[Closed] Watching football as a neutral with a 5yr old in the North of England.

Newcastle or Liverpool in the prem

not that far north (newcastle) ....M62 corridor perhaps?

From what I can gather Man U would be ok if you avoided the Stretford end (that's the most vocal/noisy??).

I my experience of Old Trafford you could sit anywhere and be in near silence.

If you mean the North there is only Newcastle the rest are a bit southern

Great atmosphere roaring noise and sometimes a good result

Old Trafford is well Policed and I've wandered/walked my dog round there many times (I live by the cricket ground nearby) and I've never had any probs.

The issue is swearing- you can never guarantee that someone next to you might suddenly say 'are you ****ing blind ref'?

Hillsborough in the south stand is great as a neutral/family. Good view, decent food and drink, lots of families.
Good footie at the minute too

Having taken a 5yo to see them play Bolton in a friendly, the mighty '[url= http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/page/Welcome ]Dale[/url] might suit?

Not exactly high quality football but better than what I was bourght up with (ie. Morton)

Andy

Worse than swearing though. Your son may become a Man U fan if he enjoys the experience/leaves a lasting impression..

Huddersfield town!

Come on Terriers! In the sauna tonight I was asked if I'm a City fan. No Hudds Town 😀

That's a good point from hora. Wherever you end up be prepared to let him wear the shirt.

It's great that you want to take your son - I missed out on football because my dad was a typical stuck up pompous prick who felt football was beneath him. I got into it late, but luckily settled on a glory club.

(The mighty Baggies)

Most grounds will have a family friendly stand. Used to go to Leeds a lot and when we sat in the east stand there were loads of kids with their dads

Worse than swearing though. Your son may become a Man U fan if he enjoys the experience/leaves a lasting impression..

Or you could take him somewhere to learn how to be an underachieving failure, and think it's something to boast about...

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Nice Pink Handbag Sir!

Who's been boasting on this thread/in general DS?

Who's been boasting on this thread/in general DS?

I remember taking my son (then about 8) to Elland Road on a Dad/Lad special. Swearing was about the only issue, about 5 rows back.

It ceased though after one of the Dads (large ex-miner) stood up and turned around and shouted at the swearer to 'stop that f***ing swearing in front of my kids!'...

I was getting upset that you ,ight have been talking about the lovely Albion 🙁

I'd avoid Stoke games if you don't want to hear foul language!!

Which Albion?

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

The good one Don, in the capital of glamour that is West Bromwich.

I went to the Hawthorns once, it was raining. 🙁

go to a club outside of the premiership. oldham? rochdale? blades?

I had a look at the bolton wanderers website as that is a fairly modern stadium, quite handy and possibly empty??? but the ticket purchasing rules are complex. Seem I need a purchase history with them to buy a ticket. Chicken/Egg situ?

blades - their fans are scum

I'd avoid Stoke if you don't want to experience the best atmosphere in the Premiership. Up The Potters!

I got Aus off this here forum some tickets for him and his lad, he wanted to go to a premier league game inthe big city but couldnt get tickets etc.... I got him two in the Stoke end at the Spurs or Fulham game-cant remember, anyway, they both enjoyed it and now are secondary potters fans!!

Loud and proud!

Take him to your local club.

Or man city (as that's who he'll end up supporting anyway). 👿

Don't listen to cruzheckler, she's confusing us with her own fans 😉

Bramall Lane can be a fantastic atmosphere, or a bit tepid - our fans are fickle, I'll admit that, but on its day it can't be beat and is very family friendly - even has a family stand. Sitting in a 2/3 full stadium beats driving 4 miles to the shitty end of town and sitting in a half empty morgue 😉

Bradford City is one of the friendliest grounds I've been to.

I saw The Boss at Bramall Lane in '88. It was that goo, that ever since the gig Sheffield United have been my favourite club in Sheffield.

driving 4 miles to the shitty end of town

must av driven over from the wanabees end of town... cos the mileage doesnt mean your from the actually haves end of town

take my girls ( 6- 8) to see non league they ve been home and away following Scarborough the youngest is a man u fan so shes also seen fcum and bradford as we build her up crowd wise to a trip to old trafford.. at 5 just the two of you be prepared to leave early when the hot dogs and coke have run out.. mine get chips and coke at half time three rides on the seafront after home games if its light, if dark maccy d's on the way home..

Edited 1

An Airdrie fan edited his own post. 😳

First edit was about the glory of Fashanu.

Second edit was about what losers do, plus drugs and buckfast.

I ride bikes at other times 💡

You could take him to a proper game, and I guarantee the audience will be family friendly.

http://www.manchesterphoenix.co.uk/fixtures/

Rockhopper - just give the ticket office a bell. They'll sort you out pretty quickly and then you will have a buying history should you wish to go again. The way this season is going it'll be Championship next year though!

I started my lad off at a local non-league game - more intimate & less intimidating than a huge crowd - when he was 5 & things evolved from there.

Unfortunately he became a Chelsea fan however, thankfully he still prefers going to see the local team (in the Conference South) to a day at Stamford Bridge. He's been a jumior member for a few seasons now & at least once a year gets to be the club mascot on match day (as part of the membership) which he loves and gets him in free to all home games. This all costs less than one kids ticket at any premiership club...

I took my son to see Aston Villa on the 3rd Jan as part of his Xmas present, i'm not a fan but we went in the family stand on the front row.

We both loved it, and will go again 😉

Or you could take him somewhere to learn how to be an underachieving failure, and think it's something to boast about...

3-0.

Nothing else needs to be said.

Nothing else needs to be said.

Another club worth a visit if you're in the North is Sunderland.

I took my lad (just turned 6) to his first match on Boxing Day. He absolutely loved it.

There is a good park and ride scheme - it's free and drops off/picks up at the ground. Food (for the kids) is relatively cheap and if you are selective about your seats (family area or main stand (expensive though)) there was no problem with sweary types*. The atmosphere was excellent too.

Another option, as mentioned previously, is non-league. I used to be a member at Morecambe when they were in the conference. Matchdays were great. A real intimate family affair. I was on first name terms with Margaret who sold the pies at half time and you could go for a pint after the match with the players in the club bar.

*unlike when I went in the away end at Wigan the other night!

So, as an update, I have today booked tickets to see Team GB at Old Trafford at the Olympics. As a non football fan and no doubt the purists and fans will say it doesn't mean anything, I am genuinely excited about going and seeing, and being part of the Olympics with my son in my country during my lifetime.

Team GB at the Olympics

You'll only be disappointed.

Team England you mean?

Not bothered about the result, just the event. As I said, I have no real interest in football.

TJ - isn't there a token Scot in the squad? Its so if they lose, they become Scottish by default. Andy Murry stylee 😉

Not bothered about the result, just the event. As I said, I have no real interest in football.

Take him to your nearest league club.
It doesn't really matter which one, as long as it's not Sheffield Wednesday.
😀

If he gets into it, you'll feel much, much better about him going with his mates in a few years time.
Cheaper in the long run too.

I'm a Sheff U fan, and was brought up by a fanatical Blade in Manchester - I missed a lot of games as a kid when my parents stopped going as I was too young to go on my own and when I was old enough, it cost me a bomb in train/bus fares.

full of effin and jeffin and gesturing

my 9year old daughter assures me that the Owls fans do have at least of couple of songs that don't include "f*** you United".... i've yet to here them sung though

Sung? Grunted, surely 🙂

Mate took his boy and mine when they were both about five, to see Leeds Utd for the first time. In the lull after a particularly lurid bout of singing / chanting his boy got a laugh from all around as he turned and said

"Daddy, I know about that second word, because we're not allowed to say it at school, but what does "gay" mean?"

Why go then?
A. It's the Olympics.
B. It should be a good atmosphere regardless of the quality of the teams
C. It is reasonably handy.
D. It's probably as neutral as it can get. Which is a good thing in my mind.
E. Etc etc etc.

Where did you book the tickets? Sounds perfect for my nephew.

A. It's the Olympics.
B. It should be a good atmosphere regardless of the quality of the teams
C. It is reasonably handy.
D. It's probably as neutral as it can get. Which is a good thing in my mind.
E. Etc etc etc.

A. It's the olympics, big deal, what's SO special that you must see a game in the Olympics? What's wrong with seeing a local team that will be there for more than one game? What if your boy thinks it's the bee's knees and want's to go again?
B. Just because it's the Olympic's doesn't mean the atmosphere is going to be great.
Not long after I met my wife she went to Chelsea v Bayern Munich in the champions league and said it had a rubbish atmosphere, a week later I took her to Carlisle v Aldershot in the Conference and she loved it.
Big doesn't always mean best.
C. so is Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Stockport, Wigan, Bolton, Burnley, and the two Manchester teams.... Shall I name some more?
D. Do you think there's still pitched battles like there was in the eighties. Why the "I want to be Neutral" stance? It's not Switzerland, nobody is asking you to fight for a team.
E. Thats not an answer.

IHN - apparently there are loads and loads of Football tickets left. They've sold hardly any. Its because its only a minority sport in this country. What can you expect?

IHN...they were released just today.
Flatfish....we clearly have differing views so let's agree to disagree here. I can't see any need to justify this to you.

Good on you, go and enjoy it.
Be sure you get to some proper football too. 😉

Enjoy 🙄

I would always recommend Anfield being a liverpool fan.

However Blackpool is a great friendly atmosphere & plenty for kids to do either side of match, make a day of it!