What have I done!!!!

[Milkie]

I have slowly indoctrinated my 8 year old son into the Stoke City fold. This year he has evolved into a full bloodied Stokie; Stoke top for Christmas, Stoke top for his birthday, Stoke training gear with his birthday money and a stoke pencil case with his pocket money. for his birthday treat, no party, no playzone, he wanted to take his mates to a Stoke match. He spends every waking hour scouring Sky Sports news and the internet for Stoke related articles and was obviously elated when we hit the top of the table. However, after Monday nights defeat, much like his father, he became withdrawn and sullen. Worse still, after WBA win last night I discovered him sobbing uncontrollably this morning watching the re-run on Sky sports news. Oh for the night he rang me in the pub to delight in telling me that we had come back from 2-0 down to beat Scunthorpe, oh to see the joy on his face as Delilah echoed around the Brit after our third against Southampton, what have i done to him, will he ever be able to lead a normal life, will he ever forgive me???

[Bognor Stokie]

Milkie- honest answer is 'No' and my Dad did the same to me as a youth - but take consolation in the fact that he supports a 'proper' team, he can share in your high's and low's and he's not a glory hunter like most 8 year old lads in their 'Big Four' shirts who don't go to watch 'their' teams and just shrug when the results come in (like my nephew who is a Liverpool fan but was born and lives near Northampton) so it could be worse ...

or 'Yes' he'll forgive you when we go up ! ;D

[andy9196]

I am in exactly the same position Milkie, my lad is 8 tomorrow !!

[Milkie]

Its terrible inflicting it on your own flesh and blood, yet over here in Lincolnshire amongst the Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea supporters he is slightly revered. Ok the other kids take the mickey out of him because Stoke have never been in the premiership, but then none of these kids have been to the home of the team they "support." They mock him because we are rarely on TV, but he can regale them with tales of the night time fixtures at the Brit. They pour scorn on him for our lack of silverwear yet stand in awe as he belts out Deliliah in the play-ground at the top of his voice. He may not have the coolest kit, support a team that wins trophies or support a team full of pin up footballers, but he gets a dam sight closer to it all than any of his mates. The Glory hunting fans, that he took to the Brit for his birthday, looked upon him with a new found respect when he stood on his seat and belted out delilah, in a tribal fashion, with the rest of the Boothen. Brings a tear to a fathers eye

[bayernoatcake]

Karma for Milkie!

[CrazyPotter]

Brought a tear to my eye Milkie ;D

KARMA MY MAN!

[Mr_DaftBurger]

Have you a daughter called Shannon?

[wembley4372]

I do not wish to pour cold water on your thread but I think todays generation may not continue the suffering in as dedicated a fashion as us older ones. He will always follow Stoke, but you may find that you are attending more games on your own as time goes by. I just hope that my lad regains an interest for when I get to the stage of not wanting to drive to the matches so he can take pity on me and I can leave a mess in his car!

[Milkie]

Mr Daftburger, I do have a daughter and I have tried on several occasions to introduce her to Stoke. While my son is an avid fan she gave me one of the best laughs I have had in a long time. Middle of the Boothen, 1-1 against Blackpool the whole Boothen baying for a winner and she was sat, unmoved under a blanket reading an Enid Blyton Famous Five book; its alright she said but the boys are noisy!!

[Spud]

I live in Manchester and when I was growing up my Dad told me that if I wanted to support Manchester united I would have to live in the shed so it was an easy decision really. Although when I was at school people took the piss out of me being a Stoke fan and I still wore my Stoke shirt on non uniform day and every match Ive been to for the last 14 years I feel proud to be a Stoke fan and wouldn't have it any other way, so Milkie you've done well and I hope your son enjoys being a potter

[mattb]

You ve done the right thing milkie. there will be some good time s to go with the bad. if thing s don t go our way the next month we still av a chance of seeing a full wembly with 35 000 stoke fans singing delilah. that would be much better then watching man u on TV lifting trophey after trophey.

So keep the faith, goarn stoke.

[iwwwsatv]

Ive been there and got the teeshirt mate.... my son, has the mood swings just like all stokies, elation, despair, anger. he rings me and says 'whats the point of being a stokie? Told me he didnt want a new shirt for his birthday, He told me he didnt want to go to any more games this season...... I told him to grow up !!

You know whay my son said to me?














Dad Im 29, i will get over it, by next saturday... come on you potters

[Milkie]

Cant believe I have been smited for a tail of wow, feel like joining my lad in floods of tears

[Jamo on the wing]

Have some karma Milkie. My three year old lad is well on the way also. He's in his second season of having the full kit, has a red and white bedroom with the SCFC duvet cover, curtains and everything I could buy from the club shop.
He's trained to shout Stoke City everytime we drive past the Brit and when asked which team he supports he says Stoke City without hestitation. He went to his first game (Newcastle Town)aged 12 weeks and promptly slept all the way through it!!
It isn't fair on them but it's got to be done!!

[slimyouth]

Have some karma off me aswell milkie,your story is the mirror image of my 8 year old,we have done the right thing my friend,he'll never look back now,city til' i die.

[Arthurdollar]

Just had my Nephew over here for weeks holiday and he sat at my local the other night watching the game in his home top amongst some Baggie and yam yam fan´s watching the game. Even the result did not stop him bashing out his anthem Delilah to the inbreds. He got a standing ovation.

[Milkie]

Its touching to see how many fathers go through the same anguish as they introduce their heir to the Stoke Fold. Dads, its a rocky road, but when your 8 year old turns round and says thanks dad with the biggest grin ever as hes stood in the Boothen, Floodlights on, deliliah booming out and the potters 1 up its all worth it!!