sussexsaint Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 I've always had a belief that one of the real tests of 'fandom' isn't attendance at games, tattoos or season ticket etc. it comes down to something much simpler ( to me) . It comes down to having that awful sinking feeling that comes with a loss. ( or vice versa the euphoria of a win) whether that comes from watching it from your season ticket seat, in the rain at gillingham away mid week or even just seeing the results on teletext. If you feel something then you are a saint in my book. Yesterday was my boys 3rd game. So far he's seen a win and a draw. we can't get to many games as we live a long way away and I work most Saturday's. So I've never really known how much of a fan he really was, and how much he was humouring his old dad for food and 'stuff' Yesterday he was pumped for the game , we met the players pre match, got a shirt made up for him and the sun was out. Perfect father son day so far. He loved walking down the road in a sea of red and white. He started off in fine voice, but, like the rest of us got quieter and quieter as the game went on. I took it as growing boredom on his part I was actually surprised when the third goal went in to see him on the verge of tears. He was still very down this morning, but the first thing he said was ' can we go again soon please' Maybe it takes a loss to cement the love, it's easy to support a team when you win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washsaint Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 Top post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sentry Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 A lot of the young ones have had it good the last 5 or 6 years. A beating like that (although Im still stewing and frusted at it myself) is a good grounding now and then. Football, for the fast majority of fans, is more about the lows than the highs and how we move on past them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delboy Dave Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 How old is your lad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansums Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 How old is your lad? 32 and a half Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansums Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 This is the thing though. Straight after the game you just don't want to know about anything to do with football but give it a few hours and you can't wait for the next game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 I've always had a belief that one of the real tests of 'fandom' isn't attendance at games, tattoos or season ticket etc. it comes down to something much simpler ( to me) . It comes down to having that awful sinking feeling that comes with a loss. ( or vice versa the euphoria of a win) whether that comes from watching it from your season ticket seat, in the rain at gillingham away mid week or even just seeing the results on teletext. If you feel something then you are a saint in my book. Yesterday was my boys 3rd game. So far he's seen a win and a draw. we can't get to many games as we live a long way away and I work most Saturday's. So I've never really known how much of a fan he really was, and how much he was humouring his old dad for food and 'stuff' Yesterday he was pumped for the game , we met the players pre match, got a shirt made up for him and the sun was out. Perfect father son day so far. He loved walking down the road in a sea of red and white. He started off in fine voice, but, like the rest of us got quieter and quieter as the game went on. I took it as growing boredom on his part I was actually surprised when the third goal went in to see him on the verge of tears. He was still very down this morning, but the first thing he said was ' can we go again soon please' Maybe it takes a loss to cement the love, it's easy to support a team when you win. Fair play. My sons first game was Charlton at home the season we were relegated from the championship and had just gone into administration. Awful game, terrible result and a depressing atmosphere yet, surprisingly, he still wanted to go again the next season of course since then he has known nothing but good times as a saints fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sussexsaint Posted 16 August, 2015 Author Share Posted 16 August, 2015 Thanks. He's 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joneth Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 When you get used to winning, losing is all the more painful. When you are used to losing, winning a game, just a simple 3 points is the best feeling there is. That's what the 90s taught me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallyboy Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 That reminds me of going back to the late 90s when work kept me away from games and you think perhaps you aren't that worried about it anymore....and then Radio Solent played that crowd noise, followed by...there's been a goal at The Dell.... And there I am driving along on my own in the middle of nowhere welling up because Matt has created a goal that will keep us up on the last day. In that single moment I realised that I might not be there, but I still cared - quite a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersubpuckett Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 I can relate to this post. I've been taking my 12yr old since pardew took over and he's seen about two games a season - he's only ever seen us win! We live in SE London but he's saints through and through and yesterday was tough to take - he was silent on the way back to the car and driving up the M3 I looked over to see him shedding a few tears. He doesn't have a choice about going to the next game as we've got season tickets this year - lets hope the players show the same sort of passion otherwise it's going to be a traumatic year!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Biscuits Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 My 5 year old son is getting into football. The only problem is some absolute t0sser who runs one of the sports clubs he goes to thought it was funny to tell all the kids that Chelsea are the best team and so now al l the kids in my sons class just go on and on about Chelsea. I'm sure you can imagine how all the non-Chelsea supporting dads have reacted, including me. Ive literally just got off the phone from saying goodnight to him. During the conversation, he informed me that his mum had taken him to buy new football kit today and he got all red except for the boots which were 'Chelsea' boots (because they are blue, there were no red ones in his size) Money is tight so I'm saving for his first shirt, he knows it will be red and white - we were in the red with thin stripe kit when he first became aware so to him, southampton are the red team. Only problem is, he now keeps going on about how Southampton are my team but Chelsea 'are the best team because they are champions'. The ex isn't fussed about football so she just finds it funny but does take my side, telling him to stop going on about Chelsea. I am absolutely not raising a Chelsea fan. No f**king way. I am going to find that bloke and f**king slap him silly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Biscuits Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 When you get used to winning, losing is all the more painful. When you are used to losing, winning a game, just a simple 3 points is the best feeling there is. That's what the 90s taught me. Spare a thought for those Man U fans since Ferguson left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohio Saint Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 When I was a kid, Saints were in the First Division. Naturally at first I thought that was where they always were, and always would be. If you want your kid to grow up with any sense of reality, make him a Saints supporter at the earliest opportunity. This game is best best way to teach a kid the lesson of hard knocks and great joy without physically kicking the crap out of him then buying him an X-Box . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shance Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 My nipper turns 5 next month. His first game was utd away last season. I hope he doesn't think it'll end like that every year up there!! haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colinjb Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 A heartening story. Thanks for sharing. When the time comes I'm hoping my daughter takes to the club in the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 (edited) My 5 year old son is getting into football. The only problem is some absolute t0sser who runs one of the sports clubs he goes to thought it was funny to tell all the kids that Chelsea are the best team and so now al l the kids in my sons class just go on and on about Chelsea. I'm sure you can imagine how all the non-Chelsea supporting dads have reacted, including me. Ive literally just got off the phone from saying goodnight to him. During the conversation, he informed me that his mum had taken him to buy new football kit today and he got all red except for the boots which were 'Chelsea' boots (because they are blue, there were no red ones in his size) Money is tight so I'm saving for his first shirt, he knows it will be red and white - we were in the red with thin stripe kit when he first became aware so to him, southampton are the red team. Only problem is, he now keeps going on about how Southampton are my team but Chelsea 'are the best team because they are champions'. The ex isn't fussed about football so she just finds it funny but does take my side, telling him to stop going on about Chelsea. I am absolutely not raising a Chelsea fan. No f**king way. I am going to find that bloke and f**king slap him silly. I now have visions of this Edited 17 August, 2015 by doddisalegend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Saint Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 My tin lids both pink flavour, went to their first game aged 5 & 6 hooked ever since, 2 moments from each of them showed the passion for Saints the eldest at 9 stood on her seat in the family corner the night we played p*mpey in the league cup giving back the reply to the p*mpey chimes with the right (wrong for a well brought up 9 year old girl) words: half of me mortified the other half "good on you girl". The youngest the morning after we gloriously beat Man U at ours in the 88th minute, I hear her get out of bed into the bathroom after a couple of minutes all you hear is "who are ya, who are ya?". As as a supporter once submitted in the back of one of the Hagiology books on Saints: You don't choose to support the Saints, the Saints choose you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucks Saint Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 Sadly my 16 year old, who lives in Herts with my ex wife, has given up this season, despite the heights we hit last. He has been a regular since about 8 and a seaon ticket holder since league one promotion. I think the long journeys, and the tail end of last season, coupled with the natural growing interest in other things at his age, namely girls, have done for him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Balls Posted 16 August, 2015 Share Posted 16 August, 2015 Sadly my 16 year old, who lives in Herts with my ex wife, has given up this season, despite the heights we hit last. He has been a regular since about 8 and a seaon ticket holder since league one promotion. I think the long journeys, and the tail end of last season, coupled with the natural growing interest in other things at his age, namely girls, have done for him Don't worry, it's a phase. He'll be back. May take a few years but he'll soon realise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andoru Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 No kids yet (next year), but I've already laid it down to my wife that we're having a Saints fan and nothing else. Fortunately, living overseas I can censor the sports news fairly easily, at least compared to England where the so-called big clubs are constantly in your face. My kid will only ever see Saints matches shown on our TV and I'll put parental blocks on the internet for search terms like Man Utd. They'll be dressed in Saints kit before they even know what football is and their room will be red and white for a little extra subliminal brainwashing. As far as my kid will know, Southampton are the only team in England – the other 11 blokes that play them on Saturdays are just randoms. Seriously, I'm going to create the football supporting equivalent of North Korea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dronskisaint Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Great post - I took my lad to his first game in the last season that standing was allowed at The Dell...he'd already been got at by the glory-followers at school and while he loved going (In the car on the way up the M3 'Dad, what's a w*nker?'...'Ask your mother son, I'm driving!' :-)) to the match it was not until he had left school (we live 200 miles away) that he realised the plasticity of his affiliation and now, 11 years later completely feels it as you describe! He now has a son, my first grandchild whose first garment was a babygro from the Saints shop - he is getting no choice, dad and granddad ensuring it!! :-) My message to all.....they get there in the end...peer pressure is hard at school but Saints blood runs deep! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydenhampton Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Great post. My niece is 12 now and when I took her to the Palace home game last season (cup) she was all the same; despondent, upset at losing, but wanting to go again. To be fair though, I also took her to the SUnderland home game a few months previously and she thinks that's going to happen more often! Whoops. I first took her along when she was 6, we beat Yeovil 2-0 back in the League One days with 2 Rickie penno's. I remember it well. I picked her up above my head when each one went in and she thought that's how goals were scored. The next one, a cup win over Ippo, she wondered what went on when the goals were scored from open play! Now, of course, she's a proper pre-teen and showing no appetite for sport whatsoever, but still wants to go again. I wonder how long it will last? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonb Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Nevermind the little critters... I still feel the pain and I'm 41. Sure the pain seems to fade a bit quicker now as I get older but I'm a right grumpy b**tard straight after a defeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecuk268 Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Started taking my lad during the Branfo*t years. Things could only get better after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Grandad Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 I remember an away game many years ago when we had been stuffed by seven goals. It might have been Liverpool but there were many others. On leaving the ground I heard a Saints father say to his lad "that's what it's all about son". We have to suffer the depths of despair in order to make the heights of success that much more enjoyable. It can't be any fun watching Man Utd or such like every week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Biscuits Posted 18 August, 2015 Share Posted 18 August, 2015 I now have visions of this Lol! No the conversation will be more along the lines of 'stick to your job of teaching my son to play football. He will support who he wants to support without any influence from you' (With possibly a few hefty nudges from Daddy along the way) The main reason I don't want him to be a plastic 'top four' supporter is because it's dull, far too many glory hunters do it and I want to take him to St Mary's when he's older. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpturner Posted 18 August, 2015 Share Posted 18 August, 2015 I have three girls aged 16, 11 and 7. They have all been to St Mary's once each. None of them had any interest in the game or the result. None of them ever want to go again....but at least I tried Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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