To think ds will be eaten alive if he wears his team scarf to the match?

[BettyBotter]

We live near Blue Town. Ds (15) supports Red City FC but has never been to a premiership match. For Christmas we got ds and the whole family tickets to see the match between Blue Town and Red City when the reds play here.

Ds is insistent that he will wear his Red City scarf and cheer loudly for the reds despite us being seated right in the middle of the Blue Town stands. He thinks because he's only 15 and cute the blue fans won't mind.

I haven't been to a match since 1986 for a while, so have no idea what to expect. Will we actually get out with all our limbs intact if ds does this? Should I ban him from wearing anything red or is football now family-friendly entertainment where the home crowd ruffle the young lad's head and congratulate him when his team thrash the home team?

(For context Blue Town is fairly well known as 'rough' and there were no options to get tickets in family friendly seats.)

Tips, advice and sneering derision constructive comment welcome.

I hate pies but the ds's love them

I suspect that you may be going to watch DH's team. As you're not a season ticket holder, you'll be in the rougher stands.

I categorically would not wear the scarf - your DS risks not being let into the ground as the stewards will want to avoid trouble.

He needs to sit quietly, not speak much and clap politely if the other team score - this is DH's advice. DH is the most anti football violence person you'll ever meet, but he has been chased several times and had to remove himself from sticky situations.

"And this is why I hate football. Horrible game, horrible atmosphere, horrible supporters. I went to a game in my uni city with friends (only about 5 years ago), and even in the home stands supporting the home team, I have never felt more intimidated. The aggression and language towards the opposition and their supporters was truly shocking. In a game, it's just not called for."

Agree with flowery what a ridiculous statement! I go most weeks with DH and sometimes nephews to see my local team in the championship, ex-premiership and it is nowhere near like you describe. We go with hot drinks in flasks and butties and have a right old chin wag with the rest of the fans. I've also been to quite a few away games across the country and the banter with opposing fans is what makes it worth the travel.

Until a few years ago, we had season tickets to our local blue team. Even after the premiership had started, ticket prices had rocketed and the image of the game was being improved, I used to shudder at the language being used around kids in the stadium (admittedly not in the family section but even so). I still love watching football but many of the fans are as rough as hell and get even worse after a few pints. I'm glad your son is being given advice not to take any chances.
When I went to my first rugby match i was very surprised at the different level of behaviour. I'm sure there were some rough types in there but the level of tolerance of other supporters was much better. It almost seems to be a badge of honour in football for some fans to behave like tribal morons.

When I used to go to our local rugby derby match there is a double line of stewards down the middle of the cop end and one team supporters one side and the other team supporters on the other side. Occasionally someone would go "over the top" and dive over the stewards into the other team supporters with fists flying. Not serious fighting, they were always quickly contained and escorted out of the ground. The pub over the road from the ground always has a mix of home and away fans before and after the match mostly drinking happily together and chewing the fat. There's always the odd hothead who does something daft after a skinful but I've never known it get out of hand.
I think that the problem fans in football are not real fans, they just use the cover of the game as an excuse to be violent and spout hatred against anyone who is different, be that the colour of their skin, their accent, their sexuality or even the colour of their shirt.

Bloody hell I'd be gutted if we were at say a West Brom vs Villa match and we had to sit in the Villa stand, and my sister would be the same if she went to see Liverpool v Everton and had to sit with Everton fans. Cheering on your team is all part of it! He DEFINITELY can't wear the scarf, at fifteen he's surely old enough to know that you just don't do that?! Being with your own team's fans makes it so much better!

With regards to rugby league vs union, rugby league all the way got to see Wales vs USA in the rugby league world cup most recently and as well as being an exciting game, the atmosphere in the stands was ace. We were near a massive group of USA supporters but sat in a massive group of Wales supporters and the competition was fierce but friendly, lots of families there and no-one was rude or out of line. Love both rugby and football, but the atmosphere at matches couldn't be more different!

Ridiculous to make such sweeping statements about millions of football fans based on your experience in one seat at one match.
If it was remotely like that where we sit I wouldn't take DS. Nice to know I'm "horrible" as well as "pathetic" though. Need an [eyeroll] emoticon.

Er ...9 pages on why the Op's son can't support his own team in the "opposition" stands. It's not her "one" experience it's how it is. Football is an embarrassment. Remind us again why alcohol is banned at footaball and not rugby,cricket etc) ..it's not because the FA support a healthy lifestyle is it?

Alcohol is not banned at football, but only in view of the pitch.

Alcohol is not banned at football, but only in view of the pitch.

Haha so they'll rip you off on stadium beer prices but don't trust you to take it to your seat!!! Brilliant.

Sorry, haven't read all pages but please don't let him wear scarf, he will probably have it taken off at entrance and it will certainly cause unpleasantness and possibly violence if seen.

Also, please ask him to consider how he will feel if Blues score and all around him fans are celebrating. We did this, DH and DS1 support different local teams and could only get tickets at DH team end. DS was only 9 and didn't take footie seriously at all so we thought it would be ok just to watch the match, particularly as DH team were rubbish at the time and fully expected to lose. Well, DH team won 3-1 and poor DS was really upset when stands around him erupted with cheering fans, he cried after 2nd and we had to leave early. Not cheering for your own team's goals is manageable because you can have a secret smile, but coping with the other is really awful and I honestly wonder if your son should seriously consider if he really wants to go. Sorry to be so negative, but that's my experience.

Alcohol is banned in scotland unless in the corporate area!

Borntorun25 See that is why rugby is better. My Ds was gutted the team he was there to support lost an away game (after 2 hours in the freezing cold). The bloke supporting the opposition sitting next to him gave him a "well played" and hair ruffle with a "next time son".
And we were allowed beer and we could discuss players with anyone sitting next to us supporter or opposition.
You can enjoy your teams wins as everyone congratulates you and if you lose you graciously admit defeat and are happy you have had anafternoon out.

Hi notthefirst, have to say I agree, I personally prefer rugby and assumed all sports matches were friendly like this. I had never been to a footie match till met DH, first time I went I was utterly shocked and horrified by the swearing and verbal abuse the fans gave to the referee and their own team for poor play, let alone the opposition. DH and DS are avid footie fans though ( each to their own!) and do go to quite a few local matches, Scottish premiership level. They go to the family stand which is much better, although still hear all the bad stuff from elsewhere, but they enjoy the football itself. I would never again take DS to sit at an away end ( although DH has to suck this up when the derby is on, but he is adult and can cope .

Many years and miles spent following a team that used to have a bad reputation for trouble. Have recently won family club of the year twice.

*"Ridiculous to make such sweeping statements about millions of football fans based on your experience in one seat at one match.
If it was remotely like that where we sit I wouldn't take DS. Nice to know I'm "horrible" as well as "pathetic" though. Need an [eyeroll] emoticon.

Er ...9 pages on why the Op's son can't support his own team in the "opposition" stands. It's not her "one" experience it's how it is. Football is an embarrassment. Remind us again why alcohol is banned at footaball and not rugby,cricket etc) ..it's not because the FA support a healthy lifestyle is it?"*

You are of course entitled to your opinion notthefirstagainstthewall but please don't misquote me to support your point, it's extremely bad manners. If you look at the post of mine you quoted it is very clearly in response to a particular statement by a particular poster. If you agree with the poster I was quoting that all football fans are horrible and that the one experience she mentions as the basis for her view is replicated throughout the game, please say so.

As I said, if it was how that poster described in reality, I wouldn't take my 6yo DS, so please don't suggest I would.

Flowery please get your facts right. Alcohol is not banned at football grounds. And the constant comparisons to rugby and cricket are so ridiculous it's untrue.

Not all football fans are mindless thugs obviously.

Op football matches are very different now from when you last went. Much more sedate.

However, I still wouldn't let your ds wear his scarf. A. Because it's unlikely the stewards would let him in with it and b. even if there isn't any actual violence, it would certainly be a VERY uncomfortable 90 minutes for you all.

Hope you all enjoy the game. Can't beat a live match!

And those of you who say "oh on the continent everyone sits together and sings folk songs while holding hands" has clearly never been to a match in holland or Italy. (And many bother countries. Those are just the ones I have personal experience of). The atmosphere is certainly as intense, if not more so, than at a British match.

And the last time I was verbally abused, while watching a football match in a pub, was by a bunch of very drunk, very pathetic rugby fans in to watch the international match after my footie match had finished.

He absolutely WILL get into SERIOUS trouble for doing this, and in fact I believe it is not allowed, and for security and safety reasons you are not allowed to cheer for, or wear the colours of the RED team if you are seated in the BLUE area. He will probably be removed by security and kicked out of the ground.

It will be very tough for him but he must be careful not to show any reaction when his team scores. Honestly, I cannot stress this enough.

"Flowery please get your facts right. Alcohol is not banned at football grounds. And the constant comparisons to rugby and cricket are so ridiculous it's untrue."

I beg your pardon?! I never said alcohol was banned anywhere and I'm not in the habit of stating things as fact that I don't know to be the case. I can only assume you also haven't read my posts on this thread.

Flowery in your post of 5:11 you said "remind us again of why alcohol is banned at football".

It's not.

Try reading the whole post, and the rest of my posts again. As you seem to think I am lying when I state that I never said alcohol was banned. That would be a pretty stupid thing to do, given its easy for anyone to check what I said if they are so inclined.

Flowery I've just quoted you directly saying alcohol is banned at football. You followed it with a sarky comment about the fa not banning it for health reasons.

I have read the whole thread. I fail to see how a second reading will change the fact that you said "remind is why alcohol is banned at football". When it's not.

You're very snippy aren't you?

You can't get a drink at Ibrox...is it banned at some grounds and not others?

I've clearly stated that I didn't say alcohol was banned. You obviously thought I was lying, so I asked you again to read my whole post, (which included quote marks and also the name of the poster I was responding to), and also recommended you read the rest of my posts on this thread, which if you had bothered to so, would have immediately indicated how wrong you are.

So yes, forgive me for being snippy. I don't like being accused of lying by lazy people.