Season Tickets - 2022/23

[PeterWithe]

Serious question - is there any point taking a two year old to a football match?

Do they have any idea what is actually going on?

I genuinely have no idea - no kids, see.

From experience, no. None whatsoever. When I did I think we were on the way home before the first offside was given.

[purpletrousers]

Well I can only speak from my experience, and obviously I've prompted this.
I hadn't thought of starting so early and was going to give up the STs until an old boss of mine I respected explained her husband had started taking their youngest to another club at 2. The bottom line was also I wasn't going to go without said child, so maybe the limited matchday experience is compared to none at all. There is also an element of deeply needing some time away doing this for my own sanity.

For one thing my little one has always been fairly advanced on the milestones, but I think this will be of marginal consideration.

We have a fab day out together, and I've been exceptionally careful to offer not taking her.
It's been very mixed, it's varied from watching intently for 60mins before any distraction whatsoever, to not watching much at all. Usually it's between the two. Forgetting the tablet at the Man City game was a mistake. I wouldn't do it outside the family zone where people are pretty understanding re: trips to the toilet and friendly. I probably wouldn't do it if they hadn't made the fun zone every game (that we go to at least). We don't make every game so have to pass on some tickets.

Our routine now is a fab massive play place at Rugby services, walk/run across Aston Park see Aston Hall, Fun Zone with face painting is the natural highlight (technically for over 3s) and playground after the game. We bring sandwiches and plenty of treats. Yep it requires organisation, moving with little kids is a bit of a military operation, but then she's been to Africa twice before her third birthday.

It'd be fair to say at its worst she's loved the day with Daddy with the actual match the lowlight, but still is clear about wanting to come again.

The video of her on my shoulders waving a flag when the 80/81/82 squad came out "the old men daddy use to watch" is priceless, I cried at that moment of happy memories of being at Highbury with my Dad, at being at Rotterdam with my Dad and my late Grandad, and now having her there with me.

I think there could be fair criticism of not finding time to do other things/going other places.
Yet...I got the pic of the pregnancy stick at half time in Deano's first game, she was middle named after the play off result, her initials are AV, she shocks her Nanny at knowing entire chants that she starts up sometimes, I guess it's just what we are and what we do. My concern is more how I work out who to bring if I can't get another ticket or how #2 will find it.

I wouldn't rush to urge anyone to do anything, but will happily share my top tips, much as I benefitted from others that advised me (thanks!). We left the pantomime last Xmas less than half way through as she was scared, we've not left a match. Yet!

[VinnieChase84]

My lads not long turned 6 and took him to the West Ham game recently. I reckon 5 at a push would have still been alright. Its more concentration levels and its  a long ass day. Personally wouldnt bother at 2

[Ads]

My lads first game was March 2019 against Derby. He was 3 years and 11 months old and has been addicted ever since.

[AV82EC]

Took my lad at 6, he didn’t like the noise at the time but soon got used to it. He would get bored, this was during the DOL period when we were gradually disappearing down the shitter as old man Ellis didn’t have a clue so plenty of sweets, drinks and his Nintendo Gameboy meant he was quite happy either watching or not watching the match. Actually going to the game have him Huge credibility at school with his gloryhunting mates who all supported Liverpool or Man Yoo.

[Three Spires Villa]

Took my Daughter and Son at around 6 respectively. Think that is a good age as they know some of the players

[boozey182]

We took our eldest to a pre-season friendly at Kidderminster when he was about 18 months old. That was the summer that it looked like we might go under, and I wanted him to be able to say that he'd seen Grealish play as it seemed inevitable that he'd go that summer, and it looked like we were a long way from ever having a player as good as him again. We were playing Telford on the same day, with the squad splitting between the two. We waiting until the team was announced before we decided where we were going.

We had a whole row of seats to the three of us, and lots of snack, so he was fine. There wasn't too much noise, or excitement.

I waited until the end of last season, when he was 5, to take him to a proper game. He enjoyed it, and has asked to go again, which is a win. He plays football every Saturday morning, which he enjoys, and he'll tell everyone he's a Villa fan, but he still hasn't caught the bug yet. He'll sit and watch a bit of a game on TV, but he's interested in everything, so it's not normally long before he goes off to do something else. A work in progress...

My youngest isn't quite 2 yet, but we have tickets for all four of us to go and watch the Women on Sunday at VP. Again, I figured that there won't be too much noise, and the tickets are so cheap that if we end up leaving after 20 minutes, it isn't the end of the world. I suspect that he'll last longer than that though, he's obsessed with any type of ball sport - on the TV, kicking one around the house, whacking one with a stick. So I'm hoping that enthusiasm means that he'll be happy to watch the match on Sunday, and it will act as a gateway. They're both on the waiting list for season tickets, and I can't wait until they can come regularly with me, my brother and my dad. I want them to do whatever makes them happy in their lives, but with one crucial exception: They're Villa fans.

Every kid is different. Snacks are absolutely key. And be prepared to leave at any given point.

[Drummond]

I went when I was 6, and took my lad too.

Ear defenders are useful. He wore them a bit for his first game because I think he'd have wanted to leave if we hadn't. He settled down though in the second half and decided against them, though I took then for the next few games just in case.

Snacks are essential, especially as it's almost impossible to get served in the concourse and pretty overwhelming for someone so short!

[London Villan]

It's been mentioned before, but how different is it now for kids compared to 30 or 40 years ago.

I was taken to my first match at 5 (1982), in the pub at 1pm, surrounded by smoke, swearing, beers. Glass of coke and a bag of crisps, maybe given 20p to have a go on the fruit-machine. Parked up at the ground at 2:45pm, straight-in, quick trip to the toilets, not allowed to move during the game. I was hooked.

I wouldn't dream of doing that today with my little one!

[cdbearsfan]

I went when I was 6, and took my lad too.

Bloody Hell! They start breeding young in Yorkshire.

[chrisw1]

I think at 2-4 you're more likely to put them off than draw them in.  There will be exceptions of course, but at that age chances are they'll be bored, cold, need a wee and you'll be finding things to keep them occupied.

[Drummond]

I went when I was 6, and took my lad too.

Bloody Hell! They start breeding young in Yorkshire.

 

[eamonn]

Get that but 5 or 6 is a different thing altogether to a 2 year old.

I assume, anyway

After a big row with my ex-wife who didn’t want me to go to a game even though the arrangements had been in place for weeks I ended up taking my son aged 3 rather than back down. We were stood on the Holte and I had to carry him for the whole 90 minutes but the Villa won and I like to think so did I.

What game was it and did your son get the bug (later)?

[Chris Smith]

Get that but 5 or 6 is a different thing altogether to a 2 year old.

I assume, anyway

After a big row with my ex-wife who didn’t want me to go to a game even though the arrangements had been in place for weeks I ended up taking my son aged 3 rather than back down. We were stood on the Holte and I had to carry him for the whole 90 minutes but the Villa won and I like to think so did I.

What game was it and did your son get the bug (later)?

We beat Arsenal 2-1 in around 1990, he’s been a season ticket holder next to me for 20 odd years - thankfully able to pay for his own now.

[WassallVillain]

I like the way this thread has evolved from troll Fred dissing the waiting list and anything positive to seasoned Villans blooding their offspring in the Villa way. I took my own son from about age 6 onwards and he had a season ticket from age 8. We started low with youth and low level cup games. He always understood that he would hear stuff that mustn’t be repeated near mum. The only time he was scared was that infamous game of 030303 where he was scared by the behaviour of our own fans.