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Knebworth

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In the last few weeks my seven year old has started saying he doesn't want to be a Blades fan anymore. Schoolmates starting to mock after he wore his purple keeper kit to footy training I suspect.

Up till now he's never complained whatever the results which is amazing especially as we live in the south surrounded by Arse , Chelsea and Spurs fans along with a few Wet Spam.

Do I let him choose a local prem team to like rather than "support" ( maybe Spurs with the Kyles being the only one I could abide without feeling sick ?) or what ?
 

Knebworth said:
In the last few weeks my seven year old has started saying he doesn't want to be a Blades fan anymore. Schoolmates starting to mock after he wore his purple keeper kit to footy training I suspect.

Up till now he's never complained whatever the results which is amazing especially as we live in the south surrounded by Arse , Chelsea and Spurs fans along with a few Wet Spam.

Do I let him choose a local prem team to like rather than "support" ( maybe Spurs with the Kyles being the only one I could abide without feeling sick ?) or what ?
Click to expand...

Take him to a local non league side.
 
Let him have a team of his own to support as well as the blades to keep dad happy.
 
Sit him down and tell him that it's just a phase he's going through. It's all part of being a Blade, we all go through it and that you yourself don't want to be a Blade any more but it's a commitment that you make, and one you - sometimes involuntarily - have to fulfil.

Tell him that to help him through this difficult period, you'll allow him to ditch the keeper's top and buy him an England or Barcelona one instead.
 
We live in Kingston, south west London. My son supports the Blades, but he also likes Fulham (our nearest professional team). I could not let him go to Chelsea or Arsenal. Spurs are the usual choice of people moving to London.

Let your son support 2 teams.
 
Knebworth said:
In the last few weeks my seven year old has started saying he doesn't want to be a Blades fan anymore. Schoolmates starting to mock after he wore his purple keeper kit to footy training I suspect.

Up till now he's never complained whatever the results which is amazing especially as we live in the south surrounded by Arse , Chelsea and Spurs fans along with a few Wet Spam.

Do I let him choose a local prem team to like rather than "support" ( maybe Spurs with the Kyles being the only one I could abide without feeling sick ?) or what ?
Click to expand...

I'll most likely have the same issue in a few years time as we live near to Knebworth in Baldock - lad is only 2 right now - and while he's a young one I'll let him decide and stay onside with his pals. Chances are at 7 he'll change teams dependent on who wins each week anyway. Then, over time I'll take him to the Lane along with his Grandad, show him his brick in the wall and hope he catches the Blades bug.
 
Knebworth said:
In the last few weeks my seven year old has started saying he doesn't want to be a Blades fan anymore. Schoolmates starting to mock after he wore his purple keeper kit to footy training I suspect.

Up till now he's never complained whatever the results which is amazing especially as we live in the south surrounded by Arse , Chelsea and Spurs fans along with a few Wet Spam.

Do I let him choose a local prem team to like rather than "support" ( maybe Spurs with the Kyles being the only one I could abide without feeling sick ?) or what ?
Click to expand...

I feel the authoritarian apporach will only isolate him from the Blades further. I would suggest something more laissez faire like the others have suggested. You need to find out 'why' he feels like this. Is it others tekin the piss, the fact that United are crap, he does not feel engaged .... a combo. If you find the route of the cause then you'll have a better chance of addressing the problem.

If he is getting ribbed then you can tell him to man up (though he is young) but as with any form of bullying it is difficult. It could be a wider problem of fitting in. It might be just that the Blades are crap. If so, then try to engage him. A couple of suggestions:
- Write to his favourite player. Get to send an autograph and short note. I'm sure someone like Morgs would reply and tell him why he should support United.
- Take him to the training ground to meet the players (in his next school hols)
- Take him to more games (though this poses a risk of putting him off) and make it a really fun day out. Buy him his favourite sweets, go to the car park before the game and meet the players, take him to pizza hut, go bolwing before the match (or sumer that he likes ) etc.

You could try sitting him down and engaging him with SUFC, but he is young and it may fall on deaf ears. Tell him Sheffield is a proud city, talk about the history, tell him about the club, watch some DVD's of good times together, tell him it is a blip and we'll be back etc.

If it's the Blades shirt then don't make him wear it. Buy him a Barca top (as Yoss says) and see if those Southerner poofs say owt then!? :D
 
easy this un ......................... make him wear a number 10 Blades shirt with TC on the back and McCabe's a cnut of the front !
 
Or try diverting his attention to a different sport to follow as well, and let him pick a side of superb sporting excellent, like the magnificent Leeds Rhino's
 

Ollessendro said:
I feel the authoritarian apporach will only isolate him from the Blades further.
Click to expand...

It worked with me. I wanted my dad to take me to White Hart Lane and he said "If youre watching anybody, youre watching Sheffield United".

Cheers dad.
 
Same. I never went to a game until I was about 8, mainly due to money I think. Apparently I expressed interest in Liverpool, so off to the Lane I was dragged.
 
Let him choose another club to support (agree that the Spurs are probably 'safest'), and continue to be a good example of how commitment really works. Don't offer to take him to see any matches except the Blades - it's your money buying the tickets, after all.

He's seven; his life at the moment is encapsulated by what other people think and most of his contacts are his school-mates. If they are giving him grief, he's going to respond to that; the pack mentality is very powerful. He's right at the age where he is beginning to separate himself from you as his primary source of information. It's normal for him to want to show his independence (healthy, too).

Once he realises that he's a Blade by blood, he'll come back to the fold - it may be a while and you'll have to be patient, but it will happen as long as he sees your support is unwavering, he'll come 'round. Forcing him does nothing; remember the old adage about leading a horse to water? You can force it to stand knee deep, but you can't make it drink.

Another old adage proves better advice - "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar".
;)
 
Ground him until he sees the light. He'll be about thirty five, give or take a year or two.
 
Teach him to box, then get him to thump the southern softies. The old ways are always the best. ;)
 
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