Can’t remember if I’ve mentioned this on here before but a few years ago when we were playing Wednesday away up at Hillsbrough (possibly the Johnnie Jackson match). My brother and I were standing outside an off-licence near the ground pre-match drinking vodka (it was a heavy time) and some bloke came up to us with two young boys, one wearing a Sheffield Wednesday top and the other a Charlton shirt.
Turns out he was step dad to the Charlton supporting lad (assume his actual Dad was an Addick or something) and he asked if we - two young guys from a city hundreds of miles away drinking vodka in the street - could take his step son into the away end with us. Said the young lad would know where to go after the match to meet him and before we had a chance to answer he had basically walked off with his Wednesday supporting actual son and we’re left with this kid and about half a bottle of vodka.
Was really weird that someone would just leave their kid like that at a football match, reckon he’d be about 11 now.
That is so weird ? Considering I have never seen you sober other than when you were in the funeral march. Some strange and poor parents around. Ps. I gave your black and white scarf to a Grimsby fan who came down to London because he hated the smell of fish and was selling the big issue near Charing cross. Even though the scarf had been washed, the scarf had the aroma of Smirnoff, and he was grateful to get a reminded of his football team. I thing it was at the Hull 6-0 defeat that you gave me the scarf. Still Lee and Matt only speak the truth so shouldn't be needed now.
Smirnoff, please, I only opt for Grey Goose when shopping at Bargain Booze Hillsbrough!
Have a chat, and keep an eye out for him if it ever kicks off up there. If you have no intention of doing him any harm, which you obviously don’t, there’s no reason you should feel awkward about being kind to a fellow human being.
So sad that nice people are scared of being natural. Just be yourself and have a chat.
@Baldybonce. If Alan hadn't reached out to me all those years ago, I probably wouldn't have met a lot of the wonderful people, including you that I did during my visit! Having someone to talk to at the match might make all the difference to him. Charlton are a friendly, family oriented club, so there's nothing at all wrong with being friendly and saying hello
Can’t remember if I’ve mentioned this on here before but a few years ago when we were playing Wednesday away up at Hillsbrough (possibly the Johnnie Jackson match). My brother and I were standing outside an off-licence near the ground pre-match drinking vodka (it was a heavy time) and some bloke came up to us with two young boys, one wearing a Sheffield Wednesday top and the other a Charlton shirt.
Turns out he was step dad to the Charlton supporting lad (assume his actual Dad was an Addick or something) and he asked if we - two young guys from a city hundreds of miles away drinking vodka in the street - could take his step son into the away end with us. Said the young lad would know where to go after the match to meet him and before we had a chance to answer he had basically walked off with his Wednesday supporting actual son and we’re left with this kid and about half a bottle of vodka.
Was really weird that someone would just leave their kid like that at a football match, reckon he’d be about 11 now.
You failed to tell the rest of the story.... Your brother can't be trusted not to lose an umbrella.
I understand your concern, but I think it's a sad reflection on the world we live in these days that you're cautious about speaking to this lad.
Not a dig at you in any way, but a sad reflection on the world we now live in that you can't show concern for the lad without fearing what it may look like to others.
My advice would be to chat to him about the game to strike up a conversation & go from there
Certainly think you should strike up a conversation next time. Ask him who his favourite players are! Pretend yours is Tomer Hemed. Make it so that the kid ends up worshipping Tomer Hemed. It's what I'd do
If hes a regular start with a hello next time. Then see where it goes from there. If he chats back great but it might take a few hellos before he wants a conversation.
Certainly think you should strike up a conversation next time. Ask him who his favourite players are! Pretend yours is Tomer Hemed. Make it so that the kid ends up worshipping Tomer Hemed. It's what I'd do
Come on Leuth, you know that's not true. You'd be evangelising for the Church of Naby Sarr at the drop of a hat. :-)
Do you feel movement down below when you look at him? If so a bad sign in which case ignore him or you will be listening to Addicks games from Belmarsh.
I think that's the worst comment I've ever read on this forum & that takes some doing!
Certainly think you should strike up a conversation next time. Ask him who his favourite players are! Pretend yours is Tomer Hemed. Make it so that the kid ends up worshipping Tomer Hemed. It's what I'd do
start a conversation about the benefits of seats in the quadrants...
Such a sad reflection on today’s society that the questions even has to be asked, and I can fully understand why it has been. I would just say hello, and take it from there.
So different from when I was a and no doubt many of you were young, my dad worked Saturday’s, therefore never had the opportunity to take me to football, when I was 5 me and my big brother was 8 we decided we wanted to see some proper football, so we went round the local off license and I was helped over the wall to collect 12 empty bottles, I then climbed back out and we walked into the off license and handed them over and got the 1d each for returning them. We then walked down the town, hopped on the train and went to Charlton, it was 1958. Many gentleman helped us on our adventure, they saw us across the road, they helped me onto the train especially after the game when I could have so easily been crushed. Those gents all long gone, started my 62 year long love affair with football and with Charlton, it was halcyon days but even then there were strange people about, but the vast majority were good and kind, they did look after you, they made sure you were safe, just as you will do baldybounce. Without those kind people my whole life would have been changed, I would have missed out on so much pleasure, agony, friendships and the greatest day of my life the 98 play off final.
Just be normal. What would you do if it was a 20 yr old?
That would be no problem at all but I'm 62, he's about 11. If he goes home and tells his dad the old man in the next seat talks to him.. you get my drift.
My advice would be to treat this like you would with any other supporter sitting next to you. You might strike up a conversation, or make a little comment after a match incident or alternatively you might not. As he’s a young kid, you might just be a little mindful of his welfare if a fight or something starts right next to him, but otherwise I would treat him with the same attitude and respect as you might with an adult next to you. Don’t feel you have any extra responsibility towards him other than what would be considered reasonable care if there was an issue that might endanger him in some way.
Remember going when I was a kid and sat next to this right old boring bastard. Used to always try and strike up chats even after I told him I didn't want to talk, running commentary on every game etc.
Let him buy me a hot dog once and after that, christ he wouldn't pipe down....asking me about how I was getting on at school, moaning about his marriage and giving me life tips.
Even asked me what I wanted for Christmas.
In the end I got sick of it and told dad to shut the fuck up for 5 minutes.
Just be normal. What would you do if it was a 20 yr old?
That would be no problem at all but I'm 62, he's about 11. If he goes home and tells his dad the old man in the next seat talks to him.. you get my drift.
I'm 62, if I was in your situation at the next match I'd say hello hope they fight as hard as they did against West Brom and see where it goes from there, for all you know his parents are a couple of rows away. Or he currently goes home and says he likes the game but the miserable old gits around him wont speak to him!
Can’t remember if I’ve mentioned this on here before but a few years ago when we were playing Wednesday away up at Hillsbrough (possibly the Johnnie Jackson match). My brother and I were standing outside an off-licence near the ground pre-match drinking vodka (it was a heavy time) and some bloke came up to us with two young boys, one wearing a Sheffield Wednesday top and the other a Charlton shirt.
Turns out he was step dad to the Charlton supporting lad (assume his actual Dad was an Addick or something) and he asked if we - two young guys from a city hundreds of miles away drinking vodka in the street - could take his step son into the away end with us. Said the young lad would know where to go after the match to meet him and before we had a chance to answer he had basically walked off with his Wednesday supporting actual son and we’re left with this kid and about half a bottle of vodka.
Was really weird that someone would just leave their kid like that at a football match, reckon he’d be about 11 now.
Just be normal. What would you do if it was a 20 yr old?
That would be no problem at all but I'm 62, he's about 11. If he goes home and tells his dad the old man in the next seat talks to him.. you get my drift.
I find it worrying someone so young is allowed to go on his own.
Just be normal. What would you do if it was a 20 yr old?
That would be no problem at all but I'm 62, he's about 11. If he goes home and tells his dad the old man in the next seat talks to him.. you get my drift.
Maybe his family is expecting someone to "take him under their wing" while he's at games.
I've got a bit of an anecdote for you - When I went to my last yearly check up, there were 4 patients in the same room. The lady sitting opposite me had her daughter with her and, while the mother was taken off for scans, the girl, in her early teens I reckon, started talking to me and the old boy sitting in the other corner. She and her mum were from Chad and she was saying how they ended up in France. She then asked me where I lived and where I was from, when I said England, her eyes lit it up, and we were talking for a good solid 20 minutes, in English, about England and that she wanted to go to Cambridge Uni etc. At the end of my tests, the nurse said I could go home. As I left the room, the Girl was standing in the corridor and asked for my number and email address so we could talk in English? Straight away, without a second thought, I gave it to her and I remember saying that my Mrs would be happy to talk with her too.
It weren't till I was driving home that I realised what a idiot I'd been and I was genuinely paranoid till I spoke to my Mrs. An innocent act, that come from a completely good place gave me anxiety for the following few days.
Just be normal. What would you do if it was a 20 yr old?
That would be no problem at all but I'm 62, he's about 11. If he goes home and tells his dad the old man in the next seat talks to him.. you get my drift.
Maybe his family is expecting someone to "take him under their wing" while he's at games.
I've got a bit of an anecdote for you - When I went to my last yearly check up, there were 4 patients in the same room. The lady sitting opposite me had her daughter with her and, while the mother was taken off for scans, the girl, in her early teens I reckon, started talking to me and the old boy sitting in the other corner. She and her mum were from Chad and she was saying how they ended up in France. She then asked me where I lived and where I was from, when I said England, her eyes lit it up, and we were talking for a good solid 20 minutes, in English, about England and that she wanted to go to Cambridge Uni etc. At the end of my tests, the nurse said I could go home. As I left the room, the Girl was standing in the corridor and asked for my number and email address so we could talk in English? Straight away, without a second thought, I gave it to her and I remember saying that my Mrs would be happy to talk with her too.
It weren't till I was driving home that I realised what a idiot I'd been and I was genuinely paranoid till I spoke to my Mrs. An innocent act, that come from a completely good place gave me anxiety for the following few days.
Just be normal. What would you do if it was a 20 yr old?
That would be no problem at all but I'm 62, he's about 11. If he goes home and tells his dad the old man in the next seat talks to him.. you get my drift.
Maybe his family is expecting someone to "take him under their wing" while he's at games.
I've got a bit of an anecdote for you - When I went to my last yearly check up, there were 4 patients in the same room. The lady sitting opposite me had her daughter with her and, while the mother was taken off for scans, the girl, in her early teens I reckon, started talking to me and the old boy sitting in the other corner. She and her mum were from Chad and she was saying how they ended up in France. She then asked me where I lived and where I was from, when I said England, her eyes lit it up, and we were talking for a good solid 20 minutes, in English, about England and that she wanted to go to Cambridge Uni etc. At the end of my tests, the nurse said I could go home. As I left the room, the Girl was standing in the corridor and asked for my number and email address so we could talk in English? Straight away, without a second thought, I gave it to her and I remember saying that my Mrs would be happy to talk with her too.
It weren't till I was driving home that I realised what a idiot I'd been and I was genuinely paranoid till I spoke to my Mrs. An innocent act, that come from a completely good place gave me anxiety for the following few days.
Have you heard from her since?
Oh no, meant to put that, never got anything through mate
Comments
Your brother can't be trusted not to lose an umbrella.
Not a dig at you in any way, but a sad reflection on the world we now live in that you can't show concern for the lad without fearing what it may look like to others.
My advice would be to chat to him about the game to strike up a conversation & go from there
Let him buy me a hot dog once and after that, christ he wouldn't pipe down....asking me about how I was getting on at school, moaning about his marriage and giving me life tips.
Even asked me what I wanted for Christmas.
In the end I got sick of it and told dad to shut the fuck up for 5 minutes.
I'm still not allowed out by myself unescorted.
Maybe his family is expecting someone to "take him under their wing" while he's at games.
I've got a bit of an anecdote for you -
When I went to my last yearly check up, there were 4 patients in the same room. The lady sitting opposite me had her daughter with her and, while the mother was taken off for scans, the girl, in her early teens I reckon, started talking to me and the old boy sitting in the other corner. She and her mum were from Chad and she was saying how they ended up in France. She then asked me where I lived and where I was from, when I said England, her eyes lit it up, and we were talking for a good solid 20 minutes, in English, about England and that she wanted to go to Cambridge Uni etc. At the end of my tests, the nurse said I could go home. As I left the room, the Girl was standing in the corridor and asked for my number and email address so we could talk in English? Straight away, without a second thought, I gave it to her and I remember saying that my Mrs would be happy to talk with her too.
It weren't till I was driving home that I realised what a idiot I'd been and I was genuinely paranoid till I spoke to my Mrs. An innocent act, that come from a completely good place gave me anxiety for the following few days.