Indoctrination.

[maidmarion]

I have three children. The first , a girl went to her first football match at about 15 months old. I had to take her...no babysitter , she is still an avid Blade. I then had a boy and his first away match was when he was little over a year old when he went to Chesterfield. However at the age of three he was a bit of a rascal so we had to find somewhere he couldnt disturb other people and I do recomend plenty of food but not drinks as the little beggars always want a wee at the wrong time. My third was born during the football season( the others were planned so I didn't miss any matches!). Something went wrong with her as she HATES football....oh well 2 out of 3 isnt bad.

I would get him down there for a pre season game and see how he goes. But remember that he may need lots of attention during the game so be prepared!! Good luck.

 

[bricktop]

Current obsession. Stickers. Doesn't matter what type of stickers, but as long as he can stick them where he likes then he is happy, so its going to be a summer of having a sticker book, and collecting football stickers, then when pre-season comes he can come with me!

 

[Deleted member 2102]

I am contemplating taking my eldest daughter who is five to Wembley for her first football match. She only really likes princesses and ballet and thinks all boys are smelly (I hope this continues for a while yet) and always sulks when any sport is on the TV so it maybe a struggle. I guess given United's records in the payoffs it is as likely that I will be pestering her to leave early so maybe it will be ok.

 

[Darren]

I am contemplating taking my eldest daughter who is five to Wembley for her first football match. She only really likes princesses and ballet and thinks all boys are smelly (I hope this continues for a while yet) and always sulks when any sport is on the TV so it maybe a struggle. I guess given United's records in the payoffs it is as likely that I will be pestering her to leave early so maybe it will be ok.

I first took my daughter when she was 5 to the Sunderland game at the start of the 97-98 season. That was Deane's return, a boiling hot day and we won 2-0.

Unfortunately, aged 20, she now has zero interest in football but delights in telling me she supports Oxford United (she is at Christ Church Oxford, which I may have mentioned before). She likes boys and booze though....

 

[Deleted member 2102]

I first took my daughter when she was 5 to the Sunderland game at the start of the 97-98 season. That was Deane's return, a boiling hot day and we won 2-0.

Unfortunately, aged 20, she now has zero interest in football but delights in telling me she supports Oxford United (she is at Christ Church Oxford, which I may have mentioned before). She likes boys and booze though....

I think she knows deep down that as she is one of three girls that she is going to have to go to the match at some stage.

 

[Darren]

I think she knows deep down that as she is one of three girls that she is going to have to go to the match at some stage.

My son is not much better. His first game was also aged 5 and another memorable one. The 4-2 defeat at Norwich in October 2000. We went 2-0 up, ended up losing 4-2, with Bent sent off and Monty making his debut as sub. To cap it off a fight broke out between two United fans in the row in front of us and the people behind us lifted my son to safety as the police threw the two guys out.

Now aged nearly 17, he still nominally supports United and will go to a game with me if I guilt trip him enough, but again has virtually no interest in football (he wasn't even aware United had won the play off semi until I told him last Saturday).

I blame their mum....

 

[JJ Sefton]

This is all rather odd, I became a Unitedite despite my dad not wanting me to.

 

[norfolkblade]

My son is not much better. His first game was also aged 5 and another memorable one. The 4-2 defeat at Norwich in October 2000. We went 2-0 up, ended up losing 4-2, with Bent sent off and Monty making his debut as sub. To cap it off a fight broke out between two United fans in the row in front of us and the people behind us lifted my son to safety as the police threw the two guys out.

That was the first ever game I went to as a kid, and followed the Blades as a second team for a couple of years (I was brought up as a ManUre fan by my old man (God bless him) and had little choice!) but rebelled against the establishment in about 2004 and became a fully fledged Blade. Funnily enough, the deputy head at school was a Blade, and was amazed one mufty day to see me wearing a Blades shirt and I still occasionally see him in the area from time to time, top bloke.

 

[marky200484]

I was mates with a couple of kids at school who were Blades and that was my allegiance made.

My Dad is a Man Utd fan, albeit one that does actually go to matches so he's not quite as bad as the rest. My first United match was when he took me to watch us play Man Utd at home, think it was the FA Cup and I think we lost 1-0 and Mark Hughes scored, then got sent off? I could be making most of that up.

He then took me again when we drew 2-2 with Leeds and then I started going on my own several years later

 

[SwissBlade]

My Niece (God Daughter) has a Wednesday-ite Dad and all his family are piggies. We’re all Blades. It was never my duty to make her a Blade, but merely to allow her to see the options available to her that don’t involve her being a piggy.

In fairness she wasn’t really into football and despite my mum’s subtle tricks, she remained neutral (although she did ask a while ago why Sheffield United were better than Daddy’s team. I had to explain that one).

However, recently she has proclaimed that she is a “Man City Fan”. Its because Daddy supports the pigs and everyone else is a Blade, she doesn’t want to take sides. Fair enough.

I consider this Job done. She’s not a piggy... at least not yet

 

[Darren]

I was mates with a couple of kids at school who were Blades and that was my allegiance made.

My Dad is a Man Utd fan, albeit one that does actually go to matches so he's not quite as bad as the rest. My first United match was when he took me to watch us play Man Utd at home, think it was the FA Cup and I think we lost 1-0 and Mark Hughes scored, then got sent off? I could be making most of that up.

He then took me again when we drew 2-2 with Leeds and then I started going on my own several years later

100% right on the Man Utd game. 3rd Round - 9th Jan 94.

The Leeds game was on 13th March 94. We went 2-0 down (withe Deane getting 1 for them) but came back with 2 goals in the last 10 mins through Flo and Gayle.

 

[marky200484]

Cheers Darren

I knew we were 2-0 down as we left and were back on the M1 before it came through the radio that it was now 2-2. I don't remember anything of that match, whether we had to leave early for a reason or the game was just crap I'll have to ask him one day

 

[sothall blade]

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?

the trouble is with leaving it too late brownie,is you always have the nagging feeling that someone else like grandparents etc may step in and corrupt the you,un with tales of the massive ! sooner the better for me

 

[shorehamview]

Small SV was registered as a Junior Blade when less than four hours old. She saww her first match at four, Sheffield FC v Ajax, and shes now wanting a season ticket.´
I informed my wife that if any of her family who support the Dark Side tried to make Small SV a piggy then I´d have their head on a stick.

Small SV is now fully brainwashed. It couldn´t have been any other way.

 

[Jehovah]

Bloke who sits on the south with a lad who looks about 2. He wears big safety earphones as he clearly doesn't like the noise. He looks terrified when there's a goal with the noise and jumping about.

 

[sothall blade]

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.

i sit in the family stand with my youngest,and there does seem to be a large section of grumpy owd twats around us,i thought you had to be with a child to sit there