire through and through, especially as he's in the South Yorkshire side, which has done the reverse for me and made me have less allegiance to Sussex as obviously I support him first.
Isn't sport bloody brilliant.
He used to do football training on a Saturday morning and amongst the Wednesday, United, Chelsea and Barcelona kits he was easy to pick out in his green and black Brighton away kit with "Mackail Smith" on the back.
It helps that there is no football conflict in our family as my father in law is a Wednesday fan but isn't really that bothered about football these days and my wife has been fully converted to the Albion and has been to a fair few games herself (I was very proud when she started referring to Brighton as "us" and "we").
Most of his mates are United or Wedslol but it just makes for good banter between them (and me) and he's been to watch United a few times. We also took one of his mates to the MK away game last season and he live it despite being staunch United.
It'll only continue the same way as they grow up I'm sure.
Oh and cricket wise he's Yorkshire through and through, especially as he's in the South Yorkshire side, which has done the reverse for me and made me have less allegiance to Sussex as obviously I support him first.
Isn't sport bloody brilliant.
Saladpack Seagull
Just Shut Up and Paddle
My two (now well grown-up) stepsons are Yeovil born and bred and have always followed the Glovers from the Isthmian League up, mainly because as youngsters they spent every other weekend in Yeovil and went to games with their Dad. No problem with that. They both went a couple of times to the Goldstone and to reserve games at Worthing but were never really going to be Albion fans, especially as at the time Albion were in deep decline and kids tend to like "winners"! They have lived in Sussex from the ages of four and two and have therefore always had me telling about the Albion and our struggle for survival in the late Nineties. They have always had a soft spot for the Albion, and the younger one will be at the Amex with his girlfriend tomorrow as he wants to show her our amazing ground! I felt really rewarded the other day when he bought tickets for him and me to go to the Newcastle game, as well as booking car parking and offering to drive us there! Brilliant! My actual daughter, on the other hand, has always been an Albion fan and went to loads of reserve games at Woodside Road before going to Withdean to witness a 5-1 thrashing of the Albion but was still not put off! As a young teacher she even has an Albion flag in her "Who Am I" box which she uses in her Reception class and has lots of street-cred with the boys as a result! Like a stick of rock, you can snap her off anywhere and still read "Brighton". And she still likes going to games with her old man.....as she says, "it's OUR thing"......
- Thread starter
- #33
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
That was my favourite match of all time for obvious reasons! The start of the Gus revolution also.
Thanks for the replies. I can't wait to start taking to them to the games and my oldest already likes seeing how excited I get when watching/listening to the games although I did scare him when Murray scored in the last minute away to Brum this season!
I just hope they don't think I was being selfish when they get older. I hope they see it as a great thing that we do together like I do with my old man.
I found that waterboarding was enough to convert my two lads into the Albion way of life, although the threat of more extreme torture was always there.
My youngest son, at the age of about 4decided he wanted to be a Coventry fan because they have an elephant on their badge. He's Albion now though
My youngest son, at the age of about 4decided he wanted to be a Coventry fan because they have an elephant on their badge. He's Albion now though
Lush
Mods' Pet
Keep taking both of them, even if the oldest spends her whole time looking at her phone. There are very few things that you can truly share with teenagers, or places where you can sit and spend time with them, be there to answer any questions that pop up - football related or not - without anyone feeling that they have to make forced conversation.
Shropshire Seagull
Well-known member
Does anyone have an experience of "tried, but not now, but did later"
I have two girls, now 25 and 22.
12-15 years ago I bought them both home shirts, we went to several away games and a couple at Withdean, plus the Cardiff play-off final that even Mrs SS came to [her one and only Brighton game].
Unfortunately, Mrs SS told me that elder daughter [very sporty] had confided, she only went to football because dad wanted her to. So I immediately put a stop to it - didn't want to force her.
Younger daughter, was never really into football, if was the half-time burger that was her attraction. Gave her shirt to a friend of hers [from Sussex] who's dad is a gooner.
So neither have been to a game for 10 years - will they ever come round now?
I feel a bit of a failure .....
I have two girls, now 25 and 22.
12-15 years ago I bought them both home shirts, we went to several away games and a couple at Withdean, plus the Cardiff play-off final that even Mrs SS came to [her one and only Brighton game].
Unfortunately, Mrs SS told me that elder daughter [very sporty] had confided, she only went to football because dad wanted her to. So I immediately put a stop to it - didn't want to force her.
Younger daughter, was never really into football, if was the half-time burger that was her attraction. Gave her shirt to a friend of hers [from Sussex] who's dad is a gooner.
So neither have been to a game for 10 years - will they ever come round now?
I feel a bit of a failure .....
There's a few of us in Hedge End, flying the flag!
Whitley Bayster
Well-known member
My two boys were both born in and have lived all their lives in Newcastle. They were raised on away trips to the likes of Carlisle, Hartlepool and Doncaster smattered with an occasional visit to Withdean. They've withstood massive pressure to follow their local team from mates. They are now 15 and 13 and fully emotionally bound in. They proudly wear Brighton kit to their football team training sessions and around the toon. Take all the ribbing and banter in good heart (especially this season). Its fantastic and the greatest moment was taking them into the away end at St James this season and giving them the chance to see our team in their home town for the first time.
dejavuatbtn
Well-known member
I started in 1961 and my kids, who are now in their 30s, were junior club members, mascots home and away and ballboys. I have tried to ensure they bleed blue and white. It has worked to an extent - they now both live away from Brighton - but they still love and follow the club.