Big Game Tomorrow

martin_p · Post by **martin_p** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:38 pm

Well for me anyway. Something I’ve looked forward to for a long time but often thought would never happen as the years passed without having any children. But tomorrow is the day I take my four year old on the Turf for the first time. It’s a long, long time since my dad took me on my first match (Arsenal at home, August ‘75, aged 7).

Any tips for a successful day?

Royboyclaret · Post by **Royboyclaret** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:44 pm

Great stuff martin_p.

No tips, just allow the lad to soak it all up.

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:47 pm

Biggest tip - BYOT...

Bring your own twix!

Enjoy. And hope we win. And if we dont, hopefuly at 4 you can convince him Barnsley and Burnley are the same

chorleyhere · Post by **chorleyhere** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:48 pm

Going with my son and taking my grandson(5) for his first game at the Turf tomorrow - I hope its a good game to remember .

Cubanclaret · Post by **Cubanclaret** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:49 pm

Sit near an exit for the toilets

Spiral · Post by **Spiral** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:51 pm

Explain how PL survival is more financially lucrative than a FA cup run which would stretch our squad to breaking point and how we'd ultimately be knocked out by better teams than us anyway. Explain how it's impossible for us to compete on two fronts, and with a bit of luck your son/daughter will absorb all that and won't make the same mistake Hitler did.

box_of_frogs · Post by **box_of_frogs** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:53 pm

Spiral wrote: won't make the same mistake Hitler did.

To be fair to Hitler, he beat all the crap teams......

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:55 pm

Wrap up warm.
Fill your pockets with treats.
Let the 4 year old buy his first programe (with sweets- but you pay the cash).
Something from the shop.
Loads of smiles and a some pics...

Enjoy martin_p !!!

Spiral · Post by **Spiral** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:59 pm

box_of_frogs wrote:To be fair to Hitler, he beat all the crap teams......

Significant goal against Poland looked offside, to be fair. And he broke FFP rules with German re-armament during the interwar summer transfer window.

WadingInDeeper · Post by **WadingInDeeper** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:59 pm

martin_p wrote:Well for me anyway. Something I’ve looked forward to for a long time but often thought would never happen as the years passed without having any children. But tomorrow is the day I take my four year old on the Turf for the first time. It’s a long, long time since my dad took me on my first match (Arsenal at home, August ‘75, aged 7).

Any tips for a successful day?

Snap, tomorrow is my son's first game, and the first time I will have been since my mum died. It feels odd, even after a few years, to be going without her. It will be different.

bfcmik · Post by **bfcmik** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:01 pm

Bring something different to do. Attention spans rarely last more than 10-12 mins at that age so you will need to be able to distract him for a while every so often. 4 or 5 minutes doing something else will stop 20 requests for the loo

jedi_master · Post by **jedi_master** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:30 pm

Taking my daughter to her first game too, so there is a few of us.

spadesclaret · Post by **spadesclaret** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:32 pm

Win or lose, I hope you and your little one have a great time together.

hampsteadclaret · Post by **hampsteadclaret** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:48 pm

Plenty of layers so they are not getting cold ( bit obvious, but when they do get cold you’ll know about it.

Buy a programme, a Burnley scarf, take a few piccies.

As above.. snacks and sweets, toffees always helps.

Best tip by far for future matches - take your lad’s best friend with you.. if the football isn’t enough they will entertain each other.

Hope you both enjoy it.. UTC

Leisure · Post by **Leisure** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:54 pm

Hope all the first-timers enjoy their day and that it's the first of many visits to the Turf. UTC

Bin Ont Turf · Post by **Bin Ont Turf** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:58 pm

Have a father and son Um Ba Ba.

It won't matter if no one else joins in, he'll think that his dad is a trailblazer.

bfccrazy · Post by **bfccrazy** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 12:04 am

Concentrate on them having more fun and stay entertained than you watch the game properly is my biggest tip from taking my nephew on from a young age.

They won’t care about football and will notice the randomest things and “forcing” them to watch the game will put kids off it. A promise of a chippy on the way home always kept my nephew interested and he grew into loving going on the turf. In the early days though his favourite thing about going on matches (usually cup games and youth matches/pre season on the turf) was the chippy on the way home or the sweets he used to get. Now he has a season ticket and loves match days.

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 12:13 am

bfccrazy wrote:Concentrate on them having more fun and stay entertained than you watch the game properly is my biggest tip from taking my nephew on from a young age.

They won’t care about football and will notice the randomest things and “forcing” them to watch the game will put kids off it. A promise of a chippy on the way home always kept my nephew interested and he grew into loving going on the turf. In the early days though his favourite thing about going on matches (usually cup games and youth matches/pre season on the turf) was the chippy on the way home or the sweets he used to get. Now he has a season ticket and loves match days.

bfccrazy · Post by **bfccrazy** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 12:15 am

tim_noone wrote:

Oh, and lots of Oreos

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 12:18 am

bfccrazy wrote:Oh, and lots of Oreos

That's a winning formula!

Chuckypad · Post by **Chuckypad** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:06 am

My eldest is three and football isn't on his radar yet. He's far too interested in important things like dinosaurs and Spiderman.

One of my main hopes at present, is that when he's ready and the time comes, that he walks through the turnstiles and sees the turf, he falls in love, like we all have.

UTC

Bullabill · Post by **Bullabill** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:20 am

My dad took my younger brother (about six) with us to see the very first floodlit match at the Turf. He had no interest in the football and after seeing the lights wanted to go straight home. He cried and sulked for the whole match and never, ever, went on again.

Rowls · Post by **Rowls** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:31 am

Have a great day martin_p & son!

UTC

Burnley1989 · Post by **Burnley1989** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:06 am

martin_p wrote:Well for me anyway. Something I’ve looked forward to for a long time but often thought would never happen as the years passed without having any children. But tomorrow is the day I take my four year old on the Turf for the first time. It’s a long, long time since my dad took me on my first match (Arsenal at home, August ‘75, aged 7).

Any tips for a successful day?

I’m doing the exact same with my 4 year old, tried to take her on earlier this season but it was sold out. Easier game to bed her in as I’m not to bothered about leaving earlier if she’s cold or not enjoying it.

I took her to watch a friend that plays at Bolton last season and she was an angel, her mum was there that time though so it may be different this time, although Grandma and Grandad will be sat near us

The Enclosure · Post by **The Enclosure** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:09 am

Dont sit near me cos i get excited and swear sometimes ha ha

Caballo · Post by **Caballo** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:16 am

I started with my youngest by parking on millennium and going to Mc D's enroute, you've got to make about more than the game at that age. Eventually, several seasons later, we were pushed for time and he suggested swerving the burger. Job done!!

mdd2 · Post by **mdd2** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:23 am

Allow me to tell you an experience I had with my then 8 year old when I took him to Old Trafford in around 1980/81.Frank Worthington was playing striker that day for Soton who were attacking the Stretford end. Frank ran through and a blazed a shot miles over the bar which was followed by the Utd lot in the Stretford end screaming "Oh wanky wanky, wanky wanky wanky wanky Worthington" and repeated once or twice.
I turned my eyes away from my son and waited.
"Dad, dad" no response from me hoping he would give up his quest for an answer to a question I was expecting.
A couple more "Dad, dad" and then a gentle dig to get my attention.
As i turned to him he spoke those "I'm off the hook words" ............"Dad why are United fans cheering Franky Worthington?"

Banana skin avoided for now I thought

Joe14 · Post by **Joe14** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:24 am

How to put kids off for life? Take them to an FA cup game

HiroshimaClaret · Post by **HiroshimaClaret** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:28 am

martin_p wrote:Well for me anyway. Something I’ve looked forward to for a long time but often thought would never happen as the years passed without having any children. But tomorrow is the day I take my four year old on the Turf for the first time. It’s a long, long time since my dad took me on my first match (Arsenal at home, August ‘75, aged 7).

Any tips for a successful day?

ENVIOUS!!!!!! ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!! A lifelong Burnsley fan!!!

Quickenthetempo · Post by **Quickenthetempo** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:31 am

As others have said kids aren't usually cut out for watching 90 minutes of football until 8 or 9 so you have to make the day about them. I spent my eldest lads first game mainly playing football under the concourse with an empty beer bottle with him. They don't like the cold but crave hot dogs and sweets. Multiple toilet trips and crowd reactions are their favourite as well. Helps if you go in a group of friends who talk to them.

Enjoy your day everyone.

TheOriginalLongsider · Post by **TheOriginalLongsider** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:46 am

Wrap up warm. Be prepared to miss lots of the match as they get restless.

Lord Beamish · Post by **Lord Beamish** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 9:16 am

Martin_P; I too am taking my 5 year old on her first Competitive Match. She’s been on 3 Friendlies(including the infamous Hanover one), and I think she’s just about ready for the real thing.
I will be keeping her occupied with a Rollover Hotdog in the First and then careful metering of sweets through the Second Half, though, if needs be, I will take her downstairs mid half and let her have a run about on the concourse whilst I watch the match on the TVs.
I hope you both have a great match and that your child turns out to be a lucky charm.

karatekid · Post by **karatekid** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 11:33 am

Meat and potato pie and a plastic fork will keep the newbies occu-pied.

Took my lad on his first game when he was 5. Doesn't seem 5 minutes ago. Now he's 21 and comes with me for a pre match beer. I'm still paying for him too.

theroyaldyche · Post by **theroyaldyche** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 2:16 pm

Was always goin to be a guaranteed nil nil

Lord Beamish · Post by **Lord Beamish** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 4:13 pm

Here’s a couple of my little one. She lasted until about 70 mins before I got her iPad out.

Bin Ont Turf · Post by **Bin Ont Turf** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 4:17 pm

Not the best game to take little kids on for their first game.

But everyone has to start somewhere.

Leisure · Post by **Leisure** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 4:17 pm

theroyaldyche wrote:Was always goin to be a guaranteed nil nil

Wrong.

jedi_master · Post by **jedi_master** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 4:54 pm

Well it won’t live long in the memory for some that (!!!!), but it will for me. 27 years after my Dad took me to my first game, against Mansfield Town, here we are with my daughter.

theroyaldyche · Post by **theroyaldyche** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 5:18 pm

Leisure wrote:Wrong.

oh sorry..albeit 2 mins

martin_p · Post by **martin_p** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 7:04 pm

The day was a great success. He’s always been good at concentrating and apart from one ‘when are we going’ at round about the hour match he sat and watched the whole match (which lets face it wasn’t the best). I pretty much did a 90 minute commentary as he was asking plenty of questions. But he says he enjoyed it and wants to go again (hoping for a home draw in the next round). Thoroughly enjoyable day for me, despite the football!

Loyalclaret · Post by **Loyalclaret** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 7:49 pm

Sound like a success for many. Fair few young families around us today which is good.

Can’t wait for my lad to be old enough to be excited about matches that are guaranteed to be poor! His mum, who hates football, told him this morning that soon he’ll be big enough to go on the Turf.

Leisure · Post by **Leisure** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 10:50 pm

theroyaldyche wrote:oh sorry..albeit 2 mins

But still wrong.

WadingInDeeper · Post by **WadingInDeeper** » Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:09 am

No complaints from this one today. Unfortunately I couldn't capture the grin on his face when we scored.

WadingInDeeper · Post by **WadingInDeeper** » Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:17 am

He reluctantly had to take the shirt off eventually.

Silkyskills1 · Post by **Silkyskills1** » Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:41 pm

At least it was a win and a goal. My first game in 1958 was a 0-2 defeat to Forest. Still getting there 60 years later.