To completely go against DH beccause I think his opinion is ridiculous

In our house we love football. We have season tickets (me and DH support different teams DS1 supports same team as him DS2 same as me) and both our boys play. But we also hate football. Kids football can be toxic. Parents thinking their kids in the next messi and then it causes trouble. And yes the football results can make or break a weekend!! Especially when our teams play each other. But you child needs to make his own decision whether he wants to play or not.

I think you have to let your son try . Let’s days chances are he won’t stick it. .
You and your dh are all football thug behaviour so you can teach your son about the game and skill and ping him away from the nonsense that goes with it .

Your husband needs to go to therapy it's ok to not like something it's absolutely not OK to forbid your children from liking it , he doesn't get to dictate what others like and enjoy

Maybe your husband hates it so much cos he was shit at it?
Don’t stop your child from doing something he enjoys because of your husbands bizarre hatred

Beware, kids football parents are everything your husband hates!

It's our job as parents to encourage things sour children like. Not parent them to things we like. (Unless they show interest)

My very shy son has taken an interest and is loving club he's become so much more confident, not much of a reader a d now is reading veresciosly all things football.

They like what they like?

My ex hated football too. Banned from our shared house etc etc and now I get so much satisfaction (that without any input) my little man has self selected football.

Honestly I wouldn't take him. Football even for toddlers is a toxic environment - and I say this as a juniors football referee. It's rarely the players I'm giving warnings to but every match it's parents and not for the abuse they give me I'm a big girl I can take it. It's for the horrible abuse they give the kids! And I'm yet to meet a coach who will say that what the parents are doing is wrong!

My husband is Rangers through and through. Imagine his disgust when he was reconnected with his long lost dad’s family to find out his uncle was a famous Celtic player 🤣

Unfortunately though, it’s not just the Scottish teams. In the 80s, football hooliganism was awful in England. That’s why Hillsborough was blamed on the Liverpool fans.

its a shame your DH has had such a bad experience of football and football fans. As with everything there’s a huge range of people involved in, and ways of enjoying, football.

In 30 odd years of actively following football I’ve experienced the poor behaviour your DH hates barely a handful of times. But thousands of example of fun and kindness. My DH and son both play, and love the sport. Again, there are people we’re not keen on involved, but loads of fantastic, enthusiastic and generous people too.

Is your DH always so blinkered and stubborn? I’d challenge him on that, and take your son to some sessions, it’s a great sport to make friends, have fun and learn team spirit. It’s easy to avoids the less pleasant elements, especially at 4yo!

I agree with your husband! We are a rugby family, much nicer.

Team sports are good for SOME children’s development.

Team sports are really important for child development, but football does bring out the worst behaviours in little boys and your husband is quite right not to want to associate with this thuggery. Try another sport. Cricket, rugby, hockey clubs don't make children misbehave, roll on the ground pretending to be injured, fight or any of the other poor behaviours associated with football.

It sounds like possibly your DH has lots of negative associations / possibly traumatic experiences with football culture. He sounds fearful. There are also lots of good sides to football. Fast forward to older years at primary school and high school and not playing football at playtime could mean he is a little less involved in the friends groups who do all play football (of which there are a lot). From my childs experience anyway). So I think for the positive benefits of football if your son is interested to go with that interest and get him involved (better than sitting at home gaming which is the other time pull as they age). I would let your DH know about your intentions. You could provide reassurance and maybe put some boundaries in to stop your child from getting involved with the bad side of football culture. There is a difference IMO between playing football as a sport for health and skill benefits and following football culture (tied up in drinking and violence). Maybe chat about the two sides to it and reassure that it is playing it not being involved in the culture. Educating your child as to the downside but promoting the good side would be a good way of dealing with it rather than trying to control what sports he plays. Good luck !

His opinion about football isn't ridiculous (and I like football). But to deny your son the pleasure of football is.

My husband hates football as much as yours. But he wouldn't stop a child playing sport.
He wouldn't want to take them to a big teams match though!

Playing football as a kid and being a die-hard supporter are two very different things. Football is a big thing in primary school playgrounds and at the very least your DS will almost certainly end up playing it, which means that having some basic skills will be helpful. Your DH can teach him about the negative side of fandom without detracting from the sport.
I completely understand your DH as I have never liked football and witnessed the hooliganism in the 80s, as well as Hillsborough, etc,. My DS has been into football since he was 5 (now 16). I have to say that he's benefitted a lot from playing the sport and is a supporter of a local team, but we have a lot of conversations about the negatives of it, as well as the positives, which exist too. I agree that trying to ban your DS from playing will in all likelihood backfire.

My nephews both wanted to play football. Their mum( sil) hated it and absolutely refused to bring them although they begged her. Coming from her background she couldn't do it as she hated it. They had everything: rugby, cricket, music, choir, they wanted football.
I remember a conversation when they were early 20s where they both said they would never get over not being allowed to play football. When they came on holidays to us through the years my lads..who were football crazy..and the cousins played football from morning until night and they were good but their mom persisted. Their dad wasn't adamant but let the mom decide. I felt so sorry for them.
I would say try and persuade dh to let him go just for the social side. It's great for mixing in the school yard and at camps etc. Focus on the friendships.
Also l would much prefer football that martial arts but that's my thing.

This. I can't stand football, yet have two football obsessed kids.
I wouldn't dream of banning them from it though, that's ridiculous.

I can't stand football, but I would never have stopped any of my kids playing it, or being supporters of it. That's just wrong!

@apecial I am the same as your husband to a point. I didn't send my son to football at 3 just because lots of other boys did. I sent him to Enjoy a ball. It was an activity that gave him a taste of a selection of different ball sports, then when he was 8 he wanted to join a local boys football club, and really enjoyed it, but I delegated the Sunday matches to his dad as I have no interest in football at all. It wasn't pleasant sometimes with the aggressive parents on the sidelines. But he enjoyed it.

Your DH is being very narrow minded and judging a huge sport by his limited experience.
My DP is a dedicated follower of our local team, never goes to the pub or drinks, just a nice day out with friends.

Take DS. If he wants to do football then it's up to him. Your DH is loading his expectations on his DS. Not a good thing.

Both of my sons who are now 23 & 21 grew up around football played every weekend in their teams , played for their school .
They are NOT loud swearing hooligans ok all of you who are complete snobs regarding football.
They are happy considerate polite young men because they were raised well regardless of the sport they enjoy.
Parents are told at games that if any shouting bad language takes place your not allowed back so let's get it right !

Absolutely take your little boy to football.
Your DH will have to put his feelings to one side.
Its only a good thing your little boy wants to join in and be involved this is how he will make friends and grow confidence.
YANBU

He can’t impose his opinions on a four-year-old who wants to play with his mates; he’s ridiculous not you. A Saturday morning game of footie is not going to define the child as a football hooligan for life. Then again, I wouldn’t let my kids watch Grange Hill, so who am I to talk..