BWEXIT or Independence?

As my kids were born in New York and only have a passing interest in 'soccer' (when its force-fed to them by me), they don't have any real connection with Bolton Wanderers. I have taken my eldest (7) to see the New York Red Bulls a handful times but the youngest (5) hasn't been at all and they both show little to no interest in the game.

After 18 years here, we're very close to making the decision to return to London (despite you lot fucking things up no end last week) and it excites me to think that my boys will finally have no choice but to engage with the beautiful game of 'football'.

Then the fear struck. The realization that South East London, likely our next destination, could well have a huge influence on who they eventually choose to support. Millwall? Charlton? FFS!

Is is right for me to force them into being Bolton fans or should I just let them get on with it and choose their own path based on where they grow up and the influence of their friends?

Call me Judas but I'm honestly torn. BWEXIT or Independence?

Take them to see us play when we come down to London and tell them all about the Big Sam days and why you're as masochistic as the rest of us Trotters in continuing to follow them. Trust me, a few days in 'The Smoke' (a nickname for London for those who don't know that) will soon cure your kids of any possible urge to support any of those cockney twerps and they'll soon be on the true path to football enlightenment when they see a set of proper Northern fans cheering on a proper Northern team that gives the softies of Millwall and Charlton a proper pasting.

Yep, your boys are just going to love Accrington Stanley.

No idea how far or easy it will be to get to for you and your lads but I think West Ham at the Olympic Stadium will be the place to be in a few years time.

I think West Ham with the revenue generate from being there will propel them into a seriously big club.

If you want to go the other way Orient have always been family club as to Charlton until the recent upset with the new owners.

Welcome back when you do.

Is America seriously getting so bad in your opinion that you need to come back though - or is it simply work related?

luckyPeterpiper wrote:Take them to see us play when we come down to London and tell them all about the Big Sam days and why you're as masochistic as the rest of us Trotters in continuing to follow them. Trust me, a few days in 'The Smoke' (a nickname for London for those who don't know that) will soon cure your kids of any possible urge to support any of those cockney twerps and they'll soon be on the true path to football enlightenment when they see a set of proper Northern fans cheering on a proper Northern team that gives the softies of Millwall and Charlton a proper pasting.

Yep, your boys are just going to love Accrington Stanley.

 

We spent just over a week in Bolton last month and toured a couple of schools in Egerton/Turton in case we end up spending the first 2 or three () months of our return in the North. Of all the football shirts I saw on the kids in those schools, 5 were Barcelona, 1 Bolton, 1 Bury and 1 Man Utd. I thought that was a bit weird.

I was born and raised in Birmingham, but my dad's side are Bolton through and through. I got no choice and I'm glad I didn't, had I ended up being allowed to choose who knows what could have happened. 

Morale of the story is (must like Brexit) free choice can lead to the wrong decisions, buy them Bolton shirts and make them wear them at every opportunity.

I can't believe you're even asking the question, Fin.

It's your moral obligation as their father to inflict the misery and pain associated with following Bolton on them.

It's character building and will serve them well in future years as life throws one disappointment after another at them.

Given the choice, kids would eat crisps and chocolate all day.

BWFC is like cabbage: Nobody actually likes it but it serves a purpose. It makes carrots taste better in comparison.

Crack on.

Sluffy wrote:No idea how far or easy it will be to get to for you and your lads but I think West Ham at the Olympic Stadium will be the place to be in a few years time.

I think West Ham with the revenue generate from being there will propel them into a seriously big club.

If you want to go the other way Orient have always been family club as to Charlton until the recent upset with the new owners.

Welcome back when you do.

Is America seriously getting so bad in your opinion that you need to come back though - or is it simply work related?

Its more about finally settling in a permanent home, Sluffy. We're in a 2 bed apartment in Brooklyn Heights which is an amazing place to live but we need more space. Its so expensive to live here that the only way to get a house with a garden etc. is moving to New Jersey or upstate to Connecticut. Again, amazing places to live, and we would get a lot more for our money there than London, but we have no real connection and can't make the decision to move to any of those places.
England is home, where family and friends are, and a much easier decision to make. I'm not sure if its the right move but seemingly an easier decision to make for my wife and I.

Things are a little unsettling here with the presidential candidates (neither appeal to me at all but Trump gives me the fear) but I can't honestly say that is the reason for leaving. We have always wanted to come back at some stage and I'm very close to an offer with one of the big 3 bookmakers so it seems like a very good opportunity to grab and make the move now before the kids get older and a move like this becomes challenging for them too.

Think about the children and the impact on them if you do this.

(I mean Johnny when I say that - He'll be devastated if you leave your current job. )

Spent five years trying to turn two little Warrington born nippers into Whites supporters. 
Took them to games,bought them shirts,you name it. Must have spent a small fortune.
Going to school in Warrington wasn't easy for them,what with most of their school mates supporting Utd/City/Liverpool/Everton,not to mention the local RL club.
After five years of being dragged to the Reebok,they wimped out. One now supports Liverpool,the other,Everton.
I'm seeing more and more youngsters 'choosing' teams to support,something I can't get my head around.
As my old Geordie mate was fond of saying,'You get your stripes at birth'.
That's how it should be.

I no longer speak to those kids. In fact I've put a curse on them.

Breadman wrote:I can't believe you're even asking the question, Fin.

It's your moral obligation as their father to inflict the misery and pain associated with following Bolton on them.

It's character building and will serve them well in future years as life throws one disappointment after another at them.

Given the choice, kids would eat crisps and chocolate all day.

BWFC is like cabbage: Nobody actually likes it but it serves a purpose. It makes carrots taste better in comparison.

Crack on.

I definitely buy into the character building aspect, Bread. Big clubs like Arsenal, Spurs etc. would definitely be something I'd discourage.

My youngest lad asks for brussels sprouts or broccoli for dinner most days so we're probably half way there with him.

About these children, Boncey....?

Were they yours or did you just randomly select a pair of victims in Warrington town centre?

If it's the latter, it may explain their reluctance to accede to your demands.

Not mine, but family members. They were enthusiastic at first,but it's hard to hide the truth.

After one particular game,I asked the youngest lad what he'd enjoyed best.

"Going to the toilet" came the reply.

It was funny at the time,but deep down,I knew it was over.

boltonbonce wrote:It was funny at the time,but deep down,I knew it was over.

I'm in tears 

I had a similar experience with our nephew when he was about 6.

His Dad's a Sky Red, so I thought I'd nip in and try and turn the lad.

I took him to the Reebok against Fulham when it was Kids For A Quid and we sat in the front row of the North Stand, right next to the goal.

Somebody shot narrowly wide and the ball thundered into the crowd, almost taking his head off.

Seriously, if I hadn't have grabbed him when I did, it could have killed him.

And he went and blabbed to his Mum when he got home.

So he's never been allowed back and his interest in football waned to the point where he's got no interest now.

i feel your pain Fin, i have a similar issue but closer to home than you. My boy is a City fan and will only come to Bolton games under pain of death. I've even bought him a season ticket for the last 2 years (and for the one coming as well) but he's been to a handful of games.

He actually asked me for a City season ticket recently, i almost looked for the nearest Barnado's there and then

Threaten to wallpaper his room with this. It might work.
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Norpig wrote:i feel your pain Fin, i have a similar issue but closer to home than you. My boy is a City fan and will only come to Bolton games under pain of death. I've even bought him a season ticket for the last 2 years (and for the one coming as well) but he's been to a handful of games.

He actually asked me for a City season ticket recently, i almost looked for the nearest Barnado's there and then

Your son isn't the only city supporting male in your family

You shithouse

Boggersbelief wrote:

Norpig wrote:i feel your pain Fin, i have a similar issue but closer to home than you. My boy is a City fan and will only come to Bolton games under pain of death. I've even bought him a season ticket for the last 2 years (and for the one coming as well) but he's been to a handful of games.

He actually asked me for a City season ticket recently, i almost looked for the nearest Barnado's there and then

Your son isn't the only city supporting male in your family

You shithouse

what happened to your restraint chief mod? 

Norpig wrote:

Boggersbelief wrote:

Norpig wrote:i feel your pain Fin, i have a similar issue but closer to home than you. My boy is a City fan and will only come to Bolton games under pain of death. I've even bought him a season ticket for the last 2 years (and for the one coming as well) but he's been to a handful of games.

He actually asked me for a City season ticket recently, i almost looked for the nearest Barnado's there and then

Your son isn't the only city supporting male in your family

You shithouse

what happened to your restraint chief mod? 

I've imposed a 24 hour purge, anything goes