Indoctrination.

[bricktop]

In a couple of weeks Brownie junior will be reaching the grand old age of 3.

As i'm no longer with his Mum, who is also a Wednesdayite, i want to start taking him to the Lane as soon as is practically possible, so would 3 be too young.

I've declined to take him to Wembley, but i think from next season he might become a Lane regular. Would 3 be too early, and what would be the best way of breaking him.

I'm thinking a couple of pre-season games, and sitting on the family stand?

 

[alcoblade]

I started my lads with the old season reviews on TV. Sit 'em down, feed em shite, and keep the video's rolling. It's amazing how good we look when it's just about scoring goals. As you pass, throw in the odd "this is the greatest football club in the world", "bigger than barcelona" into it . Rinse and repeat for several years.

The result - 2 lifelong Blades who were too far into it before they realised I was lying like fuck with the Barca comparisions.

Tip: Stop with the Barca comparisons after several years or they start to believe it, and turn into Wednesdayites.

UTB

 

[WhiteHawk]

Personally I think I would probably leave it till 5 or 6 years old. Would he be able to understand and appreciate it at 3 years old or would the noise be too much for him and it frighten him? (Genuine question, I don't have kids so I don't really know at what age they change from snotty, crying, shitting machines to walking, talking young children whose favourite phrase is "Dad, can I have...." !!

Someone who sits near me though took their kid to the match when it was about 2 or 3 weeks old. Now THATS too young!

 

[Highbury_Blade]

I suspect this is a case of getting at him before his mum does (Or his mum's parents/family).

In which case i would say think about what's best for the kid, not best for you. If that means he/she grows up as a grunter, then so be it.

 

[WhiteHawk]

I suspect this is a case of getting at him before his mum does (Or his mum's parents/family).

Yeh good point. In which case, get him to Wembley! Also, I don't know who has got custody of him but if its his Mum then you need to make sure you have him EVERY single time Wednesday are at home!

 

[alcoblade]

I suspect this is a case of getting at him before his mum does (Or his mum's parents/family).

In which case i would say think about what's best for the kid, not best for you. If that means he/she grows up as a grunter, then so be it.

I can think of no positives whasoever if your kids grew up as porkers. This thought needs removing, immediately.

UTB

 

[bricktop]

I suspect this is a case of getting at him before his mum does (Or his mum's parents/family).

In which case i would say think about what's best for the kid, not best for you. If that means he/she grows up as a grunter, then so be it.

It does come to a case of what is best for him, it's either spending every saturday getting dragged round the shop with his mum, saying can i, can i, can i, or regular trips to the football with Daddy. I know what i would have enjoyed more

 

[bricktop]

Yeh good point. In which case, get him to Wembley! Also, I don't know who has got custody of him but if its his Mum then you need to make sure you have him EVERY single time Wednesday are at home!

Wembley might be a bit too much for him for the first time, so thats why he won't be going, and our ex's old man is a Blade as well, so our season tickets might go to my young un and her old man when i'm at work to guarantee attendance.

 

[BladeInBC]

I took my eldest to watch the Blades last time we were over in Blighty. He was 4 and loved it - still remembers it fondly (we beat Charlton 3-1). He's 8 now and the next one down is 6. I'll take them when we're there at the start of next season but for some reason I won't be taking our 4 year old... I don't think he's old enough!

 

[Swinging a Pig]

My nephew has been to his first games this season.
His first was Orient won 3-1 and the second the 2-2 draw against Stevenage.
He enjoyed the Orient game and couldn't wait to go again, but was less enthused by the latter.
On leaving the ground he said that he didn't want to watch United anymore, his dad told him it is just part of being a Blade.
He is football mad at the moment and is now looking forward to Euro's. He has just got the new England shirt and can not wait.
This could be a very short love affair with the game.

 

[2ndtenorblade]

I love this thread, bringing up your kids right? It's all a matter of timing and all kids are individuals and all circumstances are different. Mine is a long story but my two lads are 25 (twins), one got really interested in football watching USA 94 with me. He thought Klinnsman was the dogs nads and started fancying Spuds. The other had a piggy mate and wanted a piggy shirt, fuck that. I had made their Mum (bless her) a Blade in the 70's, easy peasy. We had stopped going during the 4th div. and Bassett years, but no way were they going to be anything but Blades. I apologised to them after Cardiff for making them Blades and again after Burnley and several other times. They have thanked me for making them Blades on several occasions, we have not missed many games this season home or away and will be sat together in block 502 row 12 at Wembley, please win and let my Wife and my Dad see it too.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

It does come to a case of what is best for him, it's either spending every saturday getting dragged round the shop with his mum, saying can i, can i, can i, or regular trips to the football with Daddy. I know what i would have enjoyed more

In that case, get him down the lane! Should be even easier to swing if te ex's dad is a blade

 

[stannyblade]

My lad is 5 and this is his first season. To be fair he hasnt been any bother at all and is going to Wembley next week. In fact he is the only reason Im going as well. If you do take him Brownie then I would say take him on the Family Stand unless you sit right at the front of the kop. First off buy him a shirt so he knows the difference between red n white and Shite and white

 

[ZoneManWilf]

My Dad took me to my first match when I was 3. 79/80 season, all I remember is the beautiful well mowed greenness of the pitch, the sharpness of the white lines and the hugeness of the ground - simply the biggest building I'd ever seen or been in. It's probably one of my earliest memories, can't really place anything else specific to be honest.

No idea about the match, we apparently won

3 is probably a bit young really, I'd say 5 is about right.

 

[Ted Danson]

Personally I think I would probably leave it till 5 or 6 years old. Would he be able to understand and appreciate it at 3 years old or would the noise be too much for him and it frighten him? (Genuine question, I don't have kids so I don't really know at what age they change from snotty, crying, shitting machines to walking, talking young children whose favourite phrase is "Dad, can I have...." !!

Someone who sits near me though took their kid to the match when it was about 2 or 3 weeks old. Now THATS too young!

Do you sit around row QQ in the middle of the Kop? shes my friend and he seems to like the footy, yes I think he was 2 weeks old for his first match. Your Never too young to go to the lane!

Cant remember my first trip but think I must have been around 3 when my family moved back to Sheff and been sat on the Kop ever since, well except 1 dull season on the SS

 

[Jonboy60]

Pity he won't be able to enjoy the delight of sitting on his dads shoulders, on the kop, standing only, packed like sardines, the madness when a goals been scored. I know it sounds a little unsafe for one so young, but when your with your dad, the atmosphere and the excitement is unparalleled. And you feel safe as houses, especially on a night match. (sighs with the memory)?

 

[super_pig]

mate.. you're his dad.. they can take him to as many games as they like but it isn't the same as going with his dad.

 

[stannyblade]

mate.. you're his dad.. they can take him to as many games as they like but it isn't the same as going with his dad.

Very true. There isnt anything better than taking your lad to the game. I love taking my boy

 

[WhiteHawk]

Do you sit around row QQ in the middle of the Kop? shes my friend and he seems to like the footy, yes I think he was 2 weeks old for his first match. Your Never too young to go to the lane!

Cant remember my first trip but think I must have been around 3 when my family moved back to Sheff and been sat on the Kop ever since, well except 1 dull season on the SS

Yeh I do sit round there. He does seem to enjoy it actually yes!

 

[Ted Danson]

Hes got his first trip to Wembley next week too, lets hope we all enjoy that

 

[WhiteHawk]

Hes got his first trip to Wembley next week too, lets hope we all enjoy that

Fingers crossed!

 

[Blade nath]

My Dad starting taking me at the age of 2. Watching a few games on the Kop now and again. 15 years later, iv'e seen United at what i know as 'good' (according to the family who are all blades) And have been a season ticket holder for 7 years. IMO it's not hard to fall in love with the Blades.

 

[metalblade]

Make their 1st game a night match, up the steps and enter at the back of the kop........... no young pup could fail to be impressed looking down onto the pitch bathed in floodlights, if that don't hook him nothing will.

 

[raul]

Think three is a bit young, but have a go and see what he thinks. Ita was four and half when I started taking her,(Fulham, last game of the old millenium )but she'd have been equally happy with trips to Knostrop Sewage Works. Ito was three and a half (Bolton, week we sold Benty to Blackburn) and for a brief and very expensive period I took both of them. Take some books etc with you as he wont watch all the game. As I suspect Norks will recall, I spent more time making trips to the toilets and traipsing round looking for Captain Blade than watching games. Key is not to force feed him, but bring him a few times a year until he decides he's old enough to want to come reguarly.

However, both have kept the faith in spite of the absence of like-mindeds up here.

 

[FleaPitBlade]

When I coached the pups at the Dronfield Town nursery a few years ago (4-7 year olds), it saddened me the number who cared not for SUFC or SWFC but were more interested in pretending to be Gerrard, Rooney or *sigh* Drogba. 40 kids, all from the Sheffield area, and only ever a scattering in blue/red & white stripes amongst the all red/all blue.

So my advice to parents would be thus. take them as young as you possibly can (or feel safe doing). No, they may not appreciate it, and you may spend all day keeping them entertained instead of watching any football but the alternative is that you may find that, at 4 years old, they've already formed an allegience outwith the area thanks to the TV and by that point you'll have missed the boat.

 

[KPO]

Been taking my grandson since he was two - he's now five. He loves every minute of it. We get there early and get player's autographs (car park behind the kop) although that's more recent. He enjoys watching the warm up as well. He can now tell me more about the players than I know - even who has changed boots at half time! When we needed a push chair, we were allowed to go in through the disabled entrance and leave it under the stairs there. Admittedly there have been times when he's got a bit bored - always have plenty of food for him and he likes looking through the programme even just looking at the pictures..

Unfortunately, his other grandparents take him to the dark side and he loves that as well.

 

[PandaCola]

When I took my daughters, they always hated it in the family stand. It may just be bad luck, but we have always ended up in the middle of groups of very grumpy pensioners.
Both have gone on to become fully fledged Millers after going with their mates on free tickets from school. Isn't this something we should do more of? I know there are great deals for season tickets, but that is preaching to the converted. I remember some of the games in the 4th division, esp the 7-3 against Northampton, there were loads of kids on freebies and I 'm sure some of them must have got the bug.

 

[Hodgyman]

My own lad was introduced to the blessed at just over 2. His concentration on the game was understanably not very good, but a suitably large bag of sweets got him through the full 90 minutes. He has since developed into a fellow sufferer. My grandson was introduced at 5 and keeping him interested (enough for me to enjoy the match) was an easier task. This time armed with plenty of "balm" such as United score more goals when we eat "goal mints" and a programme. Thanks to United's brilliant Junior Season ticket offers of late, he is a regular at the Lane and is looking forward to seeing his beloved Blades at Wembley in person.

 

[Northyorksblade]

Think three is a bit young, but have a go and see what he thinks. Ita was four and half when I started taking her,(Fulham, last game of the old millenium )but she'd have been equally happy with trips to Knostrop Sewage Works. Ito was three and a half (Bolton, week we sold Benty to Blackburn) and for a brief and very expensive period I took both of them. Take some books etc with you as he wont watch all the game. As I suspect Norks will recall, I spent more time making trips to the toilets and traipsing round looking for Captain Blade than watching games. Key is not to force feed him, but bring him a few times a year until he decides he's old enough to want to come reguarly.

However, both have kept the faith in spite of the absence of like-mindeds up here.

I remember well! SI'DOWN!!
Our grandson Jack was 6 when we started taking him and loved it from the start, but he would at that time, also sit through almost any televised game of football, so I suspected he'd be OK. Just recently we had both kids for the weekend, so I was forced to take his sister aged nine, who is not interested in football. It was the Stevenage 2-2 game. She quite liked all the swearing But kept making comments like, only ten minutes 30 seconds left, can we score 2 goals. Only 2 minutes 15 seconds etc etc 'SHUT UP ELLIE AND WATCH THE GAME' So if he gets bored, you will have to have more patience than me.

 

[iggle-theblade]

its tricky if you leave it too long it takes them longer to get used to the noise.
my daughter is 6 now and has had a season ticket for 3 years she went to wembley last time age 3 and is now used to the surroundings and atmosphere at a football match its hard work at the start but it is worth it now as she enjoys coming with me and she is even more excited about going to wembley this time.

her sister isn't that bothered about football but the idea of taking both of them at a young age was a handful though they have been to a couple this season toghether and been ok.

1 tip is to tell them the toilets only open before and at half time then when the final whistle goes so as not to miss any goals taking them to the toilet works wonders HA HA