How old should kids be before they go to football matches?

[Yorkshire-Seagull]

My son has just had his 5th birthday, and I want to take him to a home game as soon as possible, so he can say in years to come that he went to the Withdean. However, as we live in Leeds, it's quite an event to get him down for a game.

How old do you think children should be for their first live game? I was eight when my dad first took me along to the Goldstone - we drew 1-1 with Leicester...

 

[Hiney]

My son has only really been able to understand what's going on and (most importantly) concentrate, since he was 8.

We went to his first game when he was 6 weeks old though.

 

[Lord Bamber]

I wasnt allowed to go to a game until I was 12 because of supposed hoolie alerts and I missed our whole time in the top flight.

Id say take him now, he'll thank you for it when he is older.

 

[pasty]

I was 9. In fact it was my 9th birthdat treat. Seems about righ imho

 

[ds4000]

My brothers and i all went when we were about 5, we all said the say thing 'when we going home!' I shall take my son when he is over 8, should be able to appreciate it more.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

took my son when he was 7 weeks old, he's now been going to Withdean for 3 seasons and he's only 18 months old, however he wont be going again for a long time as he can now walk he just wants to be on the move all the time so it's no fun for him. I hoping by the time he's about 6 he'll want to go

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

5 is a good age to start taking the kids to football.

 

[Gully]

I wasnt allowed to go to a game until I was 12 because of supposed hoolie alerts...

I didn't go until I was 13 because my parents were frightened about the hooliganism. My first game was at Easter 79 when my uncle took me to see Arsenal versus Chelsea, the result of which pretty much condemned the West Londoners to relegation...as you might guess they didn't take to kindly to a 5-2 drubbing and the violence during and after the game nearly put me off football for life.

It was around two years later when I first went to a game at the Goldstone, in the almost 30 years since then I have watched hundreds of games in many different countries and never seen anything to compare with that first game at Highbury.

 

[defrocked priest]

I was 10 and wished there after I`d gone sooner.

 

[1234andcounting]

Outside the premiership - as soon as.
In the premiership - 93.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

My oldest son was 2 days old for his first match ! The first one he really knew about was when he was 5.

 

[dje shoreham]

I think about 7 or 8 . Suggest you try and avoid a cold and wet day at Withdean as your sons first match. I think it will be easier to take younger kids to falmer where facilities will be superb.

 

[Mackenzie]

I went a couple of times when I was 6, but started to go every week at 12. My children went when they were 4 but they really are too young at that age to appreciate (or otherwise) what is going on.

I'd say take your son now, but wait until he's older to go regularly. You don't want to put him off.

 

[Notters]

I started going to the Goldstone at 8, though at the time I was really only interested in the atmosphere so I'd probably say 10 for the withdean.

The other thing was I used to sit on the bar at the front of the north west terrace, which probably wouldn't be allowed with health and safety these days even if we did have terraces. And we're only talking 15 years ago.

 

[tedebear]

Our 5 yo son couldn't sit still for one half let alone both halves. We'll see in the next year or so how he's going.

 

[Wilko]

7/8 for me which I think is the right age, any younger than that and they struggle to sit still or concentrate.

 

[wehatepalace]

Stood on the north stand terrace on my little wooden stall with my dad & his mates aged 6. Only ever went into a different stand once, must say though, at that age it's more about the atmosphere than the football !

 

[Beach Hut]

Must be at least 8 as they cannot sit still otherwise

 

[Gwylan]

Our 5 yo son couldn't sit still for one half let alone both halves. We'll see in the next year or so how he's going.

My 4-year old (but early five) lasted a half and then wanted to go home.

He has asked to go again - he's five now, I might risk it.

 

[skipper734]

Wandered down Goldstone Crescent and across Hove Park. Just me and some of the Sunninghill gang when we were eight or so.
Jnr was taken to see Portsmouth when he was 5 by his Mum's boyfriend at the time, I didn't find out about it till later, he didn't like it at all. (He is extremely sensible.)
His next trip was to Cardiff with me for the play-offs when 8, he loved it, nice stipey shirt as well.
Although born in the territory of South Coast Club, he's never wanted to support any other team but Albion. Probably my fault.