The problem with kids today...

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

Do you plan to move back to Sussex? If so c, if not b.

 

[Birdie Boy]

Now my serious answer:

C) MAKE them support the Albion

Sign them up pronto for Gullys Gang, so they get sent free stuff. Get them team posters. Take them to a game, or failing that just a visit to the stadium, to look round the shop, have a cake in the bar, etc.

When you feel they are old enough (about 6 in my lads' case) get them to some games, and before you know it they'll be hooked.

This is not just for their own good in football terms - this is going to be massively benficial to your future relationship with your sons. Right now, they are happy four year olds. They want hugs. They want you to read to them and play games with them. They actively want to spend time and share space with you.

However, before you know it they will be THIRTEEN. They will be surly young men, with their own lives and interests. They will not want a hug, or to spend much time with you. You will be of no interest to them, except as a source of money and lifts. You will have nothing in common, with them.

EXCEPT the Albion. My oldest is 13. He gets home from school, grunts, then hides in his room. When I get home, I tell him the Albion news, and its like flicking on a switch. Conversation started. Communication opened. Then every second Saturday, together with his brother, we've a whole day together, travelling to Brighton, grabbing a meal, ejnoying the game, celebrating the goals (the one moment when he still wants a hug!) and then dissecting the game afterwards on the drive home.

Start indocrinating now. You will never, ever regret it.

This.

I haven't seen any this year but last season they used to regularly send things out like pencil cases, gym bags, ruck sacks, my kids loved it. They also automatically get 50 loyalty points for joining, so this will help in your quest to get tickets. Definately take them to a match or two, they will be converted. I took my daughter, THIRTEEN in July to Wrexham game and she wants to go to every game now. I asked her, the boys and the missus if they fancy a weekend in Blackpool watching Brighton a resounding yes was heard around the room. Love it and so do they!

 

[Prof P]

OK, there's the plan...

- Both are joining the young seagulls this weekend
- We will pencil in March 31, Borough at home, for the boys' first match day experience
- I imediately write a strongly worded letter to the school demanding the removal of Mrs.featherstone from the teaching staff

 

[Boris Yeltsin]

Incidentally, the good twin (not the evil one) picked this up at school, an anti United chant doing the rounds in the playground (to the tune of Deck the Halls)...

Man United are shortsighted, never scored a goal in history
Their defenders watch Eastenders
Tra la la la laaa, la laa laal laa

Children can be so cruel

Can we hire these inventive children to write the Albion a new song??! They might do better than that St Pauli/CP rubbish that we currently sing!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

OK, there's the plan...

- Both are joining the young seagulls this weekend
- We will pencil in March 31, Borough at home, for the boys' first match day experience
- I imediately write a strongly worded letter to the school demanding the removal of Mrs.featherstone from the teaching staff

All good.

 

[Goring-by-Seagull]

I took my 3 year old to his first game in January, against Bristol. He enjoyed it,and sung all the songs/chants (his favourite being oooooooooooh you're poo aaaaahhhhh) etc long after we were home so I said next time I can take him I'll get him a shirt. And that next time was Saturday for the Ipswich game. Got him a shirt, got it printed, he loves it, and hopefully that will be that.

He's an Albion fan now and there's not a lot he can do about it. Like HKFC said, by the time he's THIRTEEN he won't want to know me, apart from going to football. And with any luck he'll have had a decade of games under his belt. So I'm looking forward to it all, and I'm especially looking forward to when he actually knows all the players' names instead of just asking me where Buckley is (running down the wing like always).

make your children support the Albion for your own good, and the good of the club!

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

See my avatar, my eldest supports Palace and my two youngest are mad Albion fans!

 

[Lady Gull]

I may have a united shirt for a 4 year old as my sister in law is a massive united fan and every birthday sent my little girl a football kit down from Manchester - the only downside is it would have her nickname on the back which is MIG so that might put him off!!! To be honest she never wore them as I couldn't bear to put her in the United kit!!!

But I'm sure I will still have them somewhere - I'll have a look

Gullys shirts don't get sent out until their 7th birthday!!!

The shop in George Street might be a good bet!

I even have a Man United beanbag - maybe two in the loft still in the bags they came in as I wouldn't have them on show!!!!

 

[Lady Gull]

OK

I have a full man united kit here including two pairs of footie socks - white shorts - red united Shirt - your welcome to it - don't want anything for it - if he wants it he's welcome to it - never been worn!!!!

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

Love it

Come in on a Thursday or Friday afternoon and I'll make sure all the united shirts are well hidden

 

[pastafarian]

See my avatar, my eldest supports Palace and my two youngest are mad Albion fans!

was the eldest adopted?

 

[Train Spotter]

My twin boys, 4, start after school football next week and I'm now tasked with getting them a football shirt each. I always presumed there would be a dilemma when it got to this stage. Would you...

a) let them choose their own team
b) encourage them to support your local club (currently Charlton or Milwall) or
c) make them support the Albion

Trouble with A is that one of them has decided on supporting Man united. That's not going to happen so he's going to get a red england shirt until I can talk some sense into him. Although the other one has accepted he's getting a Brighton shirt, I can't say he's fully committed since he told the class about it and his teacher said 'but aren't Brighton rubbish?' (f*** you, Mrs Featherstone)

As his support is pretty brittle at the moment I'm loathed shell out £30+. So two things I'd like to ask...

1. where can I get a cheep or second hand brighton shirt for a 4 year old? There's nothing on ebay, amazon, gumtree. It doesn't have top be 11/13 season but it can't be that abomination of an away strip and

2. Any advise on converting the United sympathiser?

Definately c)

You've probably left it a bit late though - all of my kids were taken to BHA games from about 2 months old. Therefore they knew nothing else. BHA through & through.
All 5 of them going to Donny tomorrow - that'll cost me!!

 

[amexee]

See my avatar, my eldest supports Palace and my two youngest are mad Albion fans!

I take it, you have thrown your (cuckoo) child out. May I also suggest going after the dad for some paternity cash

 

[Horses Arse]

Now my serious answer:

C) MAKE them support the Albion

Sign them up pronto for Gullys Gang, so they get sent free stuff. Get them team posters. Take them to a game, or failing that just a visit to the stadium, to look round the shop, have a cake in the bar, etc.

When you feel they are old enough (about 6 in my lads' case) get them to some games, and before you know it they'll be hooked.

This is not just for their own good in football terms - this is going to be massively benficial to your future relationship with your sons. Right now, they are happy four year olds. They want hugs. They want you to read to them and play games with them. They actively want to spend time and share space with you.

However, before you know it they will be THIRTEEN. They will be surly young men, with their own lives and interests. They will not want a hug, or to spend much time with you. You will be of no interest to them, except as a source of money and lifts. You will have nothing in common, with them.

EXCEPT the Albion. My oldest is 13. He gets home from school, grunts, then hides in his room. When I get home, I tell him the Albion news, and its like flicking on a switch. Conversation started. Communication opened. Then every second Saturday, together with his brother, we've a whole day together, travelling to Brighton, grabbing a meal, ejnoying the game, celebrating the goals (the one moment when he still wants a hug!) and then dissecting the game afterwards on the drive home.

Start indocrinating now. You will never, ever regret it.

Very similar experience to mine - i indoctrinated my boys from their first match aged two. Had to get in early as only a few miles from Chelsea. Took them to matches, kitted them out in albion gear and they were great with it. Now aged 12 and 15 it's a massive bond between us; a real opportunity for us to talk and be together with a joint purpose. And now we're fantastic their mates want to come too.

Also well on with my younger two - even managed to get my youngest with Albion as his middle name - happy days!!!

 

[Mutts Nuts]

My twin boys, 4, start after school football next week and I'm now tasked with getting them a football shirt each. I always presumed there would be a dilemma when it got to this stage. Would you...

a) let them choose their own team
b) encourage them to support your local club (currently Charlton or Milwall) or
c) make them support the Albion

Trouble with A is that one of them has decided on supporting Man united. That's not going to happen so he's going to get a red england shirt until I can talk some sense into him. Although the other one has accepted he's getting a Brighton shirt, I can't say he's fully committed since he told the class about it and his teacher said 'but aren't Brighton rubbish?' (f*** you, Mrs Featherstone)

As his support is pretty brittle at the moment I'm loathed shell out £30+. So two things I'd like to ask...

1. where can I get a cheep or second hand brighton shirt for a 4 year old? There's nothing on ebay, amazon, gumtree. It doesn't have top be 11/13 season but it can't be that abomination of an away strip and

2. Any advise on converting the United sympathiser?

My daughter came home from school one day saying she supported Asrenal , i took her to the next game at the Withdean she was converted after a couple of games.I also took my 2 Manure supporting nephews to a couple of games there but they were not so quick to see the light, i have taken them to 4 games at the New ground they are currently asking there mum and dad for Albion shirts ,job done.Take your lads to games buy them shirts, you will not look back they will be Albion for life

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

It's never too late and, with the Amex, just one game can be enough to convert.

A lot of kids have never been to a real match, they only know TV. The real emotion of being there is something different. Also, have some have said above, taking your kids to football has a real bonding effect and I'm sure parents of teens, who share this quality time, have a far better relationship and fewer problems with their kids.

 

[tgretton87]

It's never too late and, with the Amex, just one game can be enough to convert.

A lot of kids have never been to a real match, they only know TV. The real emotion of being there is something different. Also, have some have said above, taking your kids to football has a real bonding effect and I'm sure parents of teens, who share this quality time, have a far better relationship and fewer problems with their kids.

Sky Sports ruining real football watching experiences, NEVER!!

 

[cloud]

1. where can I get a cheep or second hand brighton shirt for a 4 year old? There's nothing on ebay, amazon, gumtree. It doesn't have top be 11/13 season but it can't be that abomination of an away strip and

PM me your details and I'll send you one which is too small for my son (only worn once)

 

[cloud]

2. Any advise on converting the United sympathiser?

My son started off supporting Chelsea, like all his friends. Although we did go to a Chelsea match on his birthday, it costs an arm and a leg. So I started taking him to Albion games and now he refers to Brighton as "we" rather than "they", which means I think we're going in the right direction.

 

[PaoloRossiJohnson]

We lived in Birmingham til my son was 6, and now in Oxfordshire.

Never ANY question of him being anything other than an Albion fan (I grew up in Sussex).

As others have said, take them to a game, buy them a few bits of merchandise that they'll like and use (water bottle, cereal bowl, pens, pencils etc etc), show them the Young Seagulls website, and they'll be hooked for life and there'll always be that bond between you.

Doesn't matter that you live where you live... It's not THAT far to the AMEX, but you've got all the London clubs within easy reach for away games, plus ones slightly further from you (Reading, Ipswich etc).