Advice Wanted

[BCAGFC]

1- Make him watch Chelski thrash Manure on sunday

2- Make him watch Barcelona thrash ManUre on May 28th

3- Try to get him to become a mascot at a BCFC game, preferably a big game.

BCAGFC

[grifty]

I had this problem when I was a kid. Growing up in watford surrounded by Arsenal and Watford fans was tough. I had a soft spot for Bolton and really liked Liverpool (their the only other English club I've owned a shirt from). Luckily my dad and uncle went almost every week and the game that changed me was a friendly - City v Liverpool where it was 1-1. Started going ever since then. Luckily one of my first seasons was our promotions behind Watford so it was pretty interesting.

[The Bard]

I had this problem when I was a kid. Growing up in watford surrounded by Arsenal and Watford fans was tough. I had a soft spot for Bolton and really liked Liverpool (their the only other English club I've owned a shirt from). Luckily my dad and uncle went almost every week and the game that changed me was a friendly - City v Liverpool where it was 1-1. Started going ever since then. Luckily one of my first seasons was our promotions behind Watford so it was pretty interesting.

I got my lad a season ticket before he was 5 thinking we'd be in the premier league. He liked football - always a good starting point. First time I took him he was bored (along with about 15000 others). After that I always left it to him. Do you want to come to the football with your dad or stay at home with your mum and sisters? He chose staying at home once, and regretted it within 15 minutes. I always ask him if he wants to go - it's up to him. He's now a proper fan and has been lucky enough to do the flag waving thing on the pitch. Having Nicky Maynard ruffle his hair made his day. Taking him to a pub before the game helps especially if he has a mate or 2 to muck about with. It's all part of being a fan.

[East Yorkshire CideRed]

Get 'em early I say!

I'm now living in Yorkshire and have been teaching my girlfriend's 4 year old son to sing "One for the Bristol City". Although this isn't very popular with my girlfriend as she wants him to support Leeds (who I refer to as "The Baddies"). Best moment was when the Wurzels were on the One Show the other week and completely unprompted he ran into the kitchen going "It's the Bristol City song!"

[Mr Popodopolous]

I have always thought you should support your local team,

Agree 100%.

Generally about fans of Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea etc from Bristol, it's bad for the game- as the OP said more respect for even true fans of Basement Rovers than said plastics. Bizarrely though, one maybe 2 people I know in Bristol have- wait for it- Newcastle!? as their side. Bizarre or what, not a glory side or a local side.There was a piece in WSC about this phenomenon within the last couple of years, think it called these new sides 'Superteams' or something, as they seem to subsume support from local football- a great shame but the way things have gone sadly.

Here is this piece, general one about Hillsborough but these bits particularly prescient.

Within three years of the Taylor Report and its principal “all-seater” recommendation we had Gazza’s tears, the Premier League launch and the Sky TV deals. It is hard to disentangle the effect of each of these hinge events on football’s new settlement. Nothing much looks to have changed at Saltergate and Griffin Park but at the top end of the game, call it “big match football” if you will, there are two deeper themes that flow more or less directly from Hillsborough: less tumult and more tidiness.

Before Hillsborough the easy metaphor for the match-goer was the soldier as suggested in the old chant “we’re on the march with so and so’s army”. Business analysis would say the equivalent metaphor now is the shopper. But it may be that the worshipper is more appropriate; our Church of Football – bringing families together (and keeping young blokes away). It’s certainly safer than the army.

[Always Believesham]

This is norefelction on city but as a 5 year old upwards i used to despise things and teams that always won, i still don't know why, so Newcastle beating Man Utd 5-0 made me dislike newcastle, for a time, then i realised they're not likely to win anything in the next 50 years as much as they hadn't in the last (this took years though) I turned most hatred to Man Utd, it wasn't right that they just won everything as a kid, I even now would rather see arsenal, chelsea or liverpool win the league than them.

Perhaps because i've always been city, which I have my dad and his dad's influence to bla- thank for that! i'd experienced the trauma of the season finishing with a bizzarre knock-out competition, with Carl Asaba with this amazing hair doo playing for the team that beat us 2-1 - although we won in the first few games of my own experience of live football even one mate who was a forest fan (now villa) hadn't experienced such difficulties as endsleigh division 2. I didn't feel more mature I just felt i'd been given this club by birthright and although family friends helped; my dad is a saint for managing to keep me city with the greater danger of slightly more than a blue few where i'd grown up, and a claret few.

I've got vivid memories of running round the garden singing "The Gas, The Gas, We've gotta get rid of the gas" so perhaps suttle reminders that although we aren't man united it could be worse would help! and make it look as though city make you happy, even if they don't!

Failig that, tell him if city get promoted you'll take him to old trafford! just don't tell him in which end you intend on sitting!

[One Team In Keynsham]

To be honest, there are some positives in poor parental guidance and supporting the same team as your friends, without these 2 things, I'd have been stuck at Eastville, then Twerton and now the Memorial with my dad...

And, whilst I was able to influence my niece's choice of team, I left the country before I could do the same with my nephew, so now he suffers amongst the blue few with his granddad. Whilst this is not ideal, I'd rather he went to Rovers than simply picked a Premier League team to which he has no real link beyond Sky's coverage.

Re the "support your local team" rule: in my view, brainwashing by parents etc is also appropriate as a route to team selection: a friend of mine was brought up in Folkstone, with a "goes home and away" United-supporting dad: he supported United as a result of that, and when he moved back to the NW, continued with them. Nothing wrong at all with that in my book.

Similarly, a Liverpool supporting friend over here had the situation where his son was living back in Liverpool for a few months: the son had never really supported anyone, but due to the influence of his uncles, he started going to watch Everton. His dad, my friend, grudgingly accepted this, given he was at least going to the match.

[havanatopia]

Looking for some advice on how to handle this situation and wondered if anyone else has previously and how they dealt with it...

City have always been my one and only club (yes they were in the top flight when i started going down the gate).

My eldest son (just turned 8) absolutely loves football and I took him to his first 2 matches this season (a draw and a win, quite surprising given how things have gone). Atmosphere not bad, reasonably good games etc etc..... anyway my point is I kinda hoped he would only like Bristol City FC however in recent months such is the coverage of the Premier League, champions league etc he has started saying he likes Man U (personally I'm not a lover - no offence to anyone that does) and has asked for one of their shirts with Rooney on the back for Christmas/birthday and today came downstairs wearing his half brothers 3 year old Man U shirt which was way too big for him.

Without thinking I told him to take it off which he did and gently reminded him City were his club like his dad and grandad and he had no need to like anyone else (poor little sod)..

So how do I deal with the situation ? Just accept he likes them and let him get on with it painful though it is ? Or keep trying to brainwash him in to being City through and through ?

Problem is even some kids at his school tell him City 'are rubbish' and Man U are brilliant etc etc which is another issue and why we will probably never have a big big club in this area.

Have to say I have far more respect for even sags than those that wear Chelsea/Man U/Arsenal tops who are born and bread in Bristol.

Maybe its just me being unrealistic ?

Can I ask if you were anything to do with buying the half brother's manure kit? if not then no issue; if you did then you are not exactly helping yourself.

You cannot really stop him liking what he wants through peer group pressure but for sure do NOT buy him a shirt for Man U... use your loving and diplomatic skills to explain that while you respect his opinion you are not able to buy him a manure kit. if he asks why you simply say I am afraid I dream of you, my son, being as avid a supporter of BCFC as i am and i can think of nothing better than you growing up and coming to matches with your old Dad. Sell him the dream of prem football and then suggest you both write a letter to Steve L asking for it to happen as soon as possible because 'my son wants to support a prem team' .

Clearly its not easy when we are not a prem team and all his school chums might be prem supporters but you have to help yourself to help him while being somewhat firm on certain things. If you say YES to everything he'll turn out a right ruffian!! I remember when i was growing up my older bro spilt paint on my Arsenal shirt.. on purpose of course... he apologised and all that and then went out and bought me a City shirt... i pointed out to him that just because it was red did not mean it was The Arsenal... he said he thought BCFC were a better team to support anyway. I cried a bit, probably on and off for a couple days and then moved on.. as a City fan. so.. just say NO..., mean it and don't change your tune. make sure the Mrs backs you all the way or just refers to you if little Johny goes running to her, obviously.

[REDOXO]

This is an interesting one for me as it takes me back to my own childhood.

The problem I had being brought up for the most part just south of London was that being a City fan was just not going to cut it with the playground gangs. The teams of the late 60's and early 70's in the area were Chelsea and Arsenal also to a somewhat lesser extent Spurs WHU.

My nearest clubs were Aldershot, Brentford and Fulham, but no one in their right mind could care less about them.

My father would drive me every week to City home games and many away, particularly in London and on the South Coast, however when asked at school I was an Arsenal fan and that was that....The point is that by the time I was 11 the realization dawned on me that, I had been going to watch the City from the age of 5 or 6 and whatever I was telling people I was very definately a City fan and started to admit it locally by the age of about 12 when the playground hit squads had moved away from what team you supported to what class/year you were in.

My advice would be buy him his Man U shirt so he can identify with his mates and keep taking him up the City every week....Sooner or Later he will come around!!!!

[bringbacktherobin]

refuse to buy him anything other than city.

[One Team In Keynsham]

This is an interesting one for me as it takes me back to my own childhood.

The problem I had being brought up for the most part just south of London was that being a City fan was just not going to cut it with the playground gangs. The teams of the late 60's and early 70's in the area were Chelsea and Arsenal also to a somewhat lesser extent Spurs WHU.

My nearest clubs were Aldershot, Brentford and Fulham, but no one in their right mind could care less about them.

My father would drive me every week to City home games and many away, particularly in London and on the South Coast, however when asked at school I was an Arsenal fan and that was that....The point is that by the time I was 11 the realization dawned on me that, I had been going to watch the City from the age of 5 or 6 and whatever I was telling people I was very definately a City fan and started to admit it locally by the age of about 12 when the playground hit squads had moved away from what team you supported to what class/year you were in.

My advice would be buy him his Man U shirt so he can identify with his mates and keep taking him up the City every week....Sooner or Later he will come around!!!!

And you were doing so well until this point.....

[REDOXO]

And you were doing so well until this point.....

Well Thank You!!

[Robin101]

I used to be a massive liverpool fan. Not sure why i switched to city, as my dad was never a real city fan, but it may have had something to do with the fact dad could nay be bothered to drive me to a liverpool game. So we went to the gate instead. The rest, is history. (and i now hate liverpool with a passion)

[One Team In Keynsham]

Well Thank You!!

Happy to assist.

[ciderup]

i'm in the same boat as alot of posters.

My lad who is now 10 came to loads of City matches with me (took him away for his 8th birthday at his own request) and he loved bouncing around in the East end until we went to the Ricoh for a game we won 3-0. He was very quiet and didn't seem to enjoy it atall.

After dropping of a mate, I asked him what was up and he eventually replied that he had tried to love City like I do but it was Chelsea or nothing. As Chelsea were the dominant side at the time and top of the Prem, I thought I would let him go with it and he would grow out of it and eventually come back to City.

Hoq wrong was I?? I (stupidly) took him to Stamford Bridge against Wolves and they were sensational! He now has Drogba, Lampard, Terry all over his bedroom walls and wants the new Chelsea shirt with 'Torres' on the back. He has even found a mate of mine who goes to Chelsea regularly and asked if he could go with him (as I said no, I would be watching City). Unfortunately, said mate said 'of course, no problem and he has been true to his word (git)! My lad went up there when they lifted the Premier :League trophy and has been 3 or 4 times this season.

While I hope my lad comes back to City, I fear he is lost to the bloody Premier League! He has no interest atall in watching City, unfortunately.

Imagine how fed up it makes me. I wish to OP the best of luck but it certainly isn't easy.

[22A]

Give him the FACTS!

1905-06 first game of the season City 1 Man U 5, but then City won the next 14 games and went up as Champions.

1967 Man U won the League and 1968 they won the European Cup. Six years later they were RELEGATED and replaced in the top division by Carlisle.

1974-75 season in Div 2; City 1 - Man U 0 and Man U 0 - City 1.

Only a few years later in Div 1 Mabbutt scored a first half hat trick at Old Trafford for City.

City compete in a competative division of 24 teams whilst Man U domestically only have at most four other teams to worry about.

[LongwellRed]

some cracking responses chaps thanks !! I shall gently persevere and will 100% not be buying him a Man U shirt. Really liked the idea of one poster about the option of buying foreign club replica shirts, that's a nice safe option (I hope).

Anyway, 3-0 tomorrow, not a problem.. and he's coming with me whether he likes it or not ha ha..

[Nogbad the Bad]

i'm in the same boat as alot of posters.

My lad who is now 10 came to loads of City matches with me (took him away for his 8th birthday at his own request) and he loved bouncing around in the East end until we went to the Ricoh for a game we won 3-0. He was very quiet and didn't seem to enjoy it atall.

After dropping of a mate, I asked him what was up and he eventually replied that he had tried to love City like I do but it was Chelsea or nothing. As Chelsea were the dominant side at the time and top of the Prem, I thought I would let him go with it and he would grow out of it and eventually come back to City.

Hoq wrong was I?? I (stupidly) took him to Stamford Bridge against Wolves and they were sensational! He now has Drogba, Lampard, Terry all over his bedroom walls and wants the new Chelsea shirt with 'Torres' on the back. He has even found a mate of mine who goes to Chelsea regularly and asked if he could go with him (as I said no, I would be watching City). Unfortunately, said mate said 'of course, no problem and he has been true to his word (git)! My lad went up there when they lifted the Premier :League trophy and has been 3 or 4 times this season.

While I hope my lad comes back to City, I fear he is lost to the bloody Premier League! He has no interest atall in watching City, unfortunately.

10 year olds don't give ultimatum's to their Dad's.

If he's still at Primary School presumably you have to fund his football watching?

He made an ultimatum, Chelsea or nothing?

Bristol City or nothing, son, simple as that.

When he's old enough to pay for himself he can do what he likes, but tell him you're not going to pay for your son to support another team. No chance. Ever.

As for the Chelsea posters, they'd never be on a wall in my house.

Surely one thing every City fan hopes for is to one day have a son they can take to Ashton Gate - yes, there are rival attractions and you need to fight harder these days to ensure it happens, but it's still a fight you should be absolutely determined you will not lose.

[sparkyboy72]

Well mate, i have just gone through this problem and came out the other end with a city convert.

My lad is 10, was Man U mad, my daughter 14 City mad, at the beginning i just accepted that he was just going through a period of following all the other kids following Prem clubs and me and me daughter sticking through and through with City.

I work away alot being in the Forces so dont get to many games which is slowly changing now i am at Lyneham, anyway his first game was Forest the other week, no in the build up tp the big game got the usual rubbish from him about how forest were going to beat us Blah Blah Blah. Match day arrives, luckily we are down in yate for Easter anyway so picked up my brother and away we went to the Game. My thinking is if your going to be a city fan you have to listen to the Wurzles, my pre-match build up listening to the CD on my way down to the gate, park up have a pint of the ole cider then head to the ground.

Anyway we park in the Bedminster Cricket Ground for the obligatory pint or 3 of Apples, now my lad was banned from wearing a Man U top so he's in his Red England one, which he aint happy about but hey man up son this is BCFC not MUFC.

After a couple of hours we make our way to the ground, this is his first game he has ever been to so all the people milling around and the anticipation he starts talking about the City team and whos going to play, so we head into the Shop, My lad is a keeper for his School so the first thing he see's is Jammo, now i can see he is slowly getting hook. He asks for a poster, then a autograph book, next minute "Dad can i have a shirt", i'm like you want a shirt, it's not Man U, he says I think i'm going to like City now, so off he trots picks up his shirt and off to the till i go.

Anyway to cut a long story short, He now wears his Man U top under duress, City top is best. Hey Hoo we have a new Red.

Wont work for every one, worked for me, in the car he asks for the Wurzles CD to be put on, Wife hates it so of course it gets played . Oh and he likes a Cider shandy as well just so he can be like his dad Happy Days.

[ciderup]

10 year olds don't give ultimatum's to their Dad's.

If he's still at Primary School presumably you have to fund his football watching?

He made an ultimatum, Chelsea or nothing?

Bristol City or nothing, son, simple as that.

When he's old enough to pay for himself he can do what he likes, but tell him you're not going to pay for your son to support another team. No chance. Ever.

As for the Chelsea posters, they'd never be on a wall in my house.

Surely one thing every City fan hopes for is to one day have a son they can take to Ashton Gate - yes, there are rival attractions and you need to fight harder these days to ensure it happens, but it's still a fight you should be absolutely determined you will not lose.

Sorry Nogbad, I put it badly. He meant he supports Chelsea rather than our glorious reds, no ultimatums from him atall.

He knows where my loyalties, those of his grandad, uncles etc lie and sometimes I reckon he only does it to wind me up.

It's a battle I will win eventually and I will keep trying. If he doesn't change, I can always wind the blue nosed little git up with the professional pics we had done of him in his little City kit with his gramps and myself!

His little sis is City through and through already but he will change eventually.

BTW, I take your point about the posters, decorating on Sunday and they are lined up for the bin!!

[Ron]

Have to say I have far more respect for even sags than those that wear Chelsea/Man U/Arsenal tops who are born and bread in Bristol.

Agreed. You have my condolences sir.