This is the one

[JonWallsend]

More nervous and excited about tomorrow's game than I have been in a long while. The reason being my 6 year old lad will be attending his first ever game.

A 2 hour car journey anywhere with kids is usually a daunting enough prospect, especially as his travelling boredom threshold is about 20 minutes but I can't even be certain he'll enjoy it when we get there!

He has been sitting and watching a few full 90 mins on television and he's well up for it. Club shop and Macs will be getting some hammer pre match and we'll definitely be making our way towards the bike sheds with a fistful of swaps for Rigo et al.

I'll have his Nintendo at hand just incase there really is nowt happening on the pitch but I'm genuinely hopeful he'll enjoy it. Try and make some noise lads to add to his matchday experience as it's not easy railing against the pull of Newcastle United. I don't think the result will matter, it didn't to me ( a 4-2 defeat at home to Lincoln in 1975)

Whoever he chooses to support after this at least I know I'll have done my best.
Come on, Rovers.

[MrFrost]

Good stuff. Can't wait for the day I take my little lad to his first game. I'm going to have all on stopping the Mrs turning him into a dingle!

[Harrogate Rover]

Know the feeling.
 
I took my lad for the first time during our championship season, just before his 7th birthday. I was dreading it too as it was a horrible windy day, and we were playing Darlington. Donny were poor in that game but Bayo popped up with an equaliser and the game finished 1-1. That was enough though, I was brimming with pride when he asked if he could have a Donny shirt for when we come to the next game.
Apart from a couple of bitterly cold night games at Belle Vue he's never moaned about been bored or asked to go early, but I too took the DS as back up.
I wondered if his support would tail off as he got older,and veer towards Chelsea or Man U but he's not bothered by the Prem and does'nt bother with Match of the day.
Taking him to Blackpool on Monday for his 13th birthday.

Hope your lad enjoys it and you get as much pleasure out of it as I've had with mine

[roversron]

Jon hope it all goes good mate...cant make it tomorrow but im there in spirit, im sure if you see cab he will give you some encouragement....second thoughts maybe best not to put the little un off!!

See you soon mate

Take care Roni

[BobG]

Help! I'm clearly doing summat wrong then. I took Alexander, in his pushchair, to Woking, to Farnborough, to Telford and to BV. I took him, when he got a bit older, to the KM, to Exeter, to Cheltenham, to the Millenium and to Wembley. And what have I just forked out 60 chuffing notes for? A sodding ticket, as his birthday prezzy, to watch fcuking Arsenal v Fulham. I am not a happy bunny at all.

What am I doing wrong???

Cheers

BobG

[duggiesmyhero]

Took my 2yr old to his first game last month v Derby, he loved it,hopefully if weathers nice taking him to w.b.a game aswell

[DonnyBazza]

Taking my 6 yr old today also His 2nd time Last time he went he wanted to go after 80 mins....
All he talks about just of late is Doncaster Rovers when we watch any football on the TV He was (DARE I SAY IT) Leeds untill I bought him the Rovers Shirt now he never wants to wear his leeds shirt

[RobTheRover]

I took my daughter when she was 3, just coming up to 4, back in the conference days to a game v Telford (18th Jan 2003).  We packed up a backpack with comics, pop, crisps and sweets, and took our seats in the OBV main stand (a place I only ever sat in three times!).  

20 mins in, the pop had gone, the crisps had gone, the sweets had gone, and the comics had been read, and the immortal words \"can we go home?\" came out of her angelic little mouth.  We lasted til half time, Rovers were losing, so I caved in to the relentless pressure to leave.

We managed to find a steward to open the gates to let us out, and just as we left and the gate shut behind us, a S Club Juniors song started playing on the tannoy.  \"S Club Juniors!\" she says, \"Can we go back in?\"

She cried all the way back to the car.  Rovers lost 3-1.

Hope yours is a better day than mine, mate.  Incidentally, she went on to become a STH (although no longer, as she'd rather talk b*llocks to her mates on facebook for 12 hours a day)

[JonWallsend]

Putting aside the obvious, it couldn't have gone any better.
He never whinged once all day and was completely transfixed by the game. Got a shirt, ball and some other bits and bobs and has already requested a trip to Blackpool.

Got some autographs and would like to publicly thank all the players, from both sides, who not only signed his programme, but stopped to chat and even 'high five' the little un.  

Special thanks to Ben Smith for giving up his time and Billy Sharp who could barely walk but still managed to hobble over and make one six year old and one forty year old feel very special indeed. The power of getting the players out and about and into the community should never be underestimated and today underlined that for me. So well done, lads. You made me very proud to be a Doncaster Rovers supporter.

I think we've gained a fan for life. A home defeat to relegation candidates, in many ways, readies you for what's to come when you choose to follow Rovers, although a slick passing, two nil triumph might have been a more appropriate reflection of our current standing.

Never thought I'd say this but the result genuinely didn't matter today, it's up there as one of my best days supporting this great club- we even got to swap stickers with Rigo.

Upwards and onwards... plus one.

[Thinwhiteduke]

JonWallsend wrote:

e and Billy Sharp who could barely walk but still managed to hobble over and make one six year old and one forty year old feel very special indeed.

Hang about?? Another thread says he was at Brammall Lane this afternoon. So Im guessing someone is spreading unsubstantiated rumours on this forum then??

Whatever next!

[Superspy]

glad it all went well for you jon, apart from the result of course

[gillinghamrover]

My lads first game(tender age of 5)was Gillingham v Man City play off final in 1999. The next game.............Sep 11 the same year, Donny v Dover(3-1 to us),bit of a difference in atmosphere and grounds! Didn`t work though, the little toerag is a Spurs fan(I blame his mother for making us live down here!)