My son's first proper Albion match tomorrow - any tips?

[London Irish]

The key thing is to stay patient and not be disappointed if he doesn't think it's the greatest experience of his life - yet!

I took my boy from the age of 4 and that was probably too young but that's when the amex came so I had to take the plunge as an investment in the future. He spent the best part of the next 2 years pretty disinterested, wanting to play computer games or with my iphone. But suddenly towards the end of last season, everything clicked. Now he's a total football nutcase and he just wouldn't shut up unless I dragged him to the Whitehawk pre-season game recently. To hear a 6-year-old buy burbling on about how much he hates Palace is a bit surreal, as he never got that from me but must have heard the stadium chants

 

[jgmcdee]

When I first took mine they were a little younger so might not be applicable, but I brought along some sweets and allowed them one each every fifteen minutes. This meant that whenever they became bored they could at least watch the bit monitors and see when their next sweet was.

The other 'game' that I play with them is for them to name the player on the ball. Keeps their attention on the field and they learn the names/positions of the players frighteningly quickly.

 

[Leighgull]

If your first experience of something like this is emerging to a packed, deafening stadium in the run up to kickoff, well, that kind of thing will probably stick with him.

I think he's taking him to the Amex not Anfield. If he's in the East Lower he won't hear anything except snoring and people leaving early.

 

[chaileyjem]

Get someone to Take a photo of you both .

 

[Titanic]

Get someone to Take a photo of you both .

Great idea.. and buy a programme... and put a note in it about it being his first game.. perhaps with the result or a report from the Argus etc...

I would love to have those from my first game in 1971/2

 

[Return of the Rev]

Great idea.. and buy a programme... and put a note in it about it being his first game.. perhaps with the result or a report from the Argus etc...

I would love to have those from my first game in 1971/2

Bought a programme for my boys at each game they attended,even wrote comments on the game and their reaction in a book! One of them is keeping it going after 17 years

 

[Miocene]

Took my nephew to Withdean when he was 7. Got him a shirt etc beforehand, burger etc etc. He didn't say much about after the game, but by the following day he was fully converted. Now 13 and is still a huge fan.

 

[J2 BHA]

Great idea.. and buy a programme... and put a note in it about it being his first game.. perhaps with the result or a report from the Argus etc...

I would love to have those from my first game in 1971/2

That's a great idea, I've been taking my boy since he was 4 (he's now 9) and he still asks me now which was his first game and I can't bloody remember!

To be honest, with the Amex and what it entails the 'sell' to a young kid is a damn sight more attractive than the Withdean was for a load of young kids in that era so my advice would be to treat it as a normal day (well as normal as possible) and just see what he's got to say on the way home, slipping in a couple of 'treats' along the way will probably help (they sell bags of 'albion' sweets in the clubshop for a couple of quid). You'll probably pick up a couple of tips from what he says after which will help you tailor the next trip to be more enjoyable for him.

As others have said some form of entertainment (Ipod or PSP) will prob come in handy in the second half. It took my boy til the age of 7 to really be totally engaged by 90 minutes of football and that was after 3 years of going to lots of games home & away.

Hope you have a great day with him, one of life's highlights for me is the shared love of the albion that my son and I have.

 

[rouseytastic]

My 2 boys are 7 and 10 now. The first game i took them to was at the AMEX in the first season (they were both a bit too young for it all during the Withdean era). My eldest loves it and was pretty much hooked from day one and absolutely is clock watching waiting for the next game. I have to take him to an away game this season or he will disown me. My youngest came to the next 3 games and then decided he didn't want to anymore. I didn't pressure him to and have kept his season ticket going anyway for the past 2 seasons just in case. Much joy when this morning he told me he wanted to come again and dug out last seasons away kit and said i want to wear this one (even though he didn't like coming he still wanted shirts)

So, don't be disheartened if he doesn't get it the first time or even for a long time afterwards, in fact it might just never his thing. Charlie might not want to go another game until next season after tomorrow but thats up to him. I'm looking forward to tomorrow even more now that both of them will be there.

Moral: Stick with it

 

[Stat Brother]

Assuming jnr still has a booster seat in the car, bring it with you.

Eldest jnr will be 9, and is just about too tall for a car booster seat but he'll still take his into the ground.
It'll just bring his eye line up to yours, instead of the back of the head of the bloke in front.

 

[rabbitmaddie]

Very positive and useful stuff here.

Someone could compile these points and make it a sticky?

 

[Franks Wild Years]

Tell him not to kick off if a steward asks to search his bag.

 

[Stat Brother]

My 2 boys are 7 and 10 now. The first game i took them to was at the AMEX in the first season (they were both a bit too young for it all during the Withdean era). My eldest loves it and was pretty much hooked from day one and absolutely is clock watching waiting for the next game. I have to take him to an away game this season or he will disown me. My youngest came to the next 3 games and then decided he didn't want to anymore. I didn't pressure him to and have kept his season ticket going anyway for the past 2 seasons just in case. Much joy when this morning he told me he wanted to come again and dug out last seasons away kit and said i want to wear this one (even though he didn't like coming he still wanted shirts)

So, don't be disheartened if he doesn't get it the first time or even for a long time afterwards, in fact it might just never his thing. Charlie might not want to go another game until next season after tomorrow but thats up to him. I'm looking forward to tomorrow even more now that both of them will be there.

Moral: Stick with it

Similar.

Jnr will be 9 and is proper hook line and sinker Albion.
But that took some time.

Lil Miss Stat is younger and not really up for football.

BUT they both love the Amex, and the whole family stand experience.

When they both started the actual match wasn't their thing, and DS' would be produced for them so as not to bother me.
The posters, face paints, sweet shop, jugglers, comedians, Gully & pie should see the kids through until such time as they decide if they want football or not.

 

[ozseagull]

My advice would have been to ease him in with a pre season friendly or two.
My son loves it. He is 5. Take him to tesco or similar on the way. Let him choose a bag of sweets and a drink to take with him. Put him in a brighton shirt. Let him meet gully etc. He will love it.
Get to your seat a bit earlier than normal and he will be fine.

 

[Giraffe]

My tips having taken my son and daughter through the expereince and both now much older and love going

Don't build it up too much, other than letting him realise what a special place it is.
Take plenty of sweets and food, he may not like what they have to offer
Let him buy a souvenir in the shop
Don't get there too early (he will be bored before it even starts), but early enough that you're not rushing to get in
Unless he is scared of mascots try to bump into/see Gully
Don't be surprised if he says he wants to go home at half time or 60 minutes.
To keep it going if this happens get him to count how many passes the players make, guess when the next corner will be or throw in.
And as others have said go to the toilet, when you get there, and 15 mins before kick off, and half time!
Other than that, I would say don't expect him to get it straight away. I remember being taken and whilst I was dead keen I didn't really get it until a season or two later. Same with my son, although he had to suffer the Withdean years so that probably didn't help!

 

[Petunia]

I have a huge lump in my throat reading this thread

The future "old budgers" reminiscing in years to come of their first games

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Find out what time the players arrive, but a programme and sharpie and get autographs.

 

[Willy Dangle]

Tell him that at the end we all run on the pitch. Stand back and watch him go.

Either that or get him in full kit and smuggle him on as a mascot. No one will notice.

 

[Justice]

Tell him to wade into the Derby under 5's

 

[Tooting Gull]

Tell him to wade into the Derby under 5's

I've met Pav's son, he could definitely handle himself against the Derby Over-8s...sorry, what am I saying. Enjoy.