Were you born into SUFC or was it a choice?

[DTS]

Just wondering what % of our support were born into supporting the Blues and what % of us made a choice to support the lads after your first game etc.

For me Dad had always been a Southend fans as were a lot of our family so I dont think I ever really made a choice to support Southend it was just kind of what was done.

 

[Hotman]

Like a lot in southend, my family moved out of london, and we're an arsenal family. Have seen both, however - my first football match was southend, used to go with mates to southend and family to arsenal... I know a fair few others in exactly the same situation. Keep an eye out for both, but would only do southend away matches because of the **** and arsenal-tottenham for the fun.

Therefore, can i have a poll option for shagging around please? x

 

[leeblue]

born and bred, same as my dad and now my son (who is 14 now) he was hooked by the age of 4

 

[Hazey]

My step dad has supported Southend since he was very young, so was brought up listening to "Southend this, Southend that". When I was very young I wasn't interested in football and if anyone ever asked I'd just say "Man United" but to be honest I couldn't name their first 11 and I didn't give a toss about them, football just wasn't something that interested me. When I was around 11 my step dad took me to a few Southend games and I fell in love, I loved the fact that it wasn't this huge, hulking ground but an intimate stadium full of character and the fact that he seemed to know everyone we sat with. I will always associate football with SUFC as I fell in love with the game the same day I fell in love with this club.

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

It was a choice at the time really, my dad doesn't actually like football and both my parents are originally from up north. There isn't really a team running through our family. My dad used to take me to Southend matches occasionally but he didn't really support them and I was a Man United 'fan' during primary school, like most kids, but then in the 2000/2001 season I started going with my brothers quite regularly and just got hooked. It was only then that me and my brothers became proper Southend fans. I couldn't imagine supporting anyone else now, and if I have a son they're definitely going to be brought up on Shrimpers.

 

[Kent Shrimper]

My Dad was a Mackam but moved to Southend, he used to do the doors in Southend of an evening for extra cash for the family. He then started doing the Door at the Shrimpers and as such would take me on a Saturday afternoon or a friday night if i was lucky. There was no choice of any other team because from the age of 5 Roots Hall was my second home.

 

[Dick Bate's Protege]

Uncle bought me a West Ham kit = Dad (Swiss Tony) rushed me to a Southend game asap = Common sense prevailed.

 

[canveyshrimper]

My Grandad moved the family from North London (Tottenham) just before the end of the war. He and two of my uncles soon became regulars at SUFC, although of course keeping their allegiance to Spurs. Grandad took me to my first game in 1962, and Southend have been my club ever since.

 

[DoDTS]

Just wondering what % of our support were born into supporting the Blues and what % of us made a choice to support the lads after your first game etc.

For me Dad had always been a Southend fans as were a lot of our family so I dont think I ever really made a choice to support Southend it was just kind of what was done.

All this is true but I didn't actually encourage Dave to be a Blues fan, we were living in the Midlands and I thought it would be better if he went to football with mates rather than condemn him to the live of an exiled Shimpers fan. However I made the fatal mistake of taking him to Notts County v Southend match, we lost 6-2, we were absolutely awful, and not having been for a while I knew no-one there.

Yet despite all this the small club charm rubbed off on Dave instantly (he was 7 at the time) and he was hooked. The next match I had planned to take him to as part of his football education was Forest V Tottenham but Dave would have none of it, who have Southend got? Chesterfield away? it was no contest off we went to Chesterfield.

We lost that as well 3-1. I tell you that Dick Bate has a lot to answer for.

DoDtS

 

[PrawNZ]

I used to live next door to the leg end who is David Crown so grew up admiring all his hat trick footballs and the odd trophy. Much prefered to watch and support my local team than 'follow' a prem team

 

[MK Shrimper]

Dad - Gooner, Brother - Borient, Bro in law - Spurs.

Hence needed a team for Football Manager on the Spectrum and made sure I didn't choose one of them. Thank funk I went East into Essex instead of West (Ham) into London.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

Voted that SUFC are my 2nd team after family team. Its not strictly true, but I did support Arsenal as that is who my family supported, and used to go to Highbury a lot. Then got into SUFC when about 14 and they are far and away my first team now.

Still go to the Emirates every now and again when I get the chance, but only if Southend are away at some Northern outpost!

 

[Mr Gilbo]

For me it was a guy at school. Took me to see both Southend and Liverpool. And over the years both teams have stuck in my heart. Granted I see southend more than Liverpool, and Southend is my number one team.

But Southend is also family I guess. My father has never supported a team, but always has been happy to watch football in general. But his brother and my cousins are Southend supporters. Ben used to play for one of the youth teams back in the day.

I've been told that back in 1979 2 members of the first team attended my christening, unfortunately my parents can't remember names tho :(

 

[OldBlueLady]

3rd generation, dad and grandad, though wouldn't say there was any coercion, just no other option!:smiles:

 

[Supernaut]

I was born in West London to Chelsea supporting parents. We moved to Basildon when I was 3, so I didn't have a local league side to support. I never had any desire to follow my parents, but I always had a liking for Man Utd as they were my Grandad's team (although he only followed them because he worshipped George Best). I started going to Roots Hall in the mid-90s with a friend and considered myself a fan by the mid-2000s. Will now be doing my best to raise my 2 children as SUFC fans.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Dad took me when I was six and that was it really. Interested to see what will happen when my two are a bit older as I doubt we'll be living anywhere near Southend when the time comes for me to choose for them them to choose a team

I'll say this much though - my sister-in-law gave us a bag of hand-me-downs the other day and in it was a Chelsea kit. That went straight back in to another bag of hand-me-downs that we'll give to someone else. No way on earth are either of my two going to support that rotten lot.

 

[Thorpe Groyney]

I won it in a raffle.

 

[Shrimper]

My step dad has supported Southend since he was very young, so was brought up listening to "Southend this, Southend that". When I was very young I wasn't interested in football and if anyone ever asked I'd just say "Man United" but to be honest I couldn't name their first 11 and I didn't give a toss about them, football just wasn't something that interested me. When I was around 11 my step dad took me to a few Southend games and I fell in love, I loved the fact that it wasn't this huge, hulking ground but an intimate stadium full of character and the fact that he seemed to know everyone we sat with. I will always associate football with SUFC as I fell in love with the game the same day I fell in love with this club.

Same applies to me in that bolded bit but as I got older, around the year 2001 I lost interest in them, went to a game where Southend played Cardiff and was hooked. The rest as they say, is history.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

My mum always said she supported Fulham but my dad never stipulated a team , though he did play for Orient reserves many many years ago and possibly West Ham reserves.

My uncle is a staunch Spurs supporter so I always got Cup final programmes, Man City, QPR etc etc so that moulded my footballing feelings when young.

When I left school and started buying the Echo, I started getting interested in Southend from the reports on the back page.

Finally decided to go to a game, ironically the game after Benji's goal that sealed us promotion.

I'll watch any footy on the TV, but Southend are my one and only.

 

[davidovolic]

My dad was the one who got me interested in football but he's never really supported anyone, I just chose Southend because they're my local team and it's a lot easier and cheaper to watch them than someone like Man United or Arsenal