Family Football Festival - Shrewsbury Town v Barnet

Now when it comes to football I know not a lot as it is not a sport I have ever really been involved in. Middle Son plays for his school team and Eldest Son is a big Liverpool supporter so the boys of the house definitely know more than me on the subject.

When I was asked whether I would like to go along to our local football club to enjoy a Family Football Festival I thought this would be a great opportunity for the boys to see football for real and for me, perhaps, to learn some more about the game in a friendly family atmosphere.

We headed to Shrewsbury Town Football Club for their match with Barnet today.  We were met by Martin James from the club who had arranged tickets and parking permits (I was really grateful for the parking with Tala being small still) I had been advised that prams were not an option which was really hard when you have a pre-walking child but I decided to give the baby carrier its first outing!!

 Tala tries the baby carrier for the first time

On offer as part of the Family Football Festival outside the stadium were (for a donation to charity) face painting and a crossbar challenge on the astro turf pitch as well as a delightful Shetland pony from Riding for the Disabled.

Middle Son attempts the crossbar challenge

Tala loved the Shetland pony

Inside the stadium was a crowd of 5192 fans all waiting for kick off so we found our seats and settled in.  We were seated near other families and the range of ages was a good mix although apart from one other baby that was the child of a player, Tala was definitely the youngest there.  The seats were plastic pull down chairs and I didn't even attempt to put Tala on it as I knew he would have ended up falling or slipping through the chair.  He wriggled for the first 30 minutes and spent his time watching the crowd behind him.  When the first goal was scored the roar from the crowd had him most confused and he sat still from there on watching.  His first football match thoughts....

40 minutes after kick off and it was lights out for Tala

I spent the rest of the match balancing a sleeping baby on my knee as there was nowhere to put him without a pram.  Him being asleep was probably a good thing as I found out there were NO facilities to change a nappy which really surprised me.  I was given the option to use the bed in the First Aid room but the thought of a squirming baby on a bed made me a little worried so I didn't change him at all during our visit.  This for me was a major downside to our visit and I am not sure whether the lack of facilities is just down to individual clubs but with the day being aimed at family football I think something needs to be looked at in this area if it is to appeal to families.

The boys however loved the game and got right behind the Shrewsbury Town players and were soon joining in with the ooohhhs and aaahhhs of a near miss,  My eldest has been to a match before but it was Middle Sons first and he had a lot of questions that Eldest Son luckily answered.

A boys view of the game

The teams line up...

and the game gets underway

Shrewsbury take a corner

The game ended with a last minute goal in extra time to end in a nail biting 3 -2 victory for Shrewsbury Town and the crowds went wild.  The home crowd went home happy and so did my boys who had loved the whole event.  I only heard one 'adult' song from the terraces on the other side and I have to say this was one of the things that had concerned me prior to my visit as I have been to a match many years ago and the language was, shall we say, colourful!!!

As a family I would take my elder children again if they asked but I would not take Tala until he was older as the facilities are really not right for a small child in my opinion.  A good day out for the family but hard work juggling a baby!!

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