Tips for football parents

Both mine have just started their first season and they both train on the same night but 1 hour after the other.
Keep a ball in the car for the non-player to practice with, they’ll quickly make a friend. Last winter I had a hot water bottle up my jumper for training (in the snow)
Make friends with the other parents, we go to Wetherspoons for breakfast after Sunday football, take ball in boot for kids to play on park.
Rope in Great Uncles/Step Dads/cousins etc to go to matches when you can, they love it!

We had the fulton umbrella too, This one.

Still going strong after 7 years. Good size, not as huge as a full size golf umbrella but comfortably fits 2 people and withstands moderate wind.

Buy a decent umbrella - the £5 ones from Sports Direct will disintegrate within a month. I have a storm proof Fulton one that cost £35 but has lasted 6 year and counting.

Towels and bin bags are very handy for keeping the car clean. I have a friend who puts her kids feet/legs in to a bin bag as they get in the car, which works a treat.

Definitely agree with the point about never assuming there will be toilets at away games - I learned this lesson that hard way!

1. Get yourself some wellies that are a couple of sizes bigger than your shoe size.

1. Limit your liquid intake. The toilets at most grounds are usually either non-existent or just horrible (ALWAYS take tissue in your pocket). Even if you have a nice toilet at your ground, it is a pain trying to get through all your layers

1. Yes to BIG umbrella

1. Definite yes to a big sheet / dust cover and an old towel to protect your can when they get in all wet and covered in mud

1. Definite yes to layers

Layers, good boots, big umbrella. Find like minded i.e not overly competitive parents to chat to or use it as an opportunity to do some exercise or walk the dog etc.

Get your child into cricket - much nicer sitting on the side in the sun with a glass of wine than standing in a muddy, wet field in the rain with a thermos!

Actually, it's not that bad, if you go prepared! I did once see a parent sitting in a pop up shelter, which looked a great idea! My FIL used to take non-prescription spectacles with side shields as his eyes used to water in the wind/cold, and he couldn't watch without them.

DS is now 21 but I spent every Saturday and Sunday from when he was 6 to 18 standing on the sidelines watching him play football, plus the many many hours at training. He played for school from the age of 11 which were Saturday morning games, sometimes he played another game in the afternoon and always on a Sunday (he filled in for the Saturday team and the other was his regular team).

It was initially trial and error with boots/coats. Wellies only with sheepskin liners and wool socks or Timberland boots. Arctic Parka, a decent warm hat and sheepskin gloves worked for me. Never underestimate the weather - might seem warm and sunny when you set out but it will turn into a wind tunnel as soon as you stand on the side of the pitch.

Waterproof car seat covers and rubble sacks in the footwell. Blankets, a pair of sliders and towels in the car. Boots and muddy over kit went into a plastic box in the boot (he is a goalkeeper so was usually covered head to toe in mud).

A decent travel mug or thermos and a folding chair.

Good Luck.

Layers layers and layers I got a Sittingsuit from Norse Supply. Super cosy wearable sleeping bag coat :D

Second what agnesf says about main contact. My son changed teams last season and my DH knew the manager so he was always contacted with details. Never knew what was going on

Re weather readiness - a good thing is that football matches are often cancelled in winter because the pitch is too wet/ covered in snow etc. So actually not likely to be as bad as you might think.

Re organisation/ communication skills of coaches - in my experience of several different teams 2/3rds of them are utterly useless and are prone to texting you at 9pm the day before with info for matches/ training etc which occur during the hours when normal working people are working. They also rely on DCs to bring home info delivered verbally at training.

Make sure you get to know all the other parents well in the hope that you can form some kind of transport network.

Do not allow your DP to be the main football contact unless he is also the main taxi driver in your household.

Thermos of coffee, fold up camping chair, warm warm socks, gloves, hat.

Realisation that you will never be able to do anything else on a weekend again.

Didriksons coat. I was a rugby mum, I think there is a great deal of overlap between the experiences!

Keep an eye on the ball. Seen many a parents been hit in the face by the ball

Don't run onto the pitch if your DC gets hurt

Cheap camping stools are fab for watching the game.

And when shopping for boots/trainers then remember to take football sock with you

You need good boots, a good warm waterproof coat, and a folding chair. Also, a pair of those gloves that you can use your phone with. I gave myself nasty chilblains the winter before last by not wearing gloves so I could MN at football! (I do watch DS too, btw, but it gets a bit dull...) Last winter, I got a pair of those gloves and put woollen fingerless ones over the top. Perfect!

Those clicky handwarmer things are really good too.

Snacks are very important, both for your DD and for you.

Have fun!

Allow longer than you think for shin pads and socks. It's my most hated 5 minutes of the week.

IME size up base layers the only difference is the length of sleeves and body, not so much the "cut". We buy Nike ones and it seems to be fine.

Oh and keep a pack of baby wipes in the boot of yr car: you will have to get the wet and muddy boot laces untied and the boots off her frozen feet and you will need to wipe yr hands after!

I wouldn't buy base layers big to grow into-unless they're snug they don't work properly

You don't need to buy expensive sports thermals or under layers. Many parents, including me, buy them from an outdoor shop, or elsewhere. Buy them for you, as well as the children!

All good advice above. The only thing I would add is take a fold up chair if you will be fighting for the bench. Don't rely on there being a cafe nearby where you are going - always take a flask. I reckon a raincoat with hood is better than an umbrella. I know someone has already mentioned a hat but it does make a hell of a difference wearing one
Both my DD and DS played. After 9 years my DS has just stopped. Instead he is refereeing on saturday and sunday. Although now we don't have to stop and watch the match we still have to take him and collect after about an hour. Depending where it is we do end up stopping.