The unthinkable happened last week when my little boy (aged 7) asked for a Man Utd shirt!!!

I asked him why and he said he now supports Man Utd and Chelsea.

A 20 minute lecture ensued about how he had been conned by all the Premiership media coverage and why supporting Pools was essential if he wanted to continue living under my roof. I then asked him to name 2 Man Utd and 2 Chelsea players ( a bit of a risk as he knows Rooney, Lampard, Terry etc from England). A gamble which paid off as he failed to name any.

I then said I bet he could name at least 2 Pools players, to which he replied that he couldn't.
"Well you know Ritchie Humphreys and Joel Porter for a start", said I. "Oh yeah", said he.

I now had him on the ropes and convinced him he knew much more about Pools than the Premiership dross.

A swift visit to the club shop followed, which cost me nearly 50 quid, to buy the full red and black strip and a nice set of Pools pyjamas (in the sale). He has hardly been without one set of attire or the other (depending on the time of day) ever since.

Although a bit costly, it is probably the best money I have ever spent.

Well done sir,some quick thinking prevented a tragedy there.

Well done Mr Chunkster!!

He'll be a much more rounded individual in his formative years.

Especially when you unchain him from the blue and white striped radiator and let him see daylight again.

No rush like.......

does he not know that nasty alex ferguson eats kids two at a time

Sounds like you've kept him on the straight and narrow there.

Now what the hell are you going to do when he discovers the bunker?!!?

That could be classed as child abuse.

May I also suggest Mr Chunky that you show the lad the DVD of the 1988 game Hartlepool 6 Manchester United 0

I told Jack he could support whoever he wanted apart from Man U.

I held my breath for a few months, nearly died once or twice, untill he plumped for Pools and Lipewl....

If he'd said Rangers/Linfield/Darlington/Chelsea I'd have killed him like

My son aged 11 supports chelsea ok i live in sussex but asked if he could change to man utd last season i said definitely not..

Thats brilliant!!

Nice to see a positive post on here for a change!

Hahaha! Excellent! "Now I had him on the ropes" - brilliant conjured visuals for that clash of the titans!

Very well done sir.

it's probably the first way I'd try to convince the kids. After that, there'd be no stopping me in my quest if they persisted with their leanings towards the choices of the crowds of kids at school.I wouldn't allow it. It would not happen. I would get my way. It's irrelevant to me anyway, 'cos our little'un (although she's taller than me now) has been an ardent Poolie for the last 7 years now.

in fact, it's her under the Pools flag in my avatar pic!!!!

my daughter came home before half term with a letter from school. They are going to the b*r* for a day five a side, lunch and then to the match. Told her she could only go if she wore her Pools shirt.
Mind, sounds a good idea for the kids why cant Pools do something similar?

I wouldn't allow it. She'd understand one day. The teacher would understand VERY quickly, when I had my hands around the ba****d's throat for mentioning it in the first place.

My two younger lads were 'Man United Fans' for a time when they were a lot younger. But as soon as they attended their first match at Pools they transferred their allegiance. They still have a second team now, but it's Barcelona and not Manure.

Nowt wrong with Chelsea, Blue is the colour football is the game.

There is a MILLION things wrong with Chelsea, where do you want me to start

Fat Frank or Piggy eyes Terry?

sure you aint Kerry Dixon?!

Mr Chunky, how often do you take the young 'un to the match?

I would have thought that the more he goes the more he'll class them as "his team".

Then again, who wants their young 'un learning words like that??