Would you let your 14 year old son go one his own to Blackpool away?

Simple question how would you feel if the police are at your door asking you why you let a 14 year old CHILD undertake such a journey if anything happened to him ???????
So answer is easy NO

Just on a side note, us coach operators (yes, I know he’s not going on a coach) are continually being warned that since the pandemic, drugs and these gas canisters are on the increase amongst the younger element of Cardiff fans travelling.
At one game, two under 16’s had to be taken to hospital and the police had to inform both sets of parents, one boy’s heart actually stopped at one point.

I’m not saying your lad is into that stuff, but there is always the fear that “billy big bollocks”, will say “go on try it, we all have and it hasn’t hurt us”

Really think about this, I’d rather be a hated dad, than one planning a funeral !!!

Depends on the kid but i'd prefer it if they were on a bus

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Originally Posted by BLUETIT

Just on a side note, us coach operators (yes, I know he’s not going on a coach) are continually being warned that since the pandemic, drugs and these gas canisters are on the increase amongst the younger element of Cardiff fans travelling.
At one game, two under 16’s had to be taken to hospital and the police had to inform both sets of parents, one boy’s heart actually stopped at one point.

I’m not saying your lad is into that stuff, but there is always the fear that “billy big bollocks”, will say “go on try it, we all have and it hasn’t hurt us”

Really think about this, I’d rather be a hated dad, than one planning a funeral !!!

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Originally Posted by dembethewarrior

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I think 14 is too young… stuff can and does happen. I’d be twitchy letting him go at 16 tbh, but you can’t really stop it then.

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Originally Posted by stevebrickman

I think 14 is too young… stuff can and does happen. I’d be twitchy letting him go at 16 tbh, but you can’t really stop it then.

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Exactly

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Originally Posted by Bobby Dandruff

I don’t think that any responsible parent would even consider it.

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My parents did and they let me go to watch a couple of games in London on Good Friday with a school mate who was also fourteen. We had a great day as we took in a visit to the Football Hall of Fame I think it was called in between games. I cant ever remember feeling intimidated and my parents never gave the impression of being concerned about my safety.

I know it’s a different time now, but with mobile phones and other advances in technology, it’s much easier to keep in touch with your kids now if you’re a parent. When and why have things changed so much in the last fifty years?

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

My parents did and they let me go to watch a couple of games in London on Good Friday with a school mate who was also fourteen. We had a great day as we took in a visit to the Football Hall of Fame I think it was called in between games. I cant ever remember feeling intimidated and my parents never gave the impression of being concerned about my safety.

I know it’s a different time now, but with mobile phones and other advances in technology, it’s much easier to keep in touch with your kids now if you’re a parent. When and why have things changed so much in the last fifty years?

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What game did you go and see, and did the experience live up to your expectations?

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Originally Posted by TWGL1

What game did you go and see, and did the experience live up to your expectations?

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Went to watch Brentford in the morning and then up to Spurs for the afternoon match - Brentford were in Division Four then and were going for promotion, from memory there were 16 thousand there. My main memory of the Spurs game was how the crowd got on the team’s back so quickly - they won 1-0 with a late goal by Martin Chivers, but that was when the first germs of my long held opinion about Spurs supporters being an entitled lot first began to take hold.

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Originally Posted by TWGL1

What game did you go and see, and did the experience live up to your expectations?

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Most probably the Charlton game at 11am then off to Stamford Bridge for Chelsea/Newcastle in the afternoon, I went aged 14, great day out but, perhaps, times are different now, the past is another world.

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Originally Posted by splott parker

Most probably the Charlton game at 11am then off to Stamford Bridge for Chelsea/Newcastle in the afternoon, I went aged 14, great day out but, perhaps, times are different now, the past is another world.

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Nah, you’re a bit older than me SP, pretty sure City didn’t have a game that day.

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Originally Posted by pipster

Would you let your 14 year old son go one his own to Blackpool away on the train ?
that's it basically

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Reminds me of a Preston trip we did with the RAMS in 2005 where we stayed overnight in Blackpool. Two lads took their two (younger than 14!) kids and subsequently got themselves arrested after the game. Cue the two kids having to be babysat by the Valley RAMS collective (all positive influences I might add). Neither were released on the Sunday morning before the coach left and the lads had to come home on the coach - mental really. Anyone remember that? I think Corky was on the bus!

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

My parents did and they let me go to watch a couple of games in London on Good Friday with a school mate who was also fourteen. We had a great day as we took in a visit to the Football Hall of Fame I think it was called in between games. I cant ever remember feeling intimidated and my parents never gave the impression of being concerned about my safety.

I know it’s a different time now, but with mobile phones and other advances in technology, it’s much easier to keep in touch with your kids now if you’re a parent. When and why have things changed so much in the last fifty years?

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Come on Bob, I don't believe you are that naiive.
Sure there were baddies about back in the day but far less than now.
The worst you could have got was a good kicking and even then there were bobbies about who you could rely on.

Went to Reading in 2011 when I was 15 with mates on the supporters bus and it was fine, knew not to be a tit and go straight into the ground and straight back to the bus. Train to Blackpool, or Reading for that matter, wouldn't have had a chance convincing my parents to let me go.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Nah, you’re a bit older than me SP, pretty sure City didn’t have a game that day.

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One year older, one bloody year..... a bit indeed!!!! You were Jonathan Moore’s year I believe. :hehe: The Charlton game I went to was Good Friday, 4th April, 1969, lost 4-1, Chelsea beat Newcastle 2-0 in the afternoon............a bit older :furious::hehe:

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Originally Posted by MacAdder

Come on Bob, I don't believe you are that naiive.
Sure there were baddies about back in the day but far less than now.
The worst you could have got was a good kicking and even then there were bobbies about who you could rely on.

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Peer pressure has always been about. Just different things, back then maybe more towards smoking and drinking than hard drugs. Why far less than now? Probably just made the news less, anything can make the news these days whereas back then you had tidy reporters and didn't need to fill up the pages with a "look who's been at court" section and you didn't need to have the paper filled up with all sorts.

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Originally Posted by Der Kaiser

Went to Reading in 2011 when I was 15 with mates on the supporters bus and it was fine, knew not to be a tit and go straight into the ground and straight back to the bus. Train to Blackpool, or Reading for that matter, wouldn't have had a chance convincing my parents to let me go.

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You are 26?

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Originally Posted by MacAdder

Come on Bob, I don't believe you are that naiive.
Sure there were baddies about back in the day but far less than now.
The worst you could have got was a good kicking and even then there were bobbies about who you could rely on.

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I’m just stating the truth, I was going to away games on a train with school mates at the age of fourteen and fifteen - never had any trouble and never was unaware of the possible pitfalls. I was only ten or eleven at the time, but even I could see how much the adult world was affected by the Moors murders and it was drummed into me about not speaking to “strange” men. My memory is that my parents’ willingness to let me travel hundreds of miles to watch football games with kids my own age was not that out of the ordinary then and as I remember it, there was never any reason for any of the parents of my friends to regret their decision.

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Originally Posted by splott parker

One year older, one bloody year..... a bit indeed!!!! You were Jonathan Moore’s year I believe. :hehe: The Charlton game I went to was Good Friday, 4th April, 1969, lost 4-1, Chelsea beat Newcastle 2-0 in the afternoon............a bit older :furious::hehe:

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He thing is when it’s working in your favour, one year makes a HUGE difference :hehe:

I hitchhiked around Europe when I was 14.

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Originally Posted by dembethewarrior

You are 26?

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For another week, yes.

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

I hitchhiked around Europe when I was 14.

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:hehe:

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Originally Posted by Der Kaiser

For another week, yes.

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You've been around on here years always had you as a bit older. Watch it after 30 it's not as easy to stay slim...

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

I’m just stating the truth, I was going to away games on a train with school mates at the age of fourteen and fifteen - never had any trouble and never was unaware of the possible pitfalls. I was only ten or eleven at the time, but even I could see how much the adult world was affected by the Moors murders and it was drummed into me about not speaking to “strange” men. My memory is that my parents’ willingness to let me travel hundreds of miles to watch football games with kids my own age was not that out of the ordinary then and as I remember it, there was never any reason for any of the parents of my friends to regret their decision.

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I'm not suggesting you aren't telling the truth, just replying to your apparent dismissal of Mr Dandruff's post.
Your parents were probably like mine in that you let your kids out to play and whatever they got up to, within reason, was fair game and if it was a bit 'dodgy' then it was fine as long as we don't find out about it or the police didn't come knocking on the door.

Peoples' awareness of potential pitfalls are now far greater and I tend to agree with BD in that I think parents are much more vigilant, taking their kids to football training, getting lifts with their mate's dad or whatever.
Back then you did your own thing, just had to be back by x oclock.

Re the OP, an organised bus with their mates would probably be fine as far as I was concerned.
I might think twice about a train journey away to Millwall though :hehe:

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

I hitchhiked around Europe when I was 14.

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:hehe:

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Originally Posted by dembethewarrior

Peer pressure has always been about. Just different things, back then maybe more towards smoking and drinking than hard drugs. Why far less than now? Probably just made the news less, anything can make the news these days whereas back then you had tidy reporters and didn't need to fill up the pages with a "look who's been at court" section and you didn't need to have the paper filled up with all sorts.

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Far more drugs about and far more desperate people about too.

Carrying of knives is now commonplace and I suspect the threat of a tragedy is greater.

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Originally Posted by MacAdder

Far more drugs about and far more desperate people about too.

Carrying of knives is now commonplace and I suspect the threat of a tragedy is greater.

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Yeah, why I said about there being alcohol and tobacco around back then.. but agree with your post

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Went to watch Brentford in the morning and then up to Spurs for the afternoon match - Brentford were in Division Four then and were going for promotion, from memory there were 16 thousand there. My main memory of the Spurs game was how the crowd got on the team’s back so quickly - they won 1-0 with a late goal by Martin Chivers, but that was when the first germs of my long held opinion about Spurs supporters being an entitled lot first began to take hold.

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Sounds like a great experience especially doing two grounds in a day. Griffin Park looked a great ground when the terrace behind the goal was covered and to have 16,000 in must have been fantastic.

In some ways Tottenham supporters sense of entitlement is partly justified as they did do the double in 61, and have had a major influence over the years as a “cup team”.

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Originally Posted by MacAdder

Far more drugs about and far more desperate people about too.

Carrying of knives is now commonplace and I suspect the threat of a tragedy is greater.

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Isn't it a THING that violent crime is generally going down year upon year?? .....compared to thirty years ago I'd imagine there is a much lower chance of getting duffed up at a football match.

Conversely , the Western Mail has got shitter and shitter and now dedicates all it's time to "reporting" on petty crime and posting mugshots of pasty faced , drug crazed loners who did a ram raid in 2019.

Desperate, sensationalist media is responsible for a perceived increase in violent crime.

That said, personally, I'd kick that can down the road for another year or two.


Quick google ...


........1 plus million victims of violent crime in 2022 compared to 4 somethign million in 1995.....knife crime down on prepandemic figures ......et etc

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulat...ndingmarch2022

U

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

one year makes a HUGE difference :hehe:

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Yeah, when you’re 7:hehe:

Sobering thought for me on this thread is that I’ve been talking about an away game I went to 54 years ago:yikes: 40 years before OP’s son was born. 54 years! Dear God, where’s it gone?

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Originally Posted by Divine Wright

Isn't it a THING that violent crime is generally going down year upon year?? .....compared to thirty years ago I'd imagine there is a much lower chance of getting duffed up at a football match.

Conversely , the Western Mail has got shitter and shitter and now dedicates all it's time to "reporting" on petty crime and posting mugshots of pasty faced , drug crazed loners who did a ram raid in 2019.

Desperate, sensationalist media is responsible for a perceived increase in violent crime.

That said, personally, I'd kick that can down the road for another year or two.


Quick google ...


........1 plus million victims of violent crime in 2022 compared to 4 somethign million in 1995.....knife crime down on prepandemic figures ......et etc

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulat...ndingmarch2022

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This would actually make a decent thread on its own. Anecdotally, i believe that society is less violent today than it was when i was growing up. When i was a kid, the chances of getting a hiding from bullies on the estate, fighting at the football or on a night out was a considerable risk, this from someone who never courted violence. Teachers used violence, as did the police, and plenty of parents hit their kids and even the neighbours kids!

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Originally Posted by TWGL1

Sounds like a great experience especially doing two grounds in a day. Griffin Park looked a great ground when the terrace behind the goal was covered and to have 16,000 in must have been fantastic.

In some ways Tottenham supporters sense of entitlement is partly justified as they did do the double in 61, and have had a major influence over the years as a “cup team”.

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Spurs are one of those sides where winning is not enough, you need to win in a certain style - I'm a bit too young to remember their double team, but they won things in style it seems and, in a way, the club has been paying for that to this day. I may not remember the double team, but I do remember reading in the sixties about how terry Venables used to get stick from the Spurs crowd and Alan Mullery took a long time to win the White Hart Lane crowd over - apparently, he was seen by many to be Dave Mackay's replacement which didn't help his cause.

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Originally Posted by MacAdder

Come on Bob, I don't believe you are that naiive.
Sure there were baddies about back in the day but far less than now.
The worst you could have got was a good kicking and even then there were bobbies about who you could rely on.

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My Dad was forever telling me that he took a bike at 14 and cycled half way around France and Germany.

When I was 14 I lived in Kent. I went up to London with some school friends for Arsenal v Man U, against my mother's wishes. I remember ending up lying face down on a tube station platform taking a few kicks, and then taking a smack full in the face as I came out of the tube station. I arrived home with a black eye and a split lip. My mother almost beat me up again :hehe:. That was 1974. At least times have changed!

I would say no.

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

I hitchhiked around Europe when I was 14.

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That's possibly because you went to a school for high achievers that encouraged that sort of thing.

https://www.ccmb.co.uk/showthread.ph...20-Wales-Bales

We don't know how worldly-wise pipster's "youngster" is in comparison.

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Originally Posted by Swiss Peter

My Dad was forever telling me that he took a bike at 14 and cycled half way around France and Germany.

When I was 14 I lived in Kent. I went up to London with some school friends for Arsenal v Man U, against my mother's wishes. I remember ending up lying face down on a tube station platform taking a few kicks, and then taking a smack full in the face as I came out of the tube station. I arrived home with a black eye and a split lip. My mother almost beat me up again :hehe:. That was 1974. At least times have changed!

I would say no.

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Who gave you the kicking?
Arsenal, Man United or another club's fans?

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Originally Posted by blue lewj

Who gave you the kicking?
Arsenal, Man United or another club's fans?

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Arsenal. This sounds crazy now but I was wearing my school scarf which they took as Man U colours.

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Originally Posted by MacAdder

I'm not suggesting you aren't telling the truth, just replying to your apparent dismissal of Mr Dandruff's post.
Your parents were probably like mine in that you let your kids out to play and whatever they got up to, within reason, was fair game and if it was a bit 'dodgy' then it was fine as long as we don't find out about it or the police didn't come knocking on the door.

Peoples' awareness of potential pitfalls are now far greater and I tend to agree with BD in that I think parents are much more vigilant, taking their kids to football training, getting lifts with their mate's dad or whatever.
Back then you did your own thing, just had to be back by x oclock.

Re the OP, an organised bus with their mates would probably be fine as far as I was concerned.
I might think twice about a train journey away to Millwall though :hehe:

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I'm not saying that I wouldn't take much persuading before I allowed a fourteen year old child of mine to go off to Blackpool to watch a game whether they were travelling by coach or train, but more that I think I could just about be persuaded to allow it based on my experiences at a similar age.

It's been claimed that it was only about beer and fags back in the sixties and early seventies. That's not true, I was no angel when I was growing up, but, by the same token, I had a strong sense of knowing what was right and wrong and didn't cross the line often - put it this way, my name would have been a long, long way down the list if the staff at Cantonian were looking for the culprit when it came to a particular fight or piece of vandalism.

However,, even then I had a rough idea of who'd be likely to help me out if I did ever want to get involved in the drugs scene. As a teenager, I believed the line that my parents spun me about "soft" drugs - they're fine in themselves, but it's what they might lead on to and this helped ensure that I never got into drugs in anything approaching a serious way (the fact that I never enjoyed the process of smoking probably helped in that regard as well. By my early twenties, I'd begun to question my parent's line, but, still, my sole experience of drugs came after I ate cannabis cake on two occasions - the first time I was unaware of what I was eating and the second time I tried it knowingly to see what effect it would have on me (the first time I was pissed and I wouldn't have known what I had eaten if I hadn't been told).

Nevertheless, despite me not being a drug taker, I was still being asked during my lunch break in work by strangers in the old Buccaneer pub in town whether I wanted to buy drugs on a couple of occasions and feeling like I was in the minority because I was not dropping acid tablets during visits to the Moon club on the Hayes. These events were happening about three or four years after my parents had let me go to London to watch those games in the early seventies. I can also remember being told by someone that he could get me heroin if I wanted it (I must have been about twenty then) - I chose not to believe them, but, as I never saw the person again after that, I suppose he might have been telling the truth.

My point is that, even for someone who might have been regarded as a goody two shoes by some, drugs were easily available back in the seventies (must admit I never knew of any cocaine users back then or where it could be got) - I'm hardly in a position to know for sure, but it seems to me that drugs have taken over from alcohol to a degree among the young these days which it could be argued is a good thing when it comes to the possibility of violence.

The more I think about it, the more I feel Divine Wright is right about how attitudes are shaped by a far more sensationalist media than it was when I was a teenager - attitudes have changed, but have the risks really got worse for, say a group of teenagers going to an away football game on a train? I'm not sure they have.

I was 15 when I was allowed to go on the train to my first away game. It was the 1991 FA Cup game against Swansea.

My parents were not football fans and clueless of the potential dangers. They thought it would be a good first away trip as it was a short train trip.

To say it was an eye opener to someone on their first away trip would be an understatement. Swansea was like the innards of hell that day. The double decker buses they put on to take the fans from the station to the ground had their windows smashed through. Missiles flying everywhere, fighting, looting.

To top it off, me and my friends got separated from the Cardiff fans on the walk back to the station and got lost in Swansea. We found a friendly looking couple of families with wives and kids to ask directions, who then promptly head butted me and laid into me on the floor.

On the train on the way home I remember people selling jewellery from the looted Ratners shop and someone taking a shit in the middle of the train carriage…

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Originally Posted by splott parker

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Yeah, when you’re 7:hehe:

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:hehe: