Taking my first born to town

[lindleyterrier88]

Fingers crossed all been well with the fans allowed back in etc, I think that this will be the season I take my lad to his first town game. I was just wondering for those of you that have had the joy getting your kids hooked on the town drug - when are they old enough to go to their first game?

[overtonterrierspirit]

Jul 5, 2021 0:31:59 GMT 1 lindleyterrier88 said:

Fingers crossed all been well with the fans allowed back in etc, I think that this will be the season I take my lad to his first town game. I was just wondering for those of you that have had the joy getting your kids hooked on the town drug - when are they old enough to go to their first game?

I haven’t taken one to a match but my Dad first took me when I was 5 years old.
An evening League Cup game v West Ham.
My first ever sight of the pitch under floodlights has stayed with me ever since and was the start of a lifetime watching Town.

Hope it all goes well for you both.

[liversedgeterrier]

Took my lad for the first time when he was 4. Just bought his first season card for the coming season at age 7.

[Clark W Griswald (CAS)]

Jul 5, 2021 0:31:59 GMT 1 lindleyterrier88 said:

Fingers crossed all been well with the fans allowed back in etc, I think that this will be the season I take my lad to his first town game. I was just wondering for those of you that have had the joy getting your kids hooked on the town drug - when are they old enough to go to their first game? I've taken my twins since they were 14 months old. It was hard work at first and you do miss large parts of the games, but it's worth it. Both are huge Town fans now. In three seasons time they'll be able to buy me a pint or two, time goes so fast. Enjoy

[Captainslapper]

I waited until they showed enough interest in football that I could be reasonably confident they wouldn't ruin my day if I took them along.
Which for both my lads was about 8 years old.

Took a little selection of toys, books etc to start with just in case but wasn't really needed.
Both in their 20s now and had season cards ever since.

You do see a few blokes with their kid who they're obviously keen to get hooked on Town but the kid isn't ready yet. Not for 90 minutes anyway.
Add in half time and waiting for KO and its a long time for a little one to stay interested.

[The Sheriff Strikes Back]

Jul 5, 2021 8:23:41 GMT 1 Captainslapper said:

I waited until they showed enough interest in football that I could be reasonably confident they wouldn't ruin my day if I took them along.
Which for both my lads was about 8 years old.

Took a little selection of toys, books etc to start with just in case but wasn't really needed.
Both in their 20s now and had season cards ever since.

You do see a few blokes with their kid who they're obviously keen to get hooked on Town but the kid isn't ready yet. Not for 90 minutes anyway.
Add in half time and waiting for KO and its a long time for a little one to stay interested.

I'm 33 and I still take my duplo and Action man for half time

[Chips Longhorn]

Took my little girl when she was 3 or maybe 4 . Fully expected I'd be coming home after 20 minutes but thought it was worth a try . She lasted 90 minutes and hasn't missed a game since , covid and girls birthday parties not withstanding

[space hardware]

I took my son to his first game when he was 3 & 1/2, the Help For Heroes game v Walsall in 2011/12.

In true Lee Clark era style it ended up 1-1 in a game we should have won comfortably 😀🤦‍♂️

[turbo2]

Jul 5, 2021 0:31:59 GMT 1 lindleyterrier88 said:

Fingers crossed all been well with the fans allowed back in etc, I think that this will be the season I take my lad to his first town game. I was just wondering for those of you that have had the joy getting your kids hooked on the town drug - when are they old enough to go to their first game?

Took both mine from the point where they weren’t in nappies. To start with just so the wife had a few hours off and the kids spent time with their gran.

The eldest loved it from day one. The youngest didn’t really take to it. More often than not she stayed home. She was 12 ( Burton Albion away) before she really got the bug

A bag of their favourite sweets would be my recommendation.

[merseysideterrier]

Planning on taking my 6 month old to the Southport friendly in a couple of weeks, pray for me.

[Terrier Ramone]

My lads were 6 when I first took them, I thought that might have been a little too early but they had both started to show interest in Arsenal when they were on the telly, so I thought I'd better get cracking with them at Town.

[Deleted]

Jul 5, 2021 0:31:59 GMT 1 lindleyterrier88 said:

Fingers crossed all been well with the fans allowed back in etc, I think that this will be the season I take my lad to his first town game. I was just wondering for those of you that have had the joy getting your kids hooked on the town drug - when are they old enough to go to their first game?

Took my lad to 2 or 3 games in the 2002-03 relegation season when he was 3 (I think his first ever game was an away defeat at Tranmere) - fully immersed him in pre match pub visits etc.

Got his first season ticket the next season and had one every season until he went to Uni (he's only at Leeds, but joined a team that plays on Saturdays so didn't see the point - he'd also lost a bit of interest and only came to about 50% of the games in the Premier League second season).

He still remembers things about the promotion season when he was 4 (even though he fell asleep second half of extra time and had to be woken up for the penalties!), and some years later had the great pleasure of playing against and meeting Efe Sodje in one of those Town v 100 Kids games, who had been a bit of a hero (this was before Sodje went to prison!). Some other really massive memories were seeing Town equalise from behind at Chelsea as a 6 year old...an 'impossible dream' before we'd heard of such a phrase! and then of course witnessing the two extremes from losing 4-0 at Leeds, and witnessing a victory over them at age 7.

Bag of sweets, a Gameboy (or whatever todays equivalent is - a phone?) for half time & if things are a bit dull, and kid will will be fine - and learn them that just because dad is swearing and shouting, it doesn't mean that he can go round doing the same, and lets keep that bit quiet from mum.

And go to the toilet BEFORE you get there - and be aware you'll definitely end up missing bits of games with trips to the loo etc anyway!

To be honest, if my lad hadn't got into it, I'd have probably stopped going years ago back in the Robins / Powell / Grayson era.

[sabailand]

I would imagine its better to take a young kid nowadays simply becasue they can actually see whats going on, i can remember when my dad first took me i could barely see anything and i was bored stiff, only when i was a bit older did i take a real interest in going to matches.

[rooster]

Took both my daughter's before they were one year old. My eldest stopped going around 8 years old, youngest now 15 and season ticket holder for 12 years. Often accused of child cruelty 😆

[muffinman]

I was about 5 or 6 when my dad first took me to a game. Spent most of the second half tearing the programme up and putting it in the guys hoodie sat in front of us.

I hear this anecdote every Christmas.

[Deleted]

Jul 5, 2021 11:07:02 GMT 1 sabailand said:

I would imagine its better to take a young kid nowadays simply becasue they can actually see whats going on, i can remember when my dad first took me i could barely see anything and i was bored stiff, only when i was a bit older did i take a real interest in going to matches.

100%.

We actually moved seats as I'd originally sat at what had historically been the noisy end of the Kilner Bank, in line with the edge of the penalty area, he couldn't see any action down the other end of the pitch especially if against 'our' touchline, with everyone standing up when things got exciting - so - we ended up moving briefly to the FM Upper, and then Lower (stood on the back row for a few seasons) when that became the place to be before going to the South Stand - its never really a problem at away games...even if everyone is stood up, its usually reasonably easily to manoeuvre so they can get a view (especially if you're going with 5 or 6 others and can juggle seats) if you're at the pitch end.

I actually prefer watching end-on now, which is amazing really given I always hated that view historically, only went in the Cowshed once...you get a much better tactical appreciation of the game when you're seeing it played out ahead of you rather than side to side.

[galpharm2400]

Jul 5, 2021 0:31:59 GMT 1 lindleyterrier88 said:

Fingers crossed all been well with the fans allowed back in etc, I think that this will be the season I take my lad to his first town game. I was just wondering for those of you that have had the joy getting your kids hooked on the town drug - when are they old enough to go to their first game?

Started at 5 with my lot.
Lucky that they all stood/sat properly and wanted to watch the game. No running up and down wanting pop and crisps etc.
Floodlit games were every so often, holidays or special games etc.
Same look on their faces walking towards the ground in the dark with the lights on that I must have had as a kid. They liked being part of a group and reading football reports and working out league tables etc was much more exciting than the dull books they give kids at school.
Hope it goes as well for you, been nothing but positives for me and mine, they quickly realised we were Huddersfield Town and the players, even the favourites, might just be passing through.
One of mine walked across the top of Peru, he saw the bright yellow away shirt in the distance, a lad from Shepley walking the other way across. Cant buy that meeting and immediate friendship and common interest, still friends now from a 20 minute stop...

[Floyds]

My eldest's first game was our 1-1 at home to Man Utd in 2019 and he will have been three.

We've since moved to Ireland and he wears his Town kit to the local GAA club for training each Saturday. Will be bringing him back (fingers crossed) this coming season to take him to the game(s).


My youngest is 21 months so I won't be inflicting that on either me or him for a while yet...

[dewsburyterrier]

Took daughter to 1994 Wembley trip aged 13 months. First time at Wembley for Town in 56 years so could be another 56 years before next one.....
2nd match v Wycombe later that year for new stadium opening.
3rd match Wembley 1995.
More regular from 1999 onwards.

[lossiemouthtownfan]

Took all my three in turn when they turned 8.
But you will know yourself if you think they will have the attention span for about 2 hrs.
Take a drink and sweets/crisps and you should be OK.
Started taking my grandson to Lossiemouth games, he's 8, Hopefully get him down to a Town game this season.

[Mav]

Took daughter to her first game when she was 3.

West Brom away, drew 1-1 with Boothy scoring a beauty!!

She’s now in her twenties and lives in the Midlands but still gets to about a dozen games a season.

UTT

[ilsonterrier]

Took my son to his first game when he was 4 - the game where Gary Taylor-Fletcher scored the 500,000 goal in the Football League. For the first couple of years I always made sure he took his Nintendo DS with him - it took him a while before he had the attention span to watch the whole game (I hate it when children become annoying because they are bored and I wasn't going to let my son be that child!). Sweets as well - and we still go to the shop for sweets 15 years on.

[space hardware]

Jul 5, 2021 11:06:16 GMT 1 @ennius said:

Jul 5, 2021 0:31:59 GMT 1 lindleyterrier88 said:

Fingers crossed all been well with the fans allowed back in etc, I think that this will be the season I take my lad to his first town game. I was just wondering for those of you that have had the joy getting your kids hooked on the town drug - when are they old enough to go to their first game?

Took my lad to 2 or 3 games in the 2002-03 relegation season when he was 3 (I think his first ever game was an away defeat at Tranmere) - fully immersed him in pre match pub visits etc.

Got his first season ticket the next season and had one every season until he went to Uni (he's only at Leeds, but joined a team that plays on Saturdays so didn't see the point - he'd also lost a bit of interest and only came to about 50% of the games in the Premier League second season).

He still remembers things about the promotion season when he was 4 (even though he fell asleep second half of extra time and had to be woken up for the penalties!), and some years later had the great pleasure of playing against and meeting Efe Sodje in one of those Town v 100 Kids games, who had been a bit of a hero (this was before Sodje went to prison!). Some other really massive memories were seeing Town equalise from behind at Chelsea as a 6 year old...an 'impossible dream' before we'd heard of such a phrase! and then of course witnessing the two extremes from losing 4-0 at Leeds, and witnessing a victory over them at age 7.

Bag of sweets, a Gameboy (or whatever todays equivalent is - a phone?) for half time & if things are a bit dull, and kid will will be fine - and learn them that just because dad is swearing and shouting, it doesn't mean that he can go round doing the same, and lets keep that bit quiet from mum.

And go to the toilet BEFORE you get there - and be aware you'll definitely end up missing bits of games with trips to the loo etc anyway!

To be honest, if my lad hadn't got into it, I'd have probably stopped going years ago back in the Robins / Powell / Grayson era.

😁😁😁😁

[elindalo]

We took our firstborn to the last game of 1989/80 where he saw the 100th goal but, as he was only 6 months old, the noise frightened him and he burst into tears. No doubt he learned from that experience that supporting HTFC would frequently end that way. As we lived in London, and he went to school with Kevin Campbell's sister, he became an Arsenal supporter.

[Deleted]

I went to my first game as a 5yo,, Leeds Road 1976 and i am pretty sure it was Stockport and we wore all Blue shirts.

What a great old ground to go and watch as a kid, You knew where your Dad and his mates stood on the terrace, It probably took me 5 minutes to make some pals and do one then the massive terrace, races up the big steps behind, all the paths and entrances to explore, ,Brill, I loved the atmosphere, the smell of cigars and pipes, seeing the odd goal, having a kickabout back ot terrace, watching the aggro and then legging it back to near my Dad n his mates spot more or less edge of either area 20 steps up depending which way we were playing, What a playground.

I would have to say it was probably the 2nd half of the 4th division promotion season when mucking about everywhere turned to lets get a good spot at front where we can see.

[overtonterrierspirit]

Enjoyed reading these posts.

It’s why our club is so special - full of people who have grown up at the place.

[westislandterrier]

Jul 5, 2021 21:22:08 GMT 1 overtonterrierspirit said:

Enjoyed reading these posts.

It’s why our club is so special - full of people who have grown up at the place.

Indeed Overton, some great stories there.... my biggest personal regret is not getting to Leeds Road to a Huddersfield Town match. Not much chance with my late father not being interested in footy and him and ma mother parting when I was 10 years old. 
I did get taken to a match in Glasgow through an acquaintance of my mother when I was 12. (Celtic v Hearts at Parkhead 12/3/1983) I quite enjoyed that but I’m still traumatised when I think of the journey home on the old bendy Loch Lomond Road and spewing about twenty times ! So goodness knows how I’d have coped with getting to and from Leeds Road at that age.. 
Still better late than never and while I’m not taking first born’s to experience the delights of a Town match and Huddersfield in general, I’ve had a couple of buddies down and they’ve loved every minute I’m pleased to say.

Maybe time to start The Huddersfield Town (Scotland) supporters club ! 

[mosher]

No kids of my own but kids I've taken to their first matches were my godkids Lauren & Owen who were both 7 and my stepkids Damien & Louise who were 3 and 6 respectively!

Think it depends on the individual kid; I don't think Owen would have coped at 3yo but Damien I had no qualms about taking to a match at all!

Edit: Took Owen & Lauren via the Kirklees Sevens scheme years back, do they still do that?