I’m definitely one of those who had no choice. Dad lived on the Bordesley Green opposite the old snooker hall and mom Oakley Rd, Small Heath. Dad’s side of family all big Blues fans, Mom’s side not really interested in football but would be Blues if asked. I’m not aware of a blood relative who supports anyone other than Blues.
It is a long story but I will give the abridged version. Dad ( schoolboy international ) moved up from Bath before the war ( to work for the MEB ) - lived in Sheldon but wanted to watch the Villa - then watched Albion as well. After the war he moved back to Birmingham with my mum ( also from Bath ) - instead of watching the Albion he started going to the Blues as well as the Villa. They moved to Stockland Green & I was born so my mum said dad could only go to football every other week - surprise surprise he chose the blues as they were playing better football!! I have been going down the Blues since I was 5/6 - lifted over the crowds to the front on the kop & then waited for dad after the match. We would walk back to the city centre ( watch the Sports Argus being printed - it would be in the shop when we got off the bus in Stockland Green ). Only Blues fan in my secondary school - Perry Common Comprehensive - certainly character building ). Still supporting the Blues & season ticket holder as is my wife. Happy Days
Thanks for the replies, I’m enjoying these stories. As a Blue born into a predominantly Blues supporting family it’s nice to know how others came to love the Boys in Royal Blue.
No Blues fans in my family either - i was one of the urchins who would "watch your car for tuppence mister ?" kids - we did both Villa and Blues matches and it was noticeable that the Blues fans were a lot less arrogant (and gave us free sweets too) ... after a while half of us would go into the ground (for free) and leave the other half watching the cars.
Atmosphere and people at St Andrews was/were a lot lot better - so chose Blues.
I think i was about 7 before i saw a full match as i usually missed the first 15 minutes and had to leave 10 mins early to get back to the cars to pretend we'd been watching them the whole time.
My dad came to Birmingham from South Wales after WW2 and got a job at the Austin. He supported Cardiff. He tended to follow Blues as they played in Blue. My first match was v Bolton at the start of 1963/4 season. We sat in railway end paddock. I remember the truly awful tea, served from aman with a tank on his back.
With how it’s been, it’s been like a hostage situation
I’m blues, my dad is blues, my grandad is blues, my greatgrandad is blues etc etc. It goes all the way back to when we played at muntz street apparently, never had a choice 😔😂
My uncle Cyril ( RIP ) took me to Blues when I was 5.
The bastard !
RagsThanks for the replies, I’m enjoying these stories. As a Blue born into a predominantly Blues supporting family it’s nice to know how others came to love the Boys in Royal Blue.
No Blues fans in my family either - i was one of the urchins who would "watch your car for tuppence mister ?" kids - we did both Villa and Blues matches and it was noticeable that the Blues fans were a lot less arrogant (and gave us free sweets too) ... after a while half of us would go into the ground (for free) and leave the other half watching the cars.
Atmosphere and people at St Andrews was/were a lot lot better - so chose Blues.
I think i was about 7 before i saw a full match as i usually missed the first 15 minutes and had to leave 10 mins early to get back to the cars to pretend we'd been watching them the whole time.
I don't know how old you are Rags But I wonder if you were one of the little bleeders that were supposed to be looking after my car. Got back from the match and it had been nicked. Got it back a couple of days later, it was found in the car park of the catholic church down past small heath park. Somebody just wanted a ride home. This was late 70s.It was one of the roads off Cattell rd.
Another one with no blues family connections.
Tagged along with a group of school mates one day who were going up to a game.
All these years later and from those that I still know, there's pretty much only me that still goes reguarly.
I have no family ties to Blues, or even Birmingham/England for that matter.
I was born and raised in Belfast. My dad supported Manchester United. In Northern Ireland almost everyone supports one of Manchester Utd, Liverpool, Celtic or Rangers. As a kid I was more interested in supporting Ireland than club football. When it came time to choosing a club at 11 I didn't want to follow the crowd so decided to pick Blues after watching the 2002 play-off final. I'll never forget watching the celebrations after Carter's penalty, it was pure pandemonium and something I knew I wanted to be involved with. It helped that soon after Blues signed Clinton Morrison who was my favourite player at the time in the Ireland team.
I went through school never meeting another Blues fan. Now in my early 30s living in North Birmingham, having previously lived in South Birmingham and Australia. Moved here to live with my now ex gf, and it's great being able to go regularly having grown up watching from afar.
RagsThanks for the replies, I’m enjoying these stories. As a Blue born into a predominantly Blues supporting family it’s nice to know how others came to love the Boys in Royal Blue.
No Blues fans in my family either - i was one of the urchins who would "watch your car for tuppence mister ?" kids - we did both Villa and Blues matches and it was noticeable that the Blues fans were a lot less arrogant (and gave us free sweets too) ... after a while half of us would go into the ground (for free) and leave the other half watching the cars.
Atmosphere and people at St Andrews was/were a lot lot better - so chose Blues.
I think i was about 7 before i saw a full match as i usually missed the first 15 minutes and had to leave 10 mins early to get back to the cars to pretend we'd been watching them the whole time.
I don't know how old you are Rags But I wonder if you were one of the little bleeders that were supposed to be looking after my car. Got back from the match and it had been nicked. Got it back a couple of days later, it was found in the car park of the catholic church down past small heath park. Somebody just wanted a ride home. This was late 70s.It was one of the roads off Cattell rd.
"late 70s"
No guilty Sir .... this was in '67 '68
ComancheI have no family ties to Blues, or even Birmingham/England for that matter.
I was born and raised in Belfast. My dad supported Manchester United. In Northern Ireland almost everyone supports one of Manchester Utd, Liverpool, Celtic or Rangers. As a kid I was more interested in supporting Ireland than club football. When it came time to choosing a club at 11 I didn't want to follow the crowd so decided to pick Blues after watching the 2002 play-off final. I'll never forget watching the celebrations after Carter's penalty, it was pure pandemonium and something I knew I wanted to be involved with. It helped that soon after Blues signed Clinton Morrison who was my favourite player at the time in the Ireland team.
I went through school never meeting another Blues fan. Now in my early 30s living in North Birmingham, having previously lived in South Birmingham and Australia. Moved here to live with my now ex gf, and it's great being able to go regularly having grown up watching from afar.
Great stuff 👍
Trust you've been made welcome
I love these stories.
My dad is a Blues fan which is where my support comes from but his dad was a Newcastle fan literally just because he loved Newcastle Brown. From North Birmingham/Erdington as well so not a 'typical' Blues area.
My dad and his brother as kids would spend each weekend 'sneaking' into Blues and Villa, Dad decided Blues was the easier to get into Blues and it went from there. His brother stayed sadly as a DVB.
Project FurlongComancheI have no family ties to Blues, or even Birmingham/England for that matter.
I was born and raised in Belfast. My dad supported Manchester United. In Northern Ireland almost everyone supports one of Manchester Utd, Liverpool, Celtic or Rangers. As a kid I was more interested in supporting Ireland than club football. When it came time to choosing a club at 11 I didn't want to follow the crowd so decided to pick Blues after watching the 2002 play-off final. I'll never forget watching the celebrations after Carter's penalty, it was pure pandemonium and something I knew I wanted to be involved with. It helped that soon after Blues signed Clinton Morrison who was my favourite player at the time in the Ireland team.
I went through school never meeting another Blues fan. Now in my early 30s living in North Birmingham, having previously lived in South Birmingham and Australia. Moved here to live with my now ex gf, and it's great being able to go regularly having grown up watching from afar.
Great stuff 👍
Trust you've been made welcome
Very much so, the people of Birmingham are a welcoming bunch and Blues fans especially.
I hold my maternal grandfather to blame.
Dad was from Bedfordshire and he, and my uncle originally from Devon, moved to Shirley having married Birmingham girls.
Neither Dad nor Uncle were great fans of their father in law who had been a Villa fan so there was no way that they were going to ally themselves to that lot so Blues it was.
No family connections for me either. From Cheltenham, father moved to Brum in early 90s went to a Blues game and was hooked! Season Ticket Holder for 20+ years now and managed to convert a few mates when I was at school who then became big bluenoses themselves and doing most home/away games!