[Archived] Kids at Rovers

[Stuart]

Obviously my lad is still pretty excited after yesterday's experience...

Watch footage here:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=217773331738589

...and the Leeds thread is heading off at a tangent. So...

What are your most memorable, earliest experiences as a Rovers fan either as a child yourself or things that your own children or grandchildren have experienced or even said.

At what age did you first take your son or daughter to Ewood? How did it go?

[forumquizmaster]

My younger son's first three games at Ewood (aged 7/8) were:

Rovers 2 Barcelona 1

Rovers 7 West Ham 1

Rovers 5 Newcastle 2

He expected every game to live up to that sort of standard but it could never last....

My earliest memory as a Rover was an away game at Notts County in the early 70s (a 0-0 draw) where all us kids were lifted over the wall at the front of the terrace so we could sit down and see the game. It wasn't my first game, though, that was at Ewood in the late 60s against Portsmouth. Rovers won 3-1 but I don't remember it.

[TonyM]

Not my first game - but first game I have a clear memory of (aged 8):

Ronnie Clayton's testimonial in Dec 1970. Liverpool/Man City combined team (Colin Bell, Francis Lee, Ian Callaghan, Tommy Smith, Mike Summerbee etc) took on an "International XI" (Banks, Moore, Hurst, Dougan, England, Clayton). I remember being on a absolutely packed Blackburn End, amazing atmosphere and loads of goals.

I didn't remember the score, but research suggests it was 5-7 !

Also remember, when very small, being lifted over the turnstiles, and later being sat against the wall around the pitch .......great days !

[patrickvalery]

I have toyed with bringing my eldest up with me since he was three. The trouble is, the 10hr round trip would be too much for the poor lad and I just know full well he'd sit down watch 5 minutes of football before getting distracted, needing a poo or just brazenly asking when we could leave.

In fact, if I'm totally honest, despite kitting him out each season and trying in vain to whip up his enthusiasm every Saturday, I am really pi$$ing in the wind. He just isn't the sort of lad who wants to concentrate on anything for 90 mins. So I have decided to back off and let him choose his moment. With any luck it'll coincide with my youngest showing some signs of interest too. Then I can drag my wife up too. It'll be perfect. We can go to the match then I can leave the three of them sat in the Fernhurst while I go out on the lash with Bob Flemming and Unluckymorten!!!! Thats some model parenting right there people. Not to mention some divine relationship skills!!

[Stuart]

Not sure about the needing a poo bit (and you'd have to be really desperate to go in the Riverside to be honest) but wanting to leave is pretty normal - not just kids, most Rovers fans. Just kidding!

My youngest has just got out of the routine of asking if the game has finished at half time and now gives me time checks - even telling me there are 9 minutes left - not the best thing to hear when we were under siege for a spell like yesterday.

Other good games include 'where's the ball' and 'where's the ball now' as well as 'face the pitch' but you have it to do.

With any luck you'll get them to the stage that my eldest is at where he'll gladly tell all his schoolmates how 'rubbish Man United are' and how 'Huddersfield winning just made the day even better!'

[wellesbourne]

I am about to petition the club for free travel and tickets every week for my lad. First game at 5 1/2. Done 5 games over last 20 months.

Won all 3 he has been at home; drawn both his away matches.

Next game for him is Yeovil away so I would back the Rovers to get a draw.

He will certainly be going to he Clarrots match - he loved he better atmosphere vs Leeds yesterday.

My first game was Stoke @ home in either 77 or 78. Been very lucky following Rovers. If you would have old me I would have seen us win Cups he League and played in Europe then I would have thought you were on something.

Despite the severe lack of quality and sometimes tactical naively Rovers is still in the blood !

[Mike E]

My first match was the match at Anfield when we won the league. Quite a start!..........but I was 4 and can't remember so it was a wasted seat :/ my next major memory was going to every match in the famous Worthy Cup winning run and after that it was more regular attendances. Then I tried a halfST in 2005 and never looked back! Apart from last season ofc, but I still went to about 10 away and 5 at home.

[perthblue02]

My Grandad took me to my first game when I was 6, in 72 can't remember anything about it now apart from the year. A couple of things I do remember where the Plymouth game (5-2 one) My mum had been in the town centre that morning and told me about all the trouble and tried to stop my Grandad taking me to the game, Never experienced an atmosphere like it before once in the ground and the great Rovers comeback that day.

A couple of other things I remember vividly from being a kid are travelling to a cup game at Derby then in the first division, and puking up in the back seat of the car and stinking of sick all the way through the match and we got beat (3-0?) , and being a mascot in 76 and getting told off by Tony Parkes cause my boots were muddy before going out onto the pitch kept the coin they tossed up with for about 20 years before misplacing it. A couple of years ago got the programme from the match off ebay and my favourite player was Glen Keeley so it said in the programme.

Also used to be in Junior Rovers when Jeff Bracken? was involved in running it, anybody on here in it around that time?

Took my lad to his first match when he was six, old second division and we got beat by Ipswich, he was more interested in the pies, crisp and pop, took him to the following home game and he wanted to go home after his half time snacks can't remember who that was against but pretty sure we lost that as well. He showed no interest what so ever in football until he started playing for his junior school and for some reason decided to support Wigan! 18 years later he still does! The night after our relegation was an interesting telephone conversation to say the least

[Stuart]

What a sickener, Perth!

[perthblue02]

What a sickener, Perth!

Swings and roundabouts Stuart, away days with the lads throughout the 90's/ 00's where unhindered and could have been worse at least he didn't become a Manure glory hunter

[old darwen blue]

Swings and roundabouts Stuart, away days with the lads throughout the 90's/ 00's where unhindered and could have been worse at least he didn't become a Manure glory hunter

So wrong. You follow your dad's team and his dads before it. What's in the blood stays in the blood end of argument.

Come on you Blues

[perthblue02]

So wrong. You follow your dad's team and his dads before it. What's in the blood stays in the blood end of argument.

Come on you Blues

That's a fair argument but if that was the case I wouldn't have supported anybody both parents had absolutely no interest in football, luckily Grandparents , Aunts and Uncles Rovers supporters.

[McClarky]

The first game I brought my daughter down to was the last game of the season against Man City about 8 years ago. She was 5. The main memory I have is of her tugging my sleeve and asking "Daddy, why is that man showing his bottom?". She probably expected a streaker at every game from then on.

[Amo]

Obviously my lad is still pretty excited after yesterday's experience...

Watch footage here:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=217773331738589

Hahaha! Great moment. It's a shame we have to grow up.

[old darwen blue]

That's a fair argument but if that was the case I wouldn't have supported anybody both parents had absolutely no interest in football, luckily Grandparents , Aunts and Uncles Rovers supporters.

That will do pal as it's still family influence if your parents didn't follow the team but the generation above it did and that is my point.

Get your lad sorted.

[Tom]

I seem to recall my first game being a draw with tranmere in 1991 when I was 6 or 7 and my first away game coincidentally being the same season at Tranmere

For some reason I vividly recall standing behind Bobby Mimms

Yeeeeeeeellows

[Jimmy612]

My first game (I think) was Everton when Flitcroft was sent off in the first few minutes for an elbow. Obviously the crowd went crazy and I had no idea what was happening. I'm almost certain I cried for the first 45 minutes of my Rovers career

[patrickvalery]

My first game (I think) was Everton when Flitcroft was sent off in the first few minutes for an elbow. Obviously the crowd went crazy and I had no idea what was happening. I'm almost certain I cried for the first 45 minutes of my Rovers career

Wasn't that Flittys debut? Sent off after three minutes I think.

[majorstyre]

my first ever game - was taken by my uncle and my dad.....if i remember correctly was December 1977, Shrewsbury Town at home and we won 2-1

hooked ever since....

got my first season ticket the next season (1978/79) and witness probably the worst Rovers side in history finish bottom that year...

- remember being on the pitch after the final whistle chanting Pickerings name...

never put me off, and now, something like 35 years running a season ticket holder....and dragging my daughter along who is hooked too

[Rover_Shaun]

I always wanted to take a pen at Ewood but my school wasn't in the borough

My first game was in 83 but the one that stands out for me is the night we beat forest at home in the fa cup in Jan 86. Forest finsihed 8th the year before and it was only 6 years since they dominated europe for two years

[windymiller7]

Not sure about the needing a poo bit (and you'd have to be really desperate to go in the Riverside to be honest) but wanting to leave is pretty normal - not just kids, most Rovers fans. Just kidding!

My youngest has just got out of the routine of asking if the game has finished at half time and now gives me time checks - even telling me there are 9 minutes left - not the best thing to hear when we were under siege for a spell like yesterday.

Other good games include 'where's the ball' and 'where's the ball now' as well as 'face the pitch' but you have it to do.

With any luck you'll get them to the stage that my eldest is at where he'll gladly tell all his schoolmates how 'rubbish Man United are' and how 'Huddersfield winning just made the day even better!'

LOL. That pretty much sums it up, although after 30mins I usually get the half time food order "Dad can I have a pie/chips/hotdog" (delete as appropriate).

I've lost count of the number of times she asks why someone's injured becuase, as you say, she wasn't watching the game "face the pitch"

I first took her last season to the Barnsley game aged 7, after being mithered all the previous season (but didn't give in for obvious reasons). Took her to another 3 last season and this year we've both got STs.

She loves it now and is definitely getting better with watching and understanding. Rhodes away shirt at the start of this season and a "Josh King home shirt" and rovers calendar on the Xmas list amongst the raft of One Direction crap, so can't complain. Even took in her first away game at Wigan this season.

By the way she was well impressed with "the lad who showed everyone his Rovers shirt" after scoring (I assume that was your lad Stuart). I missed it getting her bloody pie! She couldn't wait to tell me.

[Stuart]

LOL. That pretty much sums it up, although after 30mins I usually get the half time food order "Dad can I have a pie/chips/hotdog" (delete as appropriate).

I've lost count of the number of times she asks why someone's injured becuase, as you say, she wasn't watching the game "face the pitch"

I first took her last season to the Barnsley game aged 7, after being mithered all the previous season (but didn't give in for obvious reasons). Took her to another 3 last season and this year we've both got STs.

She loves it now and is definitely getting better with watching and understanding. Rhodes away shirt at the start of this season and a "Josh King home shirt" and rovers calendar on the Xmas list amongst the raft of One Direction crap, so can't complain. Even took in her first away game at Wigan this season.

By the way she was well impressed with "the lad who showed everyone his Rovers shirt" after scoring (I assume that was your lad Stuart). I missed it getting her bloody pie! She couldn't wait to tell me.

Brilliant, I was nodding along to all that. It's great when kids start to really get into watching their team play football.

Yes, it was my lad. The best thing about it was that it's been his childhood dream to score a goal and race off to the fans like that.

Not at Anfield, Old Trafford or the Nou Camp...

...but at Ewood Park.

[darrenrover]

Brilliant, I was nodding along to all that. It's great when kids start to really get into watching their team play football.

Yes, it was my lad. The best thing about it was that it's been his childhood dream to score a goal and race off to the fans like that.

Not at Anfield, Old Trafford or the Nou Camp...

...but at Ewood Park.

Lol, it was great to see the genuine and innocent enthusiasm of youth Stuart. You must be chuffed to bits and rightly proud.