Barn Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 I took my boys to the Bridge on Sunday, for my youngest it was his first visit which got me thinking about what the match-day experience really is about. It's different for everyone with different parts of it making each game special in some way. For me as a kid it was always about the people, standing in the Shed, moving away from dad a bit so that I could swear without him knowing (although I was soon told that what happens at football stays at football and it's the only time he will ever let me swear in front of him). In those days we used to drive up when I finished football training, we parked either over Battersea Bridge near where his family used to live and walked across from there or just along the Embankment. The shop before the game - back then it was a tiny shop where you stood at the door and shouted until someone paid you some attention and passed over what you wanted. Radio 5 live on in the car coming home. Happy days. All that changed when I got a little bit older and we started going to the pub before games - not interested in the shop any more! Still about the characters but getting a bit closer to some of them, meeting more people, more banter going on and getting more interested in the results - miserable and moody when we lost, buzzing when we won (because it didn't happen often!). So Sunday was a strange day trying to balance my needs with theirs. I ended up having to drive because our trains were up the wall, even the A13 was bringing back memories. We met my dad, brother and nephew in the pub then headed on to the ground, in the shop then to our seats (strangely we were in the same block of the MHU that I'd had my season ticket in). My eldest loves the game, the movement of the players etc, he's a real thinker, the youngest loved the crowd, joining in with all the chanting, fidgeting constantly and just excited by the whole experience - at one point telling me that he was watching the screen because he forgot to look down at the pitch! Another moment had my eldest leaning closer to me to tell me that his little brother was singing that chant......"you fat bar steward..." I don't think he would ever have heard the word bar steward before and certainly didn't know that at 5 he shouldn't be saying it so I let it go and just smiled. I smiled less about it when we got home and the eldest told the missus about it! A brilliant day though - disappointing on the pitch and I found it incredible to see in the flesh just how bad some of the top players we have are playing (I genuinely thought Oscar would become the best player in the world before we signed him), but good in every other way including the result. I'm going to document in the next few days my kids' take on the day, it would be good for them to look back on when they're older but also nice for me to see what bits of the day really matter to them - I'll add them to this thread. So what makes the day tick for you? One last point, a massive thank you again to this site and in particular the people on here that offered us memberships to use to get our tickets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_mac Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Nice one, and thanks for sharing. Fpr me it's arranging the pre-game pints, and then taking in the match before parting. When we played against Charlton at home after winning the league away to Bolton the week prior, there were a few of us all arranged an after match curry near the bridge, and that was a great experience with different parts of the restaurant taking turns leading songs etc. I've mainly done most of the games by myself, but I took my wife a couple fo times too. She came along to the pre-match drinks, she got stuck in with some singing, and cheering, and she ad a great day...I just stayed a little more sober. It'll be completely different with kids, and something I'm really looking for ward to...the day I get to take my wee girl to her first game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckywerthers Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 i used to love the whole thing, from the pub to the chippie to the game, being behind the goal when we scored has to be one of the best football buzzes ever, and taking my little nephew there for his first ever game, i took him too a few games, he later thanked me for saving him from being a west ham supporter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krc-fan Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Beautiful, Barn! Memories in the same language. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chi blue Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 What a great post, for me as a lad in the early 80's, my dad would drive up from west sussex and night games he would pick me up from school, as I got to latter teens, it would be in pub with some of his mates. Fast forward to early 2000's and and my two sons 5 and 8 started coming, (brings a tear to your eye first came your kids attend) it was the usual to start with, substitute the pub for the mega store, and it was all replica shirts etc, now fast forward to today, and the boys are now 21 and 19, they wouldn't be seen dead in a replica shirt now a days, its all 80's retro gear to games, its train to games, pre match drink in the pub, away games etc, yes match day experiences do change as you get older, but it seems history repeats itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chi blue Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 What a great post, for me as a lad in the early 80's, my dad would drive up from west sussex and night games he would pick me up from school, as I got to latter teens, it would be in pub with some of his mates. Fast forward to early 2000's and and my two sons 5 and 8 started coming, (brings a tear to your eye first came your kids attend) it was the usual to start with, substitute the pub for the mega store, and it was all replica shirts etc, now fast forward to today, and the boys are now 21 and 19, they wouldn't be seen dead in a replica shirt now a days, its all 80's retro gear to games, its train to games, pre match drink in the pub, away games etc, yes match day experiences do change as you get older, but it seems history repeats itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chi blue Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Bloody phone, sorry posted twice, technolgy! Might be my age though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barn Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 Right so I've finally managed to get something out of the boys that was more meaningful than "it's good" or "I like it". So for the older one (just turned 11); "I like going to the shop when I've got some money to spend - or when granddad is with us, but really I just like watching the game. I like to see how good the players are, how they control the ball and see where their teammates are all the time. I like that even when their marked some players still want the ball - Willian, Fabregas and Loftus-Cheek especially, and they don't loose it. I like the fans and the way everyone get's really excited at the start of the game." And the little one (6 in a few weeks); "I just loved it all, the people and the songs were really funny, I shouted and no-one even cared. The best bit was when we scored and everyone jumped up and cheered, that was really exciting and meant we won." I asked about before and after the game if he liked anything there; "I didn't like going in the shop, I wish you just bought me stuff. The pub was good though specially when I nicked granddad's beer, I wish it was closer though." So there you have it, not sure what I can take from that apart from the fact that they both love it. I do love the fact that my older boy sees so much in the game, things that could make him a better player (or more likely one day a very good coach). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tea Bar Boy Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Right so I've finally managed to get something out of the boys that was more meaningful than "it's good" or "I like it". So for the older one (just turned 11); "I like going to the shop when I've got some money to spend - or when granddad is with us, but really I just like watching the game. I like to see how good the players are, how they control the ball and see where their teammates are all the time. I like that even when their marked some players still want the ball - Willian, Fabregas and Loftus-Cheek especially, and they don't loose it. I like the fans and the way everyone get's really excited at the start of the game." And the little one (6 in a few weeks); "I just loved it all, the people and the songs were really funny, I shouted and no-one even cared. The best bit was when we scored and everyone jumped up and cheered, that was really exciting and meant we won." I asked about before and after the game if he liked anything there; "I didn't like going in the shop, I wish you just bought me stuff. The pub was good though specially when I nicked granddad's beer, I wish it was closer though." So there you have it, not sure what I can take from that apart from the fact that they both love it. I do love the fact that my older boy sees so much in the game, things that could make him a better player (or more likely one day a very good coach). Lovely to hear the little peoples feedback Barn and the next generation of Chelsea Fan's !! Memories made for them that will last a lifetime you must be very happy and proud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barn Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 Cheers mate, yes it is a bit special taking the boys over there. Great to have 3 generations over there together, dad more really feels proud of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barn Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 Couldn't resist, here's a few snaps from the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Droogba Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 (edited) Barn, society needs more dads, families like you and yours. I know money is an issue for many, but how much do these PlayStation things cost... this is the future of football and so I hope clubs cultivate a family audience for the game and to enable youngsters to be outdoors and socialising. Edited January 16, 2016 by Droogba Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barn Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 Barn, society needs more dads, families like you and yours. I know money is an issue for many, but how much do these PlayStation things cost... this is the future of football and so I hope clubs cultivate a family audience for the game and to enable youngsters to be outdoors and socialising. Cheers mate, I'm lucky that I got good kids that enjoy being more than being in doors, mich the same as me and the wife. Not everyone's bag though which is fine. The only problem with being like that is nearly every Monday morning when we realise we haven't had time to help the kids with their homework!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valerie Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Thanks Barn, I'm really enjoying this thread! Great photo in front of Lamps btw :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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