A MANCHESTER City-mad dad has revealed his son’s incredible football record of having attended 263 games so far – but only watching his side lose 11 of them.
Edward Stewart has supported the blue side of Manchester since he was just seven, and has gone from watching them play in the third division of English football to becoming treble winners last season.
In contrast, Edward’s son, 12-year-old Jenson Stewart, has grown up knowing nothing but success for the Sky Blues.
Whilst city rivals Manchester United dominated under Sir Alex Ferguson between 1986 and 2013, City’s fortunes changed after they were acquired by Sheikh Mansour in 2008.
Now City find themselves in a completely new stadium to the Maine Road that Edward used to visit every weekend and his side have become the dominant force of both English and European football.
After the dad-and-son duo watched their side handed a rare 1-0 defeat on Sunday at the hands of title rivals Arsenal, Edward shared how remarkable Jenson’s time being a City fan has been.
After the game, Edward took to social media as he posted a picture of Jenson standing outside of Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium whilst donning his white Man City away kit.
The caption read: “263 games he’s been to home and away watching the boys in blue, that’s his 11th loss. He’s 12-years-old, what a time to follow.”
The post has since received over 9,000 likes and dozens of comments from stunned users.
A Sheffield Wednesday fan wrote: “I’ve seen us lose 7 in 11 games this season.”
Another commented: “Does it count when it’s all from financial doping?”
A third user said: “11 losses from 263 games. You know what, fair play. Proper that is.”
Another wrote: “Imagine only seeing 11 losses in 263.”
Speaking today courier driver Edward said: “I’ve been going to City home and away since I was about 11-years-old.
“Back then, my dad couldn’t afford it so when I got to 13, I had a pot to collect at the local pub to get money to go to the matches and I’ve been going ever since.
“I don’t go to every single game; I did 57 out of 60 last season so that was a bit of a mad season.
“I’m taking my lad to his first game at Old Trafford at the end of the month for the derby, he’s been to Spurs which is probably most of his losses because we’ve not even scored a goal there yet.
“He’s been going since he was four, I’ve been taking him to the South Stand where I sit.
“It’s been great, last year was the tip of the iceberg going to Istanbul, we absolutely loved it and even got Jack Grealish’s shirt a few years ago at Chelsea away.
“Jenson made a little sign, he got David Silva’s shirt a few years back at Liverpool away too – what an upbringing he’s had.
“It’s been absolutely mental for him, he just expects now to go to every game and just win, dead easy and it just doesn’t work that way.
“At least when I first went you were lucky if you win 11 in five seasons, that’s just what it was. Especially back in the Stewart Pearce days, I remember losing more than 11 in one season, easily.
“He just loves it, every single person knows him, he’s so lucky and I don’t think that there’s many at his age that have been to as many games as he has so credit to the supporters club who always get me tickets for him.
“Going from League Two, going to Stoke away winning 5-2 and then getting relegated back in 98/99, it now seems absolutely unbelievable.
“They were the best days for the old guys but now for Jenson and me, growing up and having a young lad was the best thing ever.
“I put the post up because after going to Arsenal at the weekend he doesn’t really mind us losing and doesn’t bother worrying about anything in life, he just loves going to see City.
“It’s a brilliant time to be a 12-year-old.”
Manchester City currently sit third in the league table and face threats from the likes of Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool for this season’s title which would be their fourth in a row – a new English record.
City’s next game after the international break will see them face Brighton as well as Young Boys in the Champions League group stage before meeting their inner-city rivals Manchester United.
