Momentous day

[neil grainger]

Sorry to be self-indulgent but tomorrow is going to be a huge day in my life as a Rovers supporter.

I've supported Rovers for 45 years, through thick and thin, so I don't need to tell any of you what experiences those years have encompassed.

There have been countless memorable occasions during my life as a Rovers fan, but tomorrow might just cap the lot.

I became a Dad rather late in life and tomorrow I will fulfill a dream when my 6-year-old daughter will accompany me to her first ever Rovers match.

Hopefully, this will be the start of a long and no doubt painful life-long journey for her. I can only live in hope!

So whatever the result tomorrow, there will be one Rovers fan for whom the match will be absolutely unforgettable.

Hopefully, here begins another wondrous journey of a new Rovers fan.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Good luck.

I took my youngest for his first match when we beat Hull 3-1 in Aug 2010. With hindsight, 2 years and 5 months was a tad on the young side.

We were late getting there because he's had a tantrum before we left home. So we missed Martin Woods's goal after 2 mins.

Then he started playing up before half time, so I took him for some sweeties in the concourse and missed Sharp's penalty right on half time.

Then in the second half, he wanted a shite and by the time we'd found a bog that wasn't occupied by some t**t having a crafty fag, we'd missed Coppinger's goal.

Saw Hull's goal mind, so it wasn't an entirely wasted day.

Suffice to say, the little bas**rd hasn't been since.

[MachoMadness]

Or, you never know, she could just play Tommy Opposite and come away a Stevenage fan

In all seriousness, all the best tomorrow. Hope she brings us luck!

[ian1980]

That's brilliant Neil.

I hope you and your daughter have a wonderful day and whatever the result it becomes the start of many more to come.

I remember taking my son to his first game, it was amazing and I enjoyed watching him take in the atmosphere and everything going on as much as the actual game itself. Plenty of food and sweets also helped.

Enjoy every minute of tomorrow and lets hope for three points to top off the day

[Mr1Croft]

Before reading this post I wasn't sure if people were still aware a game is on tomorrow. Seems very quiet regarding match build up against what is thus far the strongest team we have faced in terms of League Position.


Back on topic though and glad to hear that Neil! Another one on the Rovers bandwagon!!! 

[RobTheRover]

Neil, have a great day.

I took my daughter to her first game at OBV in the Conference (I wanted her to be able to say she started supporting us when we were at our lowest point!  Thats MY self-indulgence coming out).  She was a few days shy of her 4th birthday, and we were playing Telford.

We packed a Tweenies backpack with sweets, drinks and comics, and took up residency behind the Town End goal.  Within 10 minutes we were in the main stand because her "legs hurt from all this standing up".

After half an hour she had eaten the sweets, drunk the drink, read the comics and wanted to go home.  We managed to last until half time, and Rovers were losing 1-0 and playing like pillocks.  Reluctantly I agreed we could go, so we had to get a steward to let us out of the big gates.  However, just as we got outside, the tannoys in the ground started playing S Club Juniors, so she wanted to go back in.  I had to explain that once you were out there was no going back in, so we had tears (her, not me).

Rovers lost 3-1 so she saved me a disaster of a second half.

[redwine]

Have a great day Neil

Enjoy it, nothing beats introducing your progeny to the Rovers.

The times me and my boys spent together watching the Rovers is worth it's weight in gold.

[roversontheup]

That's great Neil.

 I was taken to my first Rovers match by my Mum and Dad when I was a pony tailed 5 year old girl.
That was about 50 years ago and Rovers have been in my blood ever since.  There has never been a time, despite all the ridicule from friends who have supported 'bigger' clubs, that I could ever have switched my allegiance.

Rovers became my club all those years ago and nothing will ever change that.

I guess I was lucky that I was born into a Rovers supporting home.

[Norfolk N Chance]

Yep new start my nephew first game tomorrow .....

[RobTheRover]

Maybe we should have an appeal for all the poor children born into Sheff Utd supporting homes?






;-)

[FuzzyDuck]

Neil - Congratulations and all the best.

Rovers was the first experience my two had of live football and sadly, it I didn't mange to "inprint" them.

My oldest was vulnerable.  Under the influence of a friend he switched from Leeds to Liverpool at an early age.  The missus worked on him and converted him back to Leeds, but I had the ace card.  I had a match to take him to.

Sadly, the match was a 0:0 draw against Hayes and was boring even for me.  Rovers and me - we blew it!

The only thing fondly remembered by my kids about the Rovers was the Dagenham and Redbridge Physio who had eaten all the pies.  I now have to survive with a Leeds fan wife and elder son (20) and a Chelsea (?) fan son (18).

I sincerely wish you better luck and a happier life.

(By the way - my life isn't so bad because I AM THE DADDY!!!!  (and they wouldn't dare to forget it! - that's a tip if ot all goes wrong)

[neil grainger]

Ruddy 'ell you guys, you've all brought a lump to my throat you soft beggars! Some brilliant posts there - a thousand thanks to all of you.

roversontheup -  your post has had the most profound effect - thanks for that!
 
That's exactly the outcome I hope for with my daughter Natasha. It's a bit harder for her 'cos we don't live in Donny so she really doesn't understand what it's all about except that her Dad goes on endlessly about the Rovers so she can't escape it.

Tonight while I was reading her bed-time story she was clearly thinking about what tomorrow might be about.
"What happens if they kick the ball at us Daddy...is there a fence?"

Where do you start?

[RobTheRover]

I'd start with a warning about Martin Woods' free kicks.

[donnyallday]

Yes congrats Neil, have a great day... just wish i could prize my 10 yr 0lds chelsea top off and convince him were his future really lies.

R.T.I.D

[neil grainger]

Hey Rob, brilliant account of your first game with your daughter at OBV - that did make me laugh!

My wife was telling all the other Mums at school this morning that Natasha was going to the footy with Daddy tomorrow.
One of the Mums said "Ah, that's nice. And if she doesn't like it, Neil can always leave early".

Now, my wife has had to endure 27 years of being married to a Rovers fanatic, so God bless her she looked at the other Mum and said "He what?! Once she's in, she's there 'til the final whistle!"

Now, I'm ashamed to say I don't have a Rovers kit for Natasha yet, but fortunately her Uncle Graham bought her some Rovers pyjamas for last Christmas so I've persuaded her to wear them tomorrow...

[Dagenham Rover]

The only thing fondly remembered by my kids about the Rovers was the Dagenham and Redbridge Physio who had eaten all the pies. 

 

My lads first game was Daggers v Rovers (still lived in Dagenham then) closely followed by a trip tpo Belle Vue. 
He went to a summer footy  school run by Dagenham in the old green and white away kit just after we had tonked them, I won't say what the Daggers players that were running it said    but he got the  "most improved player" award at the end of the week.

As soon as we moved back to Donny in 2004 first thing he wanted was a season ticket to BV

Good Luck Neil hope all goes well  its quite an event the youngun's first game

[neil grainger]

Thanks Dagenham, I don't think she knows what she's letting herself in for but she's gone to bed very excited.

She's decided to take her CD player and headphones to listen to her Roald Dahl CD's in case it's boring....

I might end up nicking them off her.....

[bigbadjack]

Just make sure you take plenty of gear to Occupy her, because when I took my boy v's Coventry he was devastated to find out that after his pop, sweets and hotdog he had to go back and sit and watch it all again for the 2nd half, needless to say tears ensued but luckily he fell asleep with the monk on... We won by the way!! Good luck

[Al4475]

I don't have children - the Step Children were already Rovers fans when I met their Mum and had both had the luxury of a visit to Wembley and Cardiff - so that was one of the many perks of meeting the wife - all were already fans - so there's never been any grief for me for going anywhere to watch the hoops! 

My little sister however - she's 10 years younger than me and I took her to OBV for her first game when she was about 6 - so circa 1990 - I think the first game she saw was a game against Lincoln and Neil Grayson scored a blinder of a volley on the turn from what looks in memory like wonderful long ranger from somewhere on a line with the left edge of the area (towards the Rosso end) and about 10 yards in from the half-way line - I'm sure it wasn't quite that good but memory does funny things to you! 

Anyhow I got a right bollocking when I got home for somehow allowing Laura to end up with Chewing Gum stuck in her hair (not mine - but I still got bollocked) which resulted in her having to be taken to the hairdressers to have about 6 inches of her hair cut out!

Needless to say however - Laura loved it and still accompanies Claire, the kids and I to most games!
Laura was there with me at Stoke, Cardiff and Wembley and came through to where I was when we were in the conference numerous times to head to Telford, Nuneaton, Northwich, Morecambe, Forest Green, Dover, Rushden, Chester and Stevenage among other places - She labels STOKE as the most important day in her watching Rovers career. The interesting thing is she really does not give two shits about any other football at all apart from DRFC!

We've started recently bringing our niece who is 5 now, but gets a little restless at the minute she's been a fair few times but I sometimes feel guilty if she's distracting other spectators - then again that's what a family end is supposed to be for, so maybe it really upsets no-one in that area.

The best thing about my niece is that her Mum is an Owl (not literally that'd be weird) and tried to get Olivia into the Wensdeh - not a snowflake in hell's chance - that little girl is rovers through and through and has been since she first walked (rather arrived on my shoulders) into the Keepmoat.

It's all good! LOL  

 

[BillyStubbsTears]

Bloody hell! That Neil Grayson goal! I've not thought about that one for years. Your memory is not playing tricks on you, it really was that good. Made van Basten's goal on Euro88 look like a scuffed mis-hit.

Or maybe not, but it's how I'm going to remember it.

[Al4475]

agreed BST - like I said mists of time does play funny tricks on the memory but I'm sure it really was that good! He hit it with his left peg as it dropped over his shoulder having watched it from Ormsby's/Ashurst's? hoof forward turning a full 180 degrees in the process - would have been an amazing goal from 6 yards out never mind the distance (altho it may be slightly less than I remember) he struck it from.
Probably my all-time favourite Rovers' goal we've obviously scored many more important ones, but that was a blinder!

Some good ones here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H4w2cRLwY8

[streatham dave]

Hope you have a great day Neil.  Great to hear of others getting their children into the ways of Rovers.Took my daughter to her first game Watford away a few years ago. She was a bit on the young side being 2 1/2 at the time but her mum was busy and it was either take her or don't go. Can't say as I remember anything of the game other than Neil Sullivan played. Taking her to her second match now she is nearly 6 vs Leyton Orient next week.

[adamtherover]

My boy is 4 in Jan, so is almost ready,  I've pencilled in the last home game of the season... can't wait. :-)

[MrFrost]

My little lad was three yesterday. Taking him today. He probably won't be interested in the game, but he keeps saying he wants to go.

[1879Rovers]

You never forget your first game. Mine was in 1976, a cup defeat at home to Derby County. Remember more about what happened off the pitch that day, surprised my old man ever took me again.

My little lad is just turned 4. Don't want him going to games to young and putting him off. I want his first game really to be at the Keepmoat but the three hour drive could be the big problem.

[BobG]

LoL! Remember those days.... I took Alexander to Woking in his bloody push chair. It was pissing down with rain too... He went all over with me when he was a tot. That cup tie at Exeter, Farnbrough, even bloody Hayes once, and not forgetting Forest Green either. Reckon you should stick with it Billy, Neil. Even though my oik now thinks he supports Arsenal, he's got the grounding that will bring him back. It's only 'cos his best mate and his Dad supports Arsenal and took him to the Emirates once...

BobG

[neil grainger]

Well folks, that was a very different match-day experience.

Setting off this lunch-time:

Season ticket......... Check
Rovers shirt............ Check
Cinderella colouring and sticker book and coloured pencils...... Check

And the good news (or is it bad news?) is.... she absolutely loved it.

She sat open-mouthed when G Woods first kicked the ball upfield from his hands. Her eyes followed the ball as it sailed up high into the sky and then kept following it as it dropped slowly back down at the other end of the pitch, then turned to me and said "Wow".

She watched the whole of the 1st half without pestering me once, then at half time we had our pork pies that Mum had packed for us.

She looked at me in a way I've never seen before when I jumped up and roared when I thought we'd scored in the first half, only for the 'goal' to be disallowed.
"Why isn't it a goal Dad? The ball went into the net?"

Try explaining to a six-year-old why it wasn't a goal. In fact, try explaining it to a 55-year-old Dad.
I felt like running onto the pitch and dragging the ref up into our seats in the West Stand and yelling at him "Go on.... tell my daughter why that wasn't a goal!"

Anyway, at least that was a useful rehearsal for when we actually scored, by which time Natasha was listening to The Ugly Duckling on her CD player, and the middle-aged couple who sit in front of me were busy colouring in Cinderella.

The start of a new era?

You bet.

[ck-rtid]

My little girl's first experience of Rovers was v Cardiff first home game in the Championship, she was a mere 8 months old!! Shes now 4 years old and tells me we're going to Rovers so i have no choice!!

[hoolahoop]

Sounds like a lovely day for all the new little Rovers, I wish I could keep my 14 year old daughter going. She has been to a few but just for now doesn't think it's cool ; somehow I just have a feeling that she will want to go regularly once she goes through this phase ..........I live in hope. 

[Rupee92]

This kind of stuff brings back memories for me! From the day i was born it was Everton, Everton, Everton. We used to get picked up in the town centre, then straight to the club shop (i was spoilt). Me and my Dad against the world...

Situations change and it got to much to go, so at 10/11yo my dad took me to  rovers! We went all over the country together, watching football. Infact i think i loved being with my dad, more than being at the football...

Nowadays i dont speak to my dad, and football is getting more and more depressing. It's all a journey really, aint it?!