Would you let your 14 yr old and 12yr old attend a football match alone?

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

Only 2 tickets available for upcoming Champions League games. Both sons are into football but hardly ever get to go to the game. The plan was for DH to go each time and alternate which son he took. Problem: The first match is a BIG one and both boys would give their right arm to attend.

It is Ds1’s “turn” to attend a match. They all rarely go as can’t get tickets. So he hasn’t been in many months and is excited. But DS2 hasn’t been to as many games in his life as DS1 has and he also hasn’t been for many months either. Plus one of his heroes will be playing. I can see why they both want to go to it and both have good reasons.

DH has suggested he gives up his ticket so they can both go, and he would take them to the turnstiles and pick them up after the game. I have said a shocked “no way! It is an evening game, with a massive foreign side, there could be trouble at the ground and no-one will be there to look after them, you don’t know who they’ll be sitting next to, and they are CHILDREN.”

DH said that he and his brothers used to go in in their own as kids but that was in the days before the Premier League and Sky andloads more families and kids went particularly on a Saturday afternoon as it was cheap (er)

Am I doing the right thing saying no to this? Ds2 is so disappointed.

YeShite: it is family friends of DH’s family who lost someone, so not me directly, sorry I should have made it clearer. We see the Mum of the family fairly regularly at family functions. I suppose I meant that everyone in Liverpool knows someone who has been directly affected by Hillsborough not that everyone lost someone close to them. It’s just always something you’re aware of at the back of your mind.

Thanks for reassuring me about the safety information.

Ah ok OP, I’m still sorry for the impact that Hillsborough has had on your city and your lives. It was an absolute tragedy and should never, ever have happened. Heartened to see something in the way of justice in the pipeline at least!

I do understand your worries, I’m sorry if I got a bit caught up in the excitement (I’m already bouncing about Sunday’s game for us!).

I only know so much about stadium safety because of DPs security work, and he was responsible for the segregation sections more than once.

Mind you, Neymar is an enormous twat Mbappe is the one to watch

Persian: It’s not purchasing junior tickets, though, It’s tickets on 2 adult season tickets of PIL - they get first dibs at CL tickets, and because of that you still have to pay for 2 adult tickets no matter if one of those using the season ticket is a child. So I’m not clear on the rules in these circumstances where you are paying an adult price but I’m guessing it might be the same as if you were wanting to buy a junior ticket.

Adult tickets wouldn’t be queried even if a child used them, they’d only be queried if an adult tried to use a child’s ticket.

Yes, that’s what I thought. But woukd rhey be queried at the gate for not being with an adult? That’s what I can’t quite find out. ah well, we’re in Anfield at through weekend visiting PIL so can pop into the ground and ask.

Not at Celtic Park they’re not, but it’s worth checking at Anfield.

Your excitement for the new season is so coming through, YeTalk!

I can take or leave football. I can really get into a game on telly, or I can MN all the way through and hardly notice when a goal is scored, I have to be in the mood.

First and only proper game at the ground was in 1998 watching Barca! . I liked the atmosphere but didn’t realise the distance from the players meant that you couldn’t see all the ins and outs of a game. When it’s on telly the action is caught on camera really close up and id rather know there was a goal by seeing it go in than hearing the crowd roar after squinting at the shot!

Persian: It’s not purchasing junior tickets, though
I know but I would have thought that if you can't buy a junior ticket without an adult ticket then a child needs an adult to go to the match.

Will the season ticket holders be going to Saturday’s game? I’d have no qualms about asking the people we sit next to every week to keep an eye out for the kids, in case of emergency at the CL game. Disclaimer: I don’t have kids and the people that sit around us are very friendly. (Also not LFC.)

www.liverpoolfc.com/news/announcements/281744-fans-forum-gets-off-to-positive-start

Look at this document from last year and where it says -
"Liverpool’s safeguarding and assurance manager, who outlined the challenges faced by all Premier League clubs when it comes to safeguarding children and explained why Liverpool do not allow unaccompanied children under the age of 16 to attend games."

No, they woukd be taking the place of the season ticket holders (PIL). For some weird reason they prefer the premiership games and aren’t bothered about CL!

Ie there would be no guarantee who they would be next to

If you don't know the people sitting nearby to ask in advance if they are attending and can they keep an eye on the boys then it would be NO from me.
If you do let then go then you or your husband need to sit outside the stadium gate where they would exit for the whole match incase of an emergency.
We have a season ticket and I wouldn't let my DS go with another child.

Haha oh aye I’m buzzing!!! This is the first season we’ve had season tickets and it’s ace

Aye I know what you mean, I always rewatch it at home again to get all the bits I missed ( I know I’m really sad)

My best pal is like that, can take it or leave it depending on if she fancies it.

I’ve always been football daft and I confess that knowing how excited your DS2 would be coloured my comments a lot I do stand by them though, especially the completely valid safety concerns you had and the ways that the stadia combat these.

It’s funny, because I still get butterflies walking up the steps to a game, every single time and I’ve been going for years!

European nights are like nothing else, there’s just a buzz and an atmosphere like no other

And our two clubs share that wonderful anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone”

Just talked to Ds1(14) about it. We are all big football fans here and my 2 ds's are very excited about imminent CL games.

We both agree it would be fine. Dh would drop them off at the turnstiles and meet them back there. And make arrangements in case anything emergency happens.
Sounds fine.

Didn’t make myself clear. I meant get the PIL to ask their seat neighbours at the Leicester City match if they know them.

Which stand are ye in @yetalkshite ? I’m only a blow in but I love Celtic now

Oh so they do, I forgot about that! I must admit I get a tear in my eye even hearing that song at home. Been to a couple of funerals of relatives where that was chosen as the last piece of music to exit to.

Well, thanks to PersianCat, I think it’s pretty clear that they wouldn’t be allowed in without an adult. They may manage to SNEAK in, but a) I’m not about to encourage them to flout safeguardinf rules and b) the fallout of them being turned away would not be pleasant!

Nah, DS2 can stay home with me and we’ll put our scarves on and pretend we’re there!

Sounds fine
Except that LFC Safeguarding & Assurance Manager states that they do not allow unaccompanied under 16s into the ground.

Well, thanks to PersianCat
I feel like the ruiner of all fun but I suppose that it is better to find out now than on the day.

Lovely: yes, I suppose they could do ask their regular premiership neighbours. But looks like it’s not allowed anyway so that’s that. I have to say I’m relieved.

Lovelylovelyllamas we’re in section 116 in the Lisbon Lions stand, right near the front

Aye me too Curly it puts me in mind of my wee Mammy who died last year and I can’t get to the end without tears streaming down my face. It’s a beautiful song

I'll take the tickets :)

Check see if the stadium allow under 16's who aren't accompanied by an adult

I’m so sorry to hear that, YeTalk. My mum is seriously ill in hospital at the moment so I think it would just about finish me off hearing that song, at the moment.

Oh god I’m so sorry I mentioned it! I’m sorry about your Mum too, I wish there were words to ease your pain

Supercali: Steward friend has confirmed that no, you have to be over 16 to be unaccompanied by an adult.

Don’t worry, YeTalk, life has to go on, I can’t sit and worry about Mum all day. MN has been a great distraction!