RFC to become family club of the year?

[PEARCEY]

My daughter occasionally goes to away games. Not so much this year as she did in the last season of the premier. She's been caught out swearing and singing along to the swear chants and i only allow her to swear only inside the ground. For the home games she's polite as pie.

The only thing ghey about this club is the piss poor level of away support, but that is another dynamic that has been dicussed to death on other threads.

Taking kids to football is not a real issue as long as the parents taking them understand the culture of football and what could be encountered. Hopefully they are the future as long as parents are willing to absorb the costs until self sufficiency kicks in.

Of course. As a long-standing football fan of many games I know what to expect at a match....although I am far more comfortable taking my son to the Madejski than I would be Ninian Park. Swearing goes with the territory...I try to tone it down in front of my own boys...but I struggle. There has to be a bit of passion otherwise it becomes too sanitised.

[Rex]

Correct. Sadly this year it's become the norm for my daughter not to be with me. It's not quite the same experience though. I always remember sitting in the south stand after moving my seat to be with my daughter and the tut tut brigade were out in force.

[seahawk10]

Well some of you need to smell the coffee then. Football isn't just about lager, and 'funny' chants any more. Kids going to games now are the future core of our support. Whether the award itself is naff, I don't think it's a bad thing at all that this club be recognised for being a good place (in terms of facilities, atmosphere, maybe prices) for families to go and watch football.

Great and very mature post.

[Terminal Boardom]

My daughter occasionally goes to away games. Not so much this year as she did in the last season of the premier. She's been caught out swearing and singing along to the swear chants and i only allow her to swear only inside the ground. For the home games she's polite as pie.

As I say to my children; what's said at football stays at football.

[Terminal Boardom]

My daughter occasionally goes to away games. Not so much this year as she did in the last season of the premier. She's been caught out swearing and singing along to the swear chants and i only allow her to swear only inside the ground. For the home games she's polite as pie.

The only thing ghey about this club is the piss poor level of away support, but that is another dynamic that has been dicussed to death on other threads.

Taking kids to football is not a real issue as long as the parents taking them understand the culture of football and what could be encountered. Hopefully they are the future as long as parents are willing to absorb the costs until self sufficiency kicks in.

Of course. As a long-standing football fan of many games I know what to expect at a match....although I am far more comfortable taking my son to the Madejski than I would be Ninian Park. Swearing goes with the territory...I try to tone it down in front of my own boys...but I struggle. There has to be a bit of passion otherwise it becomes too sanitised.

Since when does anyone need to swear to show passion?

[Arch]

I wonder if there's a connection between the civilizing trend of the crowd and the greater critical attitude towards the play. Back in the day, you could be so happy singing, swearing and generally ladding about that you didn't notice that the fare on offer was utter dross. Now that you more or less have to watch all 90 minutes intently, you realize that the event isn't all that entertaining. Maybe when someone says the family atmosphere is ruining the game they love, what they really mean is that the game itself was never enough of an event to be worth it.

[Terminal Boardom]

I wonder if there's a connection between the civilizing trend of the crowd and the greater critical attitude towards the play. Back in the day, you could be so happy singing, swearing and generally ladding about that you didn't notice that the fare on offer was utter dross. Now that you more or less have to watch all 90 minutes intently, you realize that the event isn't all that entertaining. Maybe when someone says the family atmosphere is ruining the game they love, what they really mean is that the game itself was never enough of an event to be worth it.

With a crowd of 3,000 at Elm Park, you would go in hope rather than expectation. 20 years on and the expectation levels are at a ludicrous level. We have been spoilt.

There is also the advent of the "blame" culture. It has to be someone's fault why the pitch is rubbish, why the atmosphere is rubbish and so on. So let's pick on the next generation of supporters and blame them. What would you prefer? Lower crowds and higher ticket prices?

[FiNeRaIn]

Most predictable reaction to news ever, I'm just disappointed finerain hasn't ben along yet to tell us how much fans of other clubs laugh at us

Its an embarassing award but no suprise really, who else plays a half time anti-swearing advert with a family sat in the back garden eating a BBQ?

[Sun Tzu]

Most predictable reaction to news ever, I'm just disappointed finerain hasn't ben along yet to tell us how much fans of other clubs laugh at us

Its an embarassing award but no suprise really, who else plays a half time anti-swearing advert with a family sat in the back garden eating a BBQ?

You mean the one from the Football League's 'Enjoy the Game' campaign http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/EnjoyTheMatchVideo/0,,10794~1357375,00.html ?

I'd guess all the football League clubs do it, if they have a suitable screen.

[FiNeRaIn]

F.A- Wrecking english football for the last 10 years

Reading FC club officials- Destroying our atmosphere's and pricing out loyal fans for the last 5 years

Down with both of them.

[Sun Tzu]

F.A- Wrecking english football for the last 10 years

Reading FC club officials- Destroying our atmosphere's and pricing out loyal fans for the last 5 years

Down with both of them.

I'd put a fair bit of blame on the players for both complaints.

Although the atmosphere is entirely in the hands of the fans so no point in looking elsewhere on that one.....

[Baines]

Most predictable reaction to news ever, I'm just disappointed finerain hasn't ben along yet to tell us how much fans of other clubs laugh at us

Its an embarassing award but no suprise really, who else plays a half time anti-swearing advert with a family sat in the back garden eating a BBQ?

I always enjoyed Annie Bassett's don't swear tannoy announcement being met with the foulest language heard this side of japanreading.

[AbovetheI]

gheyness personified. not to mention family club = the happy clappy middle class sit down brigade

It's what we'll always be. Regardless of any award won.

[Jerry St Clair]

although I am far more comfortable taking my son to the Madejski than I would be Ninian Park.

Ninian Park >>>>>>>>>> Madejski Stadium and then some.

[boy1985]

F.A- Wrecking english football for the last 10 years

Reading FC club officials- Destroying our atmosphere's and pricing out loyal fans for the last 5 years

Down with both of them.

+1

[Once were Biscuitmen]

If you want to shout and swear in a stadium with "character" there is always Aldershot.

I rather suspect that after a few weeks all those craving "atmosphere" would be back.

Pretending everything used to be better- the grass greener- is the old mans game. We forget the unnecessary aggression, actual violence, poor facilities and lower level of crowd safety. We have a overly romantic view of a past which probably existed.

Things change, not everything for the better, but if the worst thing you ever encounter a football match is a family with a picnic then I’m not sure the world is really so terrible.

[boy1985]

If you want to shout and swear in a stadium with "character" there is always Aldershot.

I rather suspect that after a few weeks all those craving "atmosphere" would be back.

Pretending everything used to be better- the grass greener- is the old mans game. We forget the unnecessary aggression, actual violence, poor facilities and lower level of crowd safety. We have a overly romantic view of a past which probably existed.

Things change, not everything for the better, but if the worst thing you ever encounter a football match is a family with a picnic then I’m not sure the world is really so terrible.

Why does safety/facilities and atmosphere have to be mutually exclusive?

[Sun Tzu]

Why does safety/facilities and atmosphere have to be mutually exclusive?

It doesn't !!

So why are you moaning ?

[boy1985]

Why does safety/facilities and atmosphere have to be mutually exclusive?

It doesn't !!

So why are you moaning ?

Because its better than doing work on a Friday

[Sun Tzu]

Why does safety/facilities and atmosphere have to be mutually exclusive?

It doesn't !!

So why are you moaning ?

Because its better than doing work on a Friday

An excellent point and one which I see no thing to argue with !