Two-year olds and football tops...

[4D]

I vote for this as the best answer.

It's good, but I think arriba spoke for the masses 

[No Longer Posh Red]

We bought our son his first kit at 4 months old.

It didn't fit, but it was hung on his bedroom wall in his formative years.
We took him to his first game at age 3, and even though we live 120 miles away from Swindon and have done since he was 8 years old he is still a committed Town fan. He spent his 16th birthday on Saturday at the CG supporting Town.

Buy the kit & tell your brother in law to FUCK RIGHT OFF

[warksred]

I bought my 3 sons their first Swindon Kits when they aged 3-4 years.
They have never lived in or near Swindon. Blues, Villa, Coventry, Leicester, Wolves, etc within commutable distance.
They are now  mid- twenty and continue to wear a Swindon Shirt with pride.

[pauld]

Buy him the kit (obviously) and cut off your brother-in-law's ears, cure them properly (so they won't smell), then hang the shrivelled remains above the little'uns bed as a warning of the perils of becoming an armchair Sky fan. It's the only responsible thing to do.

[Batch]

I'm getting grief from bro-in-law .... He's a villa fan, his two boys have grown to support Man Utd and Liverpool. Both teams, each boy.

Which bit of the above statement gave you any doubt what you should do.

Do you want your son to grow up supporting Man U and Liverpool? Do you want to emulate the brother-in-law as failure as a father. Fuck no. Buy the shirt. There is no debate.

[janaage]

This is a subject close to my heart. I've told my Mrs that if we have a lad I'll be the one buying him football shirts, if any relative buys him anything other than a Swindon, Hibs or Scotland top that's fine, but within seconds of opening such a present the item will be found burning in a very quickly made (small) bonfire.

I think it'll only take one of two bonfires for all our relatives to get the message.

He's your lad, tell your brother to keep his no brain opinions to himself, and buy the shirt!

[Samdy Gray]

I've told my Mrs that if we have a lad I'll be the one buying him football shirts, if any relative buys him anything other than a Swindon, Hibs or Scotland top that's fine, but within seconds of opening such a present the item will be found burning in a very quickly made (small) bonfire.

Ha, I've made the same threat after in-laws suggested they will buy West Ham & Liverpool gear.

[Hoboken]

Be very careful around that in-law...he'll try to buy your son a Man Utd or Villa shirt for his birthday, or even worse, he'll tell your wife that she should buy it and you won't mind...I've seen it happen...don't let it.

My son is 4 1/2 and has had a season ticket for 2 years now...yeah, ok, he falls asleep for most of the game, but he still knows who our team is (when he is awake). The Junior Red membership is a small price to pay for leading him down the right path...

[janaage]

Ha, I've made the same threat after in-laws suggested they will buy West Ham & Liverpool gear.

Sit back and relax Sam, you've been decent enough to explain what will happen, if they're stupid enough to waste their own money let them, then pick up shirt walk out the back, and light up. He's your son, not theirs.

I'd love to burn a liverpool shirt.

[cheltred69]

I don't believe that whether a 2 yo has a shirt or not will make any difference to his future choice of team - just too young to understand anything imho.  But why not get it for him? - your gf is prob right that its more for you but that doesn't make it wrong.

I never put my son under any pressure to support Town, just started taking him to matches at age 4, bought him kit at that age and made absolutely sure that when he ever showed any signs of supporting a Prem team (nearly started biting re Arsenal at one stage) it was made clear that he'd never get taken to matches or bought any merchandise.  This tactic would have been totally undermined by any interfering relative putting the spoke in! I would not be happy if my bro had convinced him to be a ManU fan!

[Samdy Gray]

Sit back and relax Sam, you've been decent enough to explain what will happen, if they're stupid enough to waste their own money let them, then pick up shirt walk out the back, and light up. He's your son, not theirs.

I'd love to burn a liverpool shirt.

I'm with you. But last time I checked, she was a girl

[janaage]

Sorry Sam! Was thinking of original poster!

[donkey]

I do believe the first three words of the thread do, in fact, answer your own question.

Of course you buy him the kit, you do with the smile of a proud father introducing his son to real football and not following two teams at once.

[No Longer Posh Red]

My little boy is 2 on the 25th, I want to buy him a Swindon kit so he can open it and wear it while I'm at Wembley. My girlfriend says that its really a present for me, not for him. (it'd be an extra present anyway) now I'm getting grief from bro-in-law saying I should leave Jacob to decide. He's a villa fan, his two boys have grown to support Man Utd and Liverpool. Both teams, each boy. Advice, dear TEF, to Shirt my boy or not? Is 2 too young?

So, did you buy him a kit?

[chalkies_shorts]

So, did you buy him a kit?

or did you tell your brother in law to fuck off and mind his own business.