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Taking the little ones


mozo

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In more seriousness, I tried my son (other than for the Carey testimonial at 10 months) at about four. Too much into cars then and wasn’t overly interested. From 6 (nearly 7) post World Cup 18, he’s been all over it. To the point of being up all night a week ago singing “Cardiff get battered”

My daughter I took from about 6-7 as well. Still into it at 13.

I think from that I’d recommend age 6!

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Just now, Silvio Dante said:

In more seriousness, I tried my son (other than for the Carey testimonial at 10 months) at about four. Too much into cars then and wasn’t overly interested. From 6 (nearly 7) post World Cup 18, he’s been all over it. To the point of being up all night a week ago singing “Cardiff get battered”

My daughter I took from about 6-7 as well. Still into it at 13.

I think from that I’d recommend age 6!

Yeah, id probably agree with that, at 2 they would have no idea what’s happening and will be wanting to run around all the time!

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2 minutes ago, mozo said:

No, I don't mean Lee Johnson and Jay DaSilva... 

Taking kids to football for the first time!

What age? What was it like? Any advice for a dad of a 2 year old?

What advice?  Don’t do it.  A two year old will have zero interest in football  so why take him / her?  All that will happen is you are unable to watch the match and you’ll just cause problems for those sitting near you. They have gone to watch the match, not listen to your problems, no matter how nice your child is. 

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16 minutes ago, mozo said:

No, I don't mean Lee Johnson and Jay DaSilva... 

Taking kids to football for the first time!

What age? What was it like? Any advice for a dad of a 2 year old?

I took my nephew for the first time when he was about 6, he was bored sh*tless (it was that cup game v Sheff Wed we lost 3-0 so it was sh*t) but we got him to count the crowd which kept him entertained!  He’s now nearly 18 and has a season ticket!

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15 minutes ago, Mayes86 said:

Funny you should mention this I’m taking my 5 yr old daughter to her first game this weekend. I’m taking a spare phone fully charged for the inevitable “dad I’m bored” after 5 minutes ?

Good luck mate :P

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A guy used to sit in front of me in the Atyeo with three very small children. He brought supplies, booster seats and activities, usually games and comics. They were really well behaved, got a bit scared at the shouting from the fans but sat through most of the game, watched it sporadically. I don’t know if they still come.

 

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1 hour ago, mozo said:

No, I don't mean Lee Johnson and Jay DaSilva... 

Taking kids to football for the first time!

What age? What was it like? Any advice for a dad of a 2 year old?

Is this really a question,he might be able to say when he’s 55 I’ve been watching the city for 53 years but enjoy your son while he’s young for Christ sake 

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1 hour ago, Silvio Dante said:

In more seriousness, I tried my son (other than for the Carey testimonial at 10 months) at about four. Too much into cars then and wasn’t overly interested. From 6 (nearly 7) post World Cup 18, he’s been all over it. To the point of being up all night a week ago singing “Cardiff get battered”

Randomly, this has reminded me that I and my mate when aged about 10 got put in retention for singing in the school corridor "He's here, he's there, he's every f'cking where, Gerry Gow, Gerry Gow!". 

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21 minutes ago, City Rocker said:

Randomly, this has reminded me that I and my mate when aged about 10 got put in retention for singing in the school corridor "He's here, he's there, he's every f'cking where, Gerry Gow, Gerry Gow!". 

Mate, you wouldn’t believe it. We got back from Cardiff about half four and he was in that excited and tired at the same time phase so went to sleep at seven. 
 

He then woke up at eleven and sang through the night. At 6am I went in his room and asked him what he was doing (the missus had tried to calm him down during the night and I slept through!). He professed to not being able to get to sleep. I explained that dancing on his rug and singing “Cardiff get battered” was somehow less conducive than counting sheep…

I nearly put him in more than detention !

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My 10 year old is now on his 2nd season as a ST holder.

basically they’ll either like it or they won’t. I first took mine when he was 7. He got a bit bored and still does when it’s boring games haha. At first advise I’d give us fully charged phone and bring your own food crisps and sweets as it can get expensive. And try not to force it if they get a bit bored and ask for your phone, let them. I’ve just started taking him to away games and he’s totally hooked 

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My son did his first match at 8 weeks and slept through almost the whole game, but I guess that one doesn't really count.

Did the occasional game from about 7-8 years old but he didn't really get into it until he was about 10 and has now had a ST for 5 years (he's 15 now).

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Took my kids sporadically from when my lad was about 4. Have been going for last 8 years , last 5 or so as season ticket holders. First year or so was a combination of going for a hot dog, toilet break, phone gaming, and a small amount of football watching. 5 prob feels about right age but guess it’s different for everyone. 

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First took my girl to a home game when she was 5,she loved it , I think that’s about the right age to start them off.She’s 9 now. First game for a long time this Saturday and we are looking forward to it. We don’t go that often and tend to make a day of it, trip down on the bus,boat across the harbour, meet up with friends in the pub etc.

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My nephew went to his first game (not City) the other week at age 4 with my sister in law and her family. They had his gran there as an insurance to take him home if he didn't like it.

He enjoyed bits but didn't like it getting too noisy and did spend a lot of the time watching YouTube on his mum's phone.

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2 minutes ago, Mayes86 said:

Hah, cheers mate. Guess it’ll be a few years before you take your little one? 

He's interested when it's on the telly, but think it's probably the different colours. After a while he just starts playing with his toes to be fair :laughcont:

He's just starting to pull himself up and does become fascinated when he sees a ball, so who knows.

Soph says he's not allowed to go because of the swearing. Silly woman, I probably swear at the dog more shouting at her to stop licking his face! :doh:

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I took my son when he was 5, he got a bit bored now and again but loved joining in the singing.

My advice, take you're Mrs/girlfriend and when the child needs a toilet break she will be there on hand to deal with it....you don't want to miss any of the game.

My son is mascot on Saturday and we are both buzzing.

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12 minutes ago, Taz said:

He's interested when it's on the telly, but think it's probably the different colours. After a while he just starts playing with his toes to be fair :laughcont:

He's just starting to pull himself up and does become fascinated when he sees a ball, so who knows.

Soph says he's not allowed to go because of the swearing. Silly woman, I probably swear at the dog more shouting at her to stop licking his face! :doh:

Swearing is part of the reason I’ve chosen the front of the old B block of the dolman rather than the south stand where I usually go ?

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2 hours ago, Mayes86 said:

Funny you should mention this I’m taking my 5 yr old daughter to her first game this weekend. I’m taking a spare phone fully charged for the inevitable “dad I’m bored” after 5 minutes ?

Please please please make sure the phone is muted.

Last game I had a young kid sat behind me on his phone, fair enough, except I had to listen to the same awful ******* 6 second jingle on a loop for 90 minutes.

Nearly went mad.

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Parents like me invariably get stressed about our kids being exposed to swearing and aggressive behaviour. But I started gong at 7 in the 70’s when the atmosphere in every respect  worse than now - I remember dodging bricks, literally, while trying to get into the schoolboys enclosure, quite apart from ‘My old man said be a Rovers fan ‘…-  and  I can’t say I was harmed in any way. Really about memories for me- I really loved going at 7, but I have only fleeting memories of it now, so there’s probably not too much point in taking the very young.

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1 hour ago, Northern Red said:

Regarding the swearing, I first went when I was 7 (30 years ago now!) and was told by my Dad that I'd probably hear some bad language, and that if I ever repeated it then I wouldn't be allowed to go again.

In my case it was my dad doing the swearing - “Mabbutt you effing fairy” to the laughs from the Liverpool fans we were stood with in the away / open end!

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I've mentioned it before but one of the funniest things I've heard at the match was leaving the ground a few years ago after a particularly miserable midweek home defeat and a young lad, no older than about 8 or 9, saying to his Dad "do we have to come again on Saturday?" To which his Dad replied "Yes! Now man up, it's character building!"

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40 minutes ago, Oh Louie louie said:

The game citys bench swore. was when, john emmanuel made his debut.

Steve johnstone knocked himself out on a goalpost.

To cap it off we lost 3 2 to walsall.

That would have drove a monk to swear!

Must have been Gary Emmanuel.

Just looked up the 3-2 home defeat, it was in August '85, and fortunately a rare game I missed as I got married that day!

Heard about all the stick Emmanuel was getting - it made the English papers in Yugoslavia - and by the time I got back from honeymoon he was out of the team, and had possibly even already left the club.

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Took my son down when he was 4 - with his own City hav-a-sac full of goodies & drinks - and he loved it from the off and never looked back.

Mostly that was in the family enclosure, lower Dolman, but there were more adults there than children and a good atmosphere - plenty of linesman baiting etc., so he quickly realised AG was a place to be partisan.

He certainly wouldn't have enjoyed being miles away from the action somewhere like the Upper Lansdown!

From about 6 years old he was charging down to the front track when City scored with about 20 other young lads to congratulate the scorer so was very involved in the action from a young age.

 

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Might add it doesn't work for everyone.

A friend couldn't wait to take his son to AG, and when he was about 3 proudly carried him on his shoulders to stand in the the open bit of the EE.

When City scored the noise and uproar upset him so much he burst into tears and eventually my friend had to take him home.

He was so put off he never went to another match!

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13 hours ago, Bedred31 said:

Parents like me invariably get stressed about our kids being exposed to swearing and aggressive behaviour. But I started gong at 7 in the 70’s when the atmosphere in every respect  worse than now - I remember dodging bricks, literally, while trying to get into the schoolboys enclosure, quite apart from ‘My old man said be a Rovers fan ‘…-  and  I can’t say I was harmed in any way. Really about memories for me- I really loved going at 7, but I have only fleeting memories of it now, so there’s probably not too much point in taking the very young.

I took my daughter to her first match (Burnley at home, September 1999) when she was 4. About 15 minutes in she whispered to me - 'Dad, Dad - that man - he said ****' - Obviously she'd heard the word before - probably from me...the shock was that it had been said in public!

She's now a highly respectable vet working in London so I'm not convinced it does any harm!

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6 hours ago, Northern Red said:

Regarding the swearing, I first went when I was 7 (30 years ago now!) and was told by my Dad that I'd probably hear some bad language, and that if I ever repeated it then I wouldn't be allowed to go again.

My lad is 11 now. Been going since he was 7, and our message to him regarding swearing has always been the same - It's ok to listen and hear swearing, but not to repeat it.

Let's be honest, all of these kids are going to school, and the playground will be equally as bad a place if kids are copying what's being sung at stadiums, but the same applies to my son - it's alright to hear these things, just don't repeat.

I'm more than happy for him to be street wise and understand things, but I just don't want him to act streetwise if that makes sense.

The same applies to PlayStation games or movies that he watches - happy for them to have swearing in, but just not the grotesque violence, which is a whole different kettle of fish.

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Me and my son (15) are regulars and sit in the Dolman. When i take my daughter (10) we move to the Lansdown, just 'cos of language basically, and its crazy to see the picnics on display from parents with young kids. Sat behind one mum and dad - only dad watching the game and kids on their phones being fed sweets/crisps etc by their mum who wasnt watching the game either. Personally i would take a child younger than 7 as you wont be able to concentrate, and just end up shoveling snacks into them to shut them up. Then there is the toilet trips and preventing them from being squashed on the way out. Nah. Good luck anyway

 

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If you want to 'baptise' them in the red n white at AG then take them young, no problem.

If you want them to sit with you to watch a game and interact with what's going on, then 6-8 is probably a good age. All kids are different of course. 

As a tip, id recommended an early or late season game. Took my son to his first a few years back, home to Ipswich in Jan/Feb, and bar Sheff Wed at home with the snow, donkey's years ago, it was the coldest I'd ever been at a game and we were sat up near the media area in the Lansdown with the wind on us the whole time. He was basically on an IV drip of hot chocolate for 2 hours!

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I took my eldest when he was 4.  At the time he was very nervous of loud noises particularly bangs so I explained it carefully that if we scored it would get very noisy instantly but there was nothing to worry about, we were all city fans having a good time and to join in.

As I recall we did not score in the first half but in those days, there were often half time entertainments.  What did we get that day on the pitch at half time, only some army demonstration !

Gun noises, fake grenades, loud bangs everywhere.  I often recall the look on his face with his hands over his ears.

Still it didn’t put him off, he’s 24 now, hardly missed a match since, worships the gate like me.

The advice - Plan everything from sweets to drinks, snacks to toilets.  Oh and stay to the end, I didn’t offer him the chance to leave the Dolman early, now he moans at the early leavers, makes I chuckle.

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Took our lad from about 4. Luckily we live very close to the ground so I'd take him initially to a few games for about 20 mins in the middle of the 2nd half to just get used to noise/crowds etc. 

Started to take him to games properly at about 5. Now he's 8 and massively into football and sits next to me in the Dolman no problem. 

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9 hours ago, Floatn Over said:

I took my eldest when he was 4.  At the time he was very nervous of loud noises particularly bangs so I explained it carefully that if we scored it would get very noisy instantly but there was nothing to worry about, we were all city fans having a good time and to join in.

As I recall we did not score in the first half but in those days, there were often half time entertainments.  What did we get that day on the pitch at half time, only some army demonstration !

Gun noises, fake grenades, loud bangs everywhere.  I often recall the look on his face with his hands over his ears.

Still it didn’t put him off, he’s 24 now, hardly missed a match since, worships the gate like me.

The advice - Plan everything from sweets to drinks, snacks to toilets.  Oh and stay to the end, I didn’t offer him the chance to leave the Dolman early, now he moans at the early leavers, makes I chuckle.

That takes me back.

We're probably long overdue a visit from the police dog display team or someone parachuting in for some reason!

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On 07/09/2021 at 22:21, Taz said:

He's interested when it's on the telly, but think it's probably the different colours. After a while he just starts playing with his toes to be fair :laughcont:

He's just starting to pull himself up and does become fascinated when he sees a ball, so who knows.

Soph says he's not allowed to go because of the swearing. Silly woman, I probably swear at the dog more shouting at her to stop licking his face! :doh:

Children learn all the swear words in the school playground!

I took my son to reserve games where he could move around if bored with the match.

PS. No drinks or food of any kind. Chocolate was still rationed! I just wanted to see at 5 years what I had read about in the newspapers. The noise made it so much more exciting.

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8 hours ago, CyderInACan said:

Took our lad from about 4. Luckily we live very close to the ground so I'd take him initially to a few games for about 20 mins in the middle of the 2nd half to just get used to noise/crowds etc. 

Started to take him to games properly at about 5. Now he's 8 and massively into football and sits next to me in the Dolman no problem. 

My eldest lad is 30 and now makes as much noise as the 8 year olds but doesn’t sit by me anymore….I’d say around 5 is a good time to take em…:yawn:

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Thinking of taking my young boy to a game soon before we aren’t allowed due to him not having the vaccine.  Where would be the best place for families to sit ? Lansdown upper tier ? 

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My son is just about to turn 8 and this is the first season he has really got into going to live games, actually watched nearly all of the Swansea game. Previously he has watched bits at best.

Take lots of snacks and warm clothes (even now) be prepared to have to miss a large chunk of the action yourself and then leave early probably but worth a go for nothing else than practice for the future.

I would suggest minimum age for them to actually sit and watch the game is 7.

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When my lad was about 8 or 9, Mrs Jacko had a job that meant she worked most Saturdays.  Having the parental role on match days I’d ask if he wanted to go and watch City.  Nope, he wanted to go to Melksham Town so he could play footy with his mates behind the stand at the old Conigre.  Eventually got him down the Gate, took him into the Dolman so he could look down from the very top.   SOLD!!!!  The rest, as they say, is history ?

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59 minutes ago, Mayes86 said:

Well here we are my daughters first game and here stupidly early  cause she was too excited

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That's great to see mate. Hope she gets a win and enjoys it ?

I'm wearing the same vintage of shirt as you. I don't think that guarantees us any luck though.

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