I can't wait...

[pauld]

Best of luck, JanAage.  As for the football, our recent arrival will not stop me coming to football (especially as both of my brothers have season tickets this year) but my games will definitely be fewer & further between.  Leeds at home could well be my first outing this season...going to lay the foundations for that soon, I think.

Once the nipper's a bit older you can take them with you and that's a win-win - kid loves the "Daddy's taking me with him" so some proper bonding/subtly imbuing them with a habit that will ruin their life, and the missus is grateful for you giving her some time off and doing the bonding with the kid thing. Erm, at least that's how it's supposed to work in theory. In my case, the daddy bonding stuff went well but I'm resigned to the conclusion that my missus will only be grateful when my life insurance cashes in :-)

NB You should also point out to the missus that in order for the bonding process to work properly, it's important that the child sees you regularly going to football BEFORE they're old enough to come with you. So then when they are old enough, they get the excitement of now being included in this secret mysterious daddy ritual they had previously been excluded from. So, obviously, in order for the bonding process to work to maximum effect, it is critical that she insists on you going to as many games as possible in order to selflessly lay the ground for future child bonding potential.

[dell boy]

I never thought of it that way Pauld, but it is exactly what I did, my lad was eight when he first game to see Swindon, loved the first game so much on a Saturday that he came to a game on the Tuesday night against Oxford as well (we won 3-0 both games), he has been a Swindon nutter ever since.

[Ardiles]

Advice like that is priceless, Paul.  Many thanks!  (The little guy's first home game has already been pencilled in for the start of the 2012-13 season...by which time he may have grown in to the top his uncle bought him.

[Arriba]

i dont see how having a child, or getting married has to stop football for the fellas.
if you live out of town then i'd understand,or if money is tight.but i'm sure the mrs and baby can cope for a couple of hours without the man of the house.maybe the all day piss ups would have to be cut down apon. but the football matches themselves i see no probs with attending.

[THE FLASH]

Looking forward to it........hopefully a good gate too..8k would be good

[Ardiles]

i dont see how having a child, or getting married has to stop football for the fellas.
if you live out of town then i'd understand,or if money is tight.but i'm sure the mrs and baby can cope for a couple of hours without the man of the house.maybe the all day piss ups would have to be cut down apon. but the football matches themselves i see no probs with attending.

It's the former...I've been out of town for nearly 10 years now.  First London, then Hampshire.  Football for me has almost always been a day out.  And I can't remember the last time I saw us play stone cold sober.

[Arriba]

totally understandable then ardiles.

[janaage]

i dont see how having a child, or getting married has to stop football for the fellas.
if you live out of town then i'd understand,or if money is tight.but i'm sure the mrs and baby can cope for a couple of hours without the man of the house.maybe the all day piss ups would have to be cut down apon. but the football matches themselves i see no probs with attending.

Arriba, I should have made myself a little clearer, I was referring to the few pints before the match aspect, when (or if - you never know) a little one's around don't think I'd get away with the drinking side to footie.  I'll still go to matches fella.

Like the advice though Paul, will keep that in mind!!

[pauld]

Arriba, I should have made myself a little clearer, I was referring to the few pints before the match aspect, when (or if - you never know) a little one's around don't think I'd get away with the drinking side to footie.  I'll still go to matches fella.

Like the advice though Paul, will keep that in mind!!

Yeah, I should have added as per your above that having a small child in tow does somewhat bugger up the whole "matchday day out" side of things. Strangely, five-year olds do not view going to the pub with Daddy and sipping on a Coke while he yaks with his mates as a great pre/post-match entertainment. Oh, and the half-time catering suddenly becomes a lot more important as it is apparently impossible for kids to watch a full game without frequent refuelling on chips and coke. But the sheer joy of taking your lad to football does make up for it. Largely.

[Reg Smeeton]

   Its interesting how times change, I don't think I went to a game with my father until I was in my 20's.

   Football for the working man in the 50's 60's was something you went to with mates, you worked hard all week finished at lunchtime on a Saturday, then went for beers with your mates in traditional fashion.

   When you were old enough about 9/10 then, you went on your own, stood down the front maybe, and sometimes would see the old fella if switching between the TE and Bank at half time.

  Away games were good though because of different times I was 12 when starting to travel, going with a mate or two.

[pauld]

   Its interesting how times change, I don't think I went to a game with my father until I was in my 20's.

In fairness though Reg in your day, kids were still going up chimneys on Saturday afternoons so you wouldn't have been available to go to a game with your dad until you were in your 20s :-)

[ronnie21]

In fairness though Reg in your day, kids were still going up chimneys on Saturday afternoons so you wouldn't have been available to go to a game with your dad until you were in your 20s :-)

[suttonred]

Yeah, I should have added as per your above that having a small child in tow does somewhat bugger up the whole "matchday day out" side of things. Strangely, five-year olds do not view going to the pub with Daddy and sipping on a Coke while he yaks with his mates as a great pre/post-match entertainment. Oh, and the half-time catering suddenly becomes a lot more important as it is apparently impossible for kids to watch a full game without frequent refuelling on chips and coke. But the sheer joy of taking your lad to football does make up for it. Largely.

  My first away game was in the 70's at palace, with my old man and two of his mates, they parked up for a quick pint on the way home. 3 bloody hours sat in the car with a flat coke! Never did me any harm physically...mentally i still obviously have scars.

[larwood]

In fairness though Reg in your day, kids were still going up chimneys on Saturday afternoons so you wouldn't have been available to go to a game with your dad until you were in your 20s :-)

 

I just know that if i was nine months preggers due any day and living an hours drive away from the nearest hospital my bloke would still bugger off to watch us play Boston away in the johnstones paint trophy reguardless.

[Rich Pullen]

I just know that if i was nine months preggers due any day and living an hours drive away from the nearest hospital my bloke would still bugger off to watch us play Boston away in the johnstones paint trophy reguardless

Good lad Keep hold of him.