My neglected ds has never had football kit. Wants to try a footy training session on saturday morning. Where do I quickly get

[clumsymum]

a kit he can wear that won't get laughed at, but won't cost me a fortune (in case he doesn't like the sessions, and never wants to go again).

Oh, I need to buy shinpads too, and can get into nottingham city centre tomorrow

I would try sportsworld as a starter and then move onto other sports shops. Shinpads will be there too. Does he have a favourite team at all? TBH I would tend to go for an England strip.

Would a set of plain shorts and t-shirt not suffice?

How likely do you think he is to keep it up?

No, we're not football followers in this house at all.
I assumed a kit like a particular team would be more expensive. an't you get 'generic'?

I guess it should be Nottingham Forest?

Oh yes definitely more expensive unless you can get one that they are selling off last season's in the sale. If you go to a sports shops I think they will have generic ones, and sportsworld is definitely the cheapest sports shop.

Sometimes you get a football type t-shirt in Next (similar fabric etc), although I don't know how easy that would be at the moment with their sale on. Also sure I've seen football style tops in sports shops with just a Nike tick (or whichever brand) on the front. Personally I wouldn't spend much until you know whether he will keep it up. My DS1 has done basketball for a while and I was just on the verge of splurging the money on the proper kit for him when he declared he wanted to give it up and have guitar lessons instead.

I wondered that Mrs Spoon, but I wondered if he would get laughed at.

I was going to let him wear his PE kit, but he brought it home from school yestaerday, and pointed out that it's a bit tight (same as sent last Sept ).

If you are getting football kit, England would be safer than Forest (there may be County fans there and you would probably also find other kids in Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea etc kit). JJB/Soccer World etc are the ghastly places to go. They should have cheap boots and shin pads too.

My dd is football mad and has lots of strips. Agree with other posts that Sportsworld is the best bet. Pair of shorts about £2, shinpads about £5, socks £3. I wouldn't waste your money on a proper team strip, they are very expensive. Just buy a generic footie type top in a nylon nasty fabric and it will be fine. Important thing will be the boots, really - is he playing on astroturf and will just need footbal 'trainers', or is he playing on grass and will need studs? Would be worth finding out what he needs. Again, best place for footwear is Sportsworld and if you are lucky you should be able to pick some up for about £15 ish.

Oh god, how sad that I know this. Is not what I expected when I had a daughter, had visions of playing with beads and other girly delights. I hate football!!

Hope you get all you need!

Thanks all.

Apparently doesn't need boots yet. The guy I spoke to (on the scheme which is run by Nottingham Forest) says they play on Astroturf, and trainers will be fine (thank you lord).

I don't know if he'll stick with it. Bless him, ds is not very athletic (a bit knock knee'd, can fall over a matchstick), but likes playing footy at school playtime. I suspect this scheme might get a bit too serious for him.

Much as I dislike footie and the time taken on shopping trips to the hellhole that is Sportsworld, my dd loves it. She goes training every week and plays in a match/tournament about 3 times a month (she plays for the local league). I hope your ds enjoys it too - but if he does enjoy it and carry on be prepared for the fact that you may have to watch matches in the pouring rain all winter long!!

clumsymum he sounds similar physically to my DS who is 6 and started at football training a few weeks back. But the difference is that DS is obsessed by football, spends hours chasing a ball round the garden, has a very geeky knowledge of the top teams/players etc, watches match of the day on a Sunday am etc. If DS wants proper strips (which he does) they have to be birthday/Christmas presents.