Family ties - it's in the blood

The news clippings are there to be found online. Dad signs up child for club membership before umbilical cord is cut... Uncle puts a tenner on the boy to play for England. Is there too much pressure from family to support a certain team?

Made in Chelsea

The above photo was vilified when published in the press, and no wonder. While the arguments are that perhaps the above family belongs more at Anfield, it shows how impressionable kids are, especially when football is involved. While it is impossible to research, children's names must be heavily influenced by their parent's favourite players. It may be worth looking at children registered in Islington in the summer of 1989 being called Michael Thomas...

Commitment in fans is admirable, and it's difficult to imagine your average season ticket holder not singing the more child-friendly songs to newborns as lullabies. A Rangers-supporting cousin of this author is fondly remembered for singing anti-Celtic songs to his unborn child. I don't think he has any Dutch in him, but the below photo may prove otherwise, the resemblence is uncanny...

Schtoppppppp!

Clubs shops up and down the land make a living out of the younger fan. Home draws for the bigger clubs in the cups are welcomed as much for the increased revenue from the future fans, where babygros, bibs and cuddly mascot toys can pay several weeks wages for a wantaway Argentine striker. Loyalty is a commodity that cannot be easily bought, and the clubs know this. Yes it's exploitation, yes it's somewhat murky. But give a 5-year-old a day out at a successful team, the smell of Bovril, meat pie and defeat can be intoxicating.

Plus you know who to blame for Mexican waves and countdowns at Carling Cup matches...

Yes son, that is the new Spurs ground over there...