D
Deleted member 1486
Guest
For those unaware, the club run a free pre-match thing for kids called "the home debut scheme". Basically kids get a tour of the stadium (and a few other surprises) before a home game. Details here: https://www.sufc.co.uk/news/2019/july/home-debut-scheme/
I thought I'd write about our experience as we finally did this on Saturday. All the family (me included) had a top day out!
When you book on this you're invited to wait at the family hub for 1pm (assuming a 3pm kick off). We got there a bit before, and the kids were already excited. The youngest two are a bit mad about Captain Blade, and keep asking if they can meet him. So it was a great surprise for them when he came bounding out of the family hub to welcome them (handshakes, pictures, etc). They were pretty overwhelmed!
We then got taken into the family hub and they got to play out Sheffield United v Leicester on PS4s, we had a couple of games of air hockey and pool, before being taken around the ground.
First stop was the Family Stand, where all the kids got to play games that may win SUFC prizes (guess the score, guess the first goal scorer, guess the time of the first goal, a squad number "play your cards right" type game, etc).
We then got taken to walk around the pitch, around the side of the Family Stand, along the Kop and down the South Stand. As you walk around you get lots of facts given about the club/the history/the ground/the pitch/the players/back room staff, etc. Fascinating stuff, even to an old timer like me. The kids then all got to sit in the manager's seat in the dugout. Tons of photo opportunities throughout. Sadly we missed the United players coming out, but got to see all the Leicester players walking out to train, and were stood behind Brendan Rogers as he was being interviewed on TV.
If you have kids, you have to do this. It's an amazing experience (especially for us parents!). I'd love to post a picture of Rob (who does the tour) with all the kids, as it's smiley happy faces all around, but don't want to post other peoples kid's pictures without permission.
We all had a great day out (result excepted), topped off by pictures and autographs with all the players after the game. It seriously ate into my "pub time", but I'd skip the pub and do that again every week if I could!
Special thanks for Jon Halliwell (we originally booked on this last year, but missed the arranged date after getting stuck in traffic, we then rearranged it but we missed that due to some ticketing difficulties (documented elsewhere on here), then when we rearranged it again it got cancelled due to being a night game, but he was great in making accommodations for us each time). And a big mention to Rob Jenkinson who was fantastic with kids and adults alike showing us around the stadium (very overdressed in a suit on a very hot day, but handled it like a pro!).
I hope I'm not putting anyone out when I say this, but despite the name, being a "debutant" doesn't seem to be a requirement; if you have kids, you really should try and get on this. It's a fantastic experience (for kids and parents). Everyone involved does their best to make the kids feel like they're having a very special day. It's a great experience (and totally free!).
I thought I'd write about our experience as we finally did this on Saturday. All the family (me included) had a top day out!
When you book on this you're invited to wait at the family hub for 1pm (assuming a 3pm kick off). We got there a bit before, and the kids were already excited. The youngest two are a bit mad about Captain Blade, and keep asking if they can meet him. So it was a great surprise for them when he came bounding out of the family hub to welcome them (handshakes, pictures, etc). They were pretty overwhelmed!
We then got taken into the family hub and they got to play out Sheffield United v Leicester on PS4s, we had a couple of games of air hockey and pool, before being taken around the ground.
First stop was the Family Stand, where all the kids got to play games that may win SUFC prizes (guess the score, guess the first goal scorer, guess the time of the first goal, a squad number "play your cards right" type game, etc).
We then got taken to walk around the pitch, around the side of the Family Stand, along the Kop and down the South Stand. As you walk around you get lots of facts given about the club/the history/the ground/the pitch/the players/back room staff, etc. Fascinating stuff, even to an old timer like me. The kids then all got to sit in the manager's seat in the dugout. Tons of photo opportunities throughout. Sadly we missed the United players coming out, but got to see all the Leicester players walking out to train, and were stood behind Brendan Rogers as he was being interviewed on TV.
If you have kids, you have to do this. It's an amazing experience (especially for us parents!). I'd love to post a picture of Rob (who does the tour) with all the kids, as it's smiley happy faces all around, but don't want to post other peoples kid's pictures without permission.
We all had a great day out (result excepted), topped off by pictures and autographs with all the players after the game. It seriously ate into my "pub time", but I'd skip the pub and do that again every week if I could!
Special thanks for Jon Halliwell (we originally booked on this last year, but missed the arranged date after getting stuck in traffic, we then rearranged it but we missed that due to some ticketing difficulties (documented elsewhere on here), then when we rearranged it again it got cancelled due to being a night game, but he was great in making accommodations for us each time). And a big mention to Rob Jenkinson who was fantastic with kids and adults alike showing us around the stadium (very overdressed in a suit on a very hot day, but handled it like a pro!).
I hope I'm not putting anyone out when I say this, but despite the name, being a "debutant" doesn't seem to be a requirement; if you have kids, you really should try and get on this. It's a fantastic experience (for kids and parents). Everyone involved does their best to make the kids feel like they're having a very special day. It's a great experience (and totally free!).
Last edited by a moderator:
