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Footie grannies?

(58 Posts)
Imperfect27 Wed 17-Feb-16 07:41:30

Is there any other granny out there who is enjoying this football season? If add that I am a Spurs supporter, you may understand why ...

Football has always featured in our family life. My dad was a season-ticket holder and even though I have four older brothers I also had a turn at going to White Hart Lane in the 60s. Saturdays Match of the Day has remained an important weekly event and my sons, though not computer gaming mad, will always buy the next version of Fifa.

When my sons get together with my DH, they always talk football and we will wait with interest to see if my new DGS gets hooked (his dad is not interested so maybe not) - someone has already bought him spurs babygrows, though we have Man U and Arsenal (choke) supporters in the family too.

Yes there are lots of ills within the commercialism of the sport - we never go to games as they are so stupidly overpriced, but we do love our footy!

Greyduster Wed 17-Feb-16 09:24:53

We are also a football family, but by 'we' I don't include myself. DS, DSiL and DH are avid fans. And my grandson. He eats, breathes and sleeps football, is very knowledgable even at nine, and has a season ticket to one of our city's clubs (unfortunately not the one that his grandad supports!). He is also a Man City fan and was recently at their stadium watching them suffer a defeat at the hands of Spurs, imperfect! Where I come into my own is supporting him when he plays in his junior league matches. I would far sooner watch them than any premier league side! I am happy to stand in the cold and rain on a Sunday morning and cheer them on till I'm hoarse! And bake cupcakes to sell on the coffee stall at their home games. I'm sure your DGS, with your encouragement, will grow up to keep the faith! grin.

Imperfect27 Wed 17-Feb-16 09:28:55

Ha ha - we will work on him! My daughter is a secondary school teacher and one of her football-mad students bought her the Spurs baby clothes - which is just as well as it settled the in-family question of what kit DGS would receive first! grin

Somehow I managed to marry an Arsenal supporter ...

Imperfect27 Wed 17-Feb-16 09:30:38

p.s. - Loved watching my sons play - apart from other parents getting carried away and shouting 'Break 'is legs son!' or similar sad.

Alima Wed 17-Feb-16 09:39:03

Imperfect27 I have always been a Derby supporter, had to be as it is my home town. In 1973 we saw Spurs at the Baseball Ground in a cup match. It resulted in a draw. The replay at White Hart Lane was probably one of the best moments in my life. We won, the atmosphere was electric, my throat was sore after all the shouting, singing and cheering. I did not wake up the next day until gone 11. As it was a work day I had to phone Mum at work who phoned my work place for me, blamed eating a bad pie at the match.
It is character building being a Derby supporter, has to be considering the "nearlys" we have had.
I did meet Brian Clough and his great team with Roy McFarland et al, before they all went to Forest!
Kittylester are you a football fan? Leicester for the Premiership title! They have been amazing this season.

annsixty Wed 17-Feb-16 09:55:05

Alima so you are the "other fan"? That is a joke of course as Derby County have a huge fan base, bigger than some Premiership clubs. My H who sadly has Alzheimer's now, has been a fan all his life and went to his first match in 1946. We moved away from Derby many years ago but our S although never living there has always followed them and takes his own son to matches when possible. One of the earliest photos of our granddaughter,now 17, is of her about 8 weeks old in a DC towelling robe. Happy days. H still gets excited when they are on TV.

annsixty Wed 17-Feb-16 09:57:43

In case kitty doesn't read this thread , her family are Forest supporters!!!

Imperfect27 Wed 17-Feb-16 10:07:58

Alima that sounds like a great match indeed. Kitty I wouldn't begrudge Leicester the title this year - they have done so brilliantly. annsixty there have been many barren years for Spurs ... we are just happy to be above Arsenal at the moment grin.

Incidentally, when I was born, my dad and the midwife (also a spurs fan) were watching a European Cup Game - I think it was Athletico Madrid who Spurs went on to beat in the final that year. I was born in the living room at about 10:30 p.m. When mum told the midwife and my father that 'the baby is coming', they shushed her and asked her to hold on until the end of the game!!!

Alima Wed 17-Feb-16 11:33:47

Annsixty, we won the FA Cup in 1946. Did your DH see that match? If so, Respect!!

annsixty Wed 17-Feb-16 13:04:17

Sadly he can't remember Alima sad

Gagagran Wed 17-Feb-16 13:23:13

Big Liverpool fan here - have been for 60 years(Am I really that old? 'Fraid so) confused

tanith Wed 17-Feb-16 13:57:38

Ours is a 'Spurs' household although its OH and our son who are the real fans. Among the grandchildren and my daughters there are Arsenal, Liverpool and QPR fans so they enjoy a friendly rivalry all through the season.. can't say I'm bothered.

chelseababy Wed 17-Feb-16 14:11:38

My OH is a Spurs fan and his dad supports Arsenal. Usually my team is ahead of theirs, but this year we are having a dip in performance! My GN name gives my team away!

Imperfect27 Wed 17-Feb-16 15:00:05

My DH met my dad for the first time just a few months before he died from lung cancer. He was already a very sick man and I am very glad he got to see me happy in that last little while. However, when I first introduced them and added ...' He supports Arsenal!' my dad, a life-long Spurs fan, hauled himself out of his seat, pointed to the door and with something of a grin on his face said 'OUT!'. It was the beginning of a beautiful, albeit brief relationship smile.

hildajenniJ Wed 17-Feb-16 15:07:10

Try supporting Carlisle United! It's a roller coaster ride every season!
I had to be the football supporter in our family, for the sake of my son. My DH does not like any sport! When son was a little boy, we both chose a fantasy football team. Needless to say, when the season ended he won!

kittylester Wed 17-Feb-16 16:42:48

We are a footie family - not necessarily my choice. It was compulsory to be a Derby County fan growing up in Derby and I was dragged along to the Baseball Ground by my brothers or father. I also watched my brothers play on the basis that football is played by fit young men.

DH went to Leicester city games when he could escape from compulsory Tiger's match attendance but switched allegiance to Nottingham Forest when we lived in Melton Mowbray. Nowadays DH, both sons and two daughters are avid supporters and DH and DS1 have season tickets

Both boys played at County level so I have done my time standing in the cold and rain, ferrying people and washing kit.

Now, I'm just pleased to stay at home in peace when they all go out and get cold. Although things have come full circle as DS1 is a Derby County Supporter.

Greyduster Wed 17-Feb-16 17:08:48

DS and DH have always been footie fans and both have season tickets, which I'm glad of, as it means we get to see him every other week in the season. He lives a couple of hours drive away, but at least I get a hug, he gets a good lunch and DH gets somebody to watch football with! They don't always come home happy recently though, and I think the lad is thinking about voting with his feet!

NanaBridget Wed 17-Feb-16 19:34:09

Our family are footie crazy, my hubby has just bought our new greatgrandson of four months a Man City baby kit, much to the disgust of babies dad who supports Liverpool. Fortunately our granddaughter is also a mad City fan.

Imperfect27 Thu 18-Feb-16 08:33:36

Yesterday my son and a mate had a tour of White Hart Lane - a Christmas present from me. I also bought my DH an Arsenal Legends iour a couple of years ago - both seemed to have been a hit. I accompanied my DH to the Emirates as his friend had to drop out. We were shown round by the 'legend' Charlie George. The trip ended with a Q and A session in the press conference room. I chose my moment to let slip that I am actually a Spurs fan - oooh the hostility - boos ringing out all around me! My DH says he was so embarrassed and I am lucky I wasn't lynched. Happy days! grin

tigger Thu 18-Feb-16 11:23:57

Don' get me started - as an ardent Leicester Supporter we was robbed at the Tottenham FA cup game, however two out of three ain't bad and we gained 3 points during that trio of matches which helps keep us at the top.

Alima Thu 18-Feb-16 12:13:20

Hildajennij, Carlisle suffered very badly due to the floods didn't they? Good luck to them, hope they get back on track soon. (Wasn't Rod Stewart one of those who donated to their cash request for help? Decent man.)
Imperfect27, must have been wonderful being shown round by Charlie George. Great footballer who played for Derby too. Saw him play at Highbury many years ago.)

ali55 Thu 18-Feb-16 12:39:33

My team is Chelsea which is a bit of a trek as l live in Newcastle (well just outside of it) which stems from my son who is also a huge Chelsea fan and because he always needed an adult to, go with him, that was me as my husband is a Newcastle supporter. We have had some great trips to London as we usually tried to make a weekend of it and l became a big fan of Frank Lampard and of course the gorgeous Jose Mourinho! I still enjoy watching them even though they are not on their usual form at the minute, and we still manage the occasional match.Bring back the glory days .

Imperfect27 Thu 18-Feb-16 13:28:36

Alima Charlie George was really lovely and I think my DH's favourite photo is of me standing next to the great man. tigger you are right - decisions went for us - we normally feel it is the other way round so this season we seem to be having a charmed time. I wouldn't mind one bit (well, maybe just one) if Leicester pip us to the post for the league title this year - what an incredible time they are having!

My DH's twin sister is a Chelsea fan - makes for a lot of enjoyable barracking all round!

brunswick Thu 18-Feb-16 13:47:33

Just a little ditty. My son is a Spurs supporter. Last week on my birthday my son and I went to restaurant in Cobham, Surrey. I recognised a man at the next table and I said to my son "I recognise that man" - I thought he was an actor. My son said "shhh" think sport, well I immediately thought of football, but the man was too old to be a footballer! then I said "manager?" my son said yes, and then told me it was Roy Hodgson the England football manager, and when he had come in he had looked around to hopefully see that no-one had recognised him, he was with his wife - I presume and had his back to the room. My son said "he looks ill" he must wear make up on tv. and at the weekend I saw him on tv and he was looking very well and brown, so yes he obviously WAS wearing makeup.

tigger Thu 18-Feb-16 14:28:22

Thank you Imperfect 27, praise indeed from a Spurs fan. But Tottenham really is a bit of disaster team for Leicester. Do you remember we have always lost to them in important matches?