Taking Children to Their First Games

[Dave]

Have you stuck him in front of a game on the TV (I appreciate you're normally there, so opportunity might not often arise)?

Gauging his enthusiasm from that would probably be the best starting point - even just to make sure he's happy sat in front of the same thing for two hours without much of a break from it.

[cheltenhamlion]

Charlie took his book and tablet with him to the Peterborough game. He was happy hopping on his seat to see chances but read the book for a chunk of the second half. If you take them too young you might put them off and certainly won't get close to seeing the game out.

I tried him on non league day at Halesowen when he was four and he spent most of the second half on the bouncy castle they had erected before wanting to leave early.

[Tom_Mc9?]

I went with my nephew to the Sheffield Wednesday game. He now wants to play for Villa as he wants to play with his favourite player: "Alan"

[Ads]

I'm taking it on board. But it's hard though.

Was putting him to bed last night and we started singing "We're on our way!" And he joined in. He wore a Villa shirt today over his normal top and represented at nursery.

I feel dead chuffed to be honest. My first games I was 4 I believe. I guess I'm quite keen to take him on a day out just to spend a bit more me and him time together. Thinking the cold may be a tad nippy this weekend.

We will see!

[DaveK]

I took my lad when he was 6 after he'd been begging me to take him for months (home to Fulham, we won 2-0). I used to take his friend from down the road with us and we used to go to the Academy thing before the game and they'd have a kick-about with the Villa coaches while I had a pie and pint.

I ended up buying him a half-season ticket for Christmas that year. I think I got it about right as we still go together now he's 23. And I still pay.

[FranzBiberkopf]

Thinking the cold may be a tad nippy this weekend.

He'll be fine - will be too busy staring at the people around him, and soaking in the atmosphere to let that bother him I'm sure.

Bit different to my first game - I can remember the old man taking an empty milk crate in so I could stand on it on The Holte. I can also remember me spending most of the match seeing how many Holte End steps I could jump up/down with our kid brother. Oh, and seeing how long I could sit on the crash barriers before my bum got frozen solid.

Good luck with him.

[lovejoy]

I'm taking my two sons to VP for the first time this weekend. We have been to plenty of away games (we stayed to the end of the Chelsea 8-0, it was my younger sons second game). They are looking forward to it. We will get there early for a proper look around.

We are coming off the M6. Any suggestions as to where to park?

[Ads]

I park down towards the old Albion Pub for free on the road. Near the Harley Davidson garage. Its a mile walk though, but doesn't take too long.

[Chris Jameson]

My first football match was as a baby, Hull City v Millwall, my uncle played for Hull City at the time. It would be 1962, my mum got threatened by some of the wives of the Millwall players for taking a baby into some 'lounge' or other. Lovely bunch.

[mike]

I took my six year old to the Burton match. He's barely shown any interest in football until a month or so ago and I have never mentioned Villa to him as I've been on an extended sabbatical from the shitstorm of greed and bile that football has become. However, for my own reasons I indoctrinated him a few weeks ago into the rollercoaster of Aston Villa, after briefly toying with the idea of telling him I was a lifelong fan of Man City and he should be too (joke).

On advice from here, I packed an iPad, books, cake, drinks etc. Everything stayed in my bag and he was rapt from start to finish. The family area has a good atmosphere for kids, albeit I missed being in the Holte End. He can't wait to go again. So, on an unrepresentative sample of one, they're not too young at six.

[Holte L2]

I had my first season ticket at Six.  Had one ever since. I'm 33 now.

I've taken my girlfriends ten year old son a few times this season and He went to Brentford away on boxing day.  He loves it when he's there.  he's not fussed for watching the match on TV though.

I've got it all to come myself though. My girlfriend and I are expecting our new arrival in July.

[Risso]

I've taken my girlfriends ten year old.   

An apostrophe would help out there enormously!

[Holte L2]

I've taken my girlfriends ten year old.   

An apostrophe would help out there enormously!

Ha, that's what you get for trying to post on H&V whilst at work!