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I have asked this before on the old board, always worth another go as it interests me how we all started following our beloved club.
I know most of you will have what I envy, a history of generations of following The Baggies, but I should imagine there are quite a few like me, who have none.
As I have said on another thread, I was born in Ireland and nobody in my family was interested in football, I lived in Aston from the age of 6 months until the age of 9 ( bloody lucky escape ) when my sister started seeing a lad from Smethwick who would later become my brother in law, he took me to the 68 final at Wembley and the rest as they say is history.
My Son, who is Cornish born and bred, became a Baggie of his own free will ( honest ) went to his first game aged 5 and has come with me ever since.
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My Dad wasn't really a fan, but I took an interest in Albion from about the age of 5 as the Next door neighbor were big Albion fans.
Most people I knew were Albion, so the die was cast really. Coming from Tipton I could have easily gone over to the dark side, but thankfully I never had any kind of influence from that lot, even though a few friends were Dingles.
Went to my first game with my sister's then boyfriend in the late part of 72/73 season aged 9, which we lost 2-1 to Man City, which also confirmed our relegation to the 2nd tier for the first time in 25 years.
Didn't put me off though and still stuck with them.
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05-20-2019, 12:01 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-20-2019, 12:03 PM by chasetownbaggie.)
Parents from Langley and Smethwick, both families supported Albion. My dad started taking me to games at the age of 10 (first game Man U, 1977), though at the time I was a Leeds fan (chose them from looking at the Littlewoods coupon - could have been Wolves!). Ditched Leeds for good when I was 15 and don't have a single regret despite them winning the League several years later. Started going to Albion games alone when I was 17. Season ticket holder at 19.
BTW Cornish, which part of Cornwall do you live? (Don't have to be too specific!)
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Growing up in Dudley there was only ever two choices (in those days) and my Dad supporting Wolves put me at great risk. Luckily he wasn't too bothered about football and as my Mom's side were all Baggies and my mates around were it was always taken as read that I was. The Valencia game and all of the following press coverage probably sealed the deal and I begged my Dad to get me tickets for Red Star Belgrade. He managed that somehow, he died before I ever thought to ask him how, and the rest is history.
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Because the alternatives were Villa or Blues.
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Dad was a Villa fan from Brum. Lived nearer to Albion ground and just couldn't warm to Villa. Originally supported Stoke City (must be the only Baggie with a soft spot for them) until I was about 8/9. Went to the Albion late 77, and fell in love straight away. never looked back since. Dislike the seals with a passion, not really fussed about Wolves been a Brummie.
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My dad didn’t follow football at all. I grew up mostly in the 80’s and I think he was very put off by the violence around the game.
I started supporting us mainly because as a kid I was forced to go to church in Newton where my dad was the preacher / pastor.
Due to where it was located the congregation was around 70% black, and I remember every Sunday a lot of the other kids talking about a bloke called Cyrille Regis like he was some kind of hero. That obviously got me interested as my mates thought he was better than the god we were supposed to be worshipping!
Funnily, my 1st live games were not Albion but Blues. My best mate when I was about 11 was a blues fan and his dad went to matches. Given my dads fear of the violence I was forbidden from going, so I used to save my paper round money, tell my parents I was going out to play then sneak off with them to St Andrews. One of my earliest football memories is me and my mate walking round the terrace and finding ourselves stood by a bunch a older lads in Lacoste and Fila gear. We were really excited to be near what we thought were the Zulus. My mate then picked his nose and flicked a bogey onto one by mistake and we ran off shitting ourselves ?
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(05-20-2019, 12:11 PM)Duffers Wrote: Because the alternatives were Villa or Blues.
To be fair, shocked you supported Albion as you went King Edwards. Must have been all Villa?
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Because my Dad went and his Dad, and my Moms dad. So "in the family". Folk tended to support their "local team" then anyway.
