I was catching the 37 home from St Mary's school to Southwick from the age of 9 onwards. And occasionally, we'd walk home along Manor Hall Road and spend the penny we had saved by not catching the bus on chocolate cheroots at the newsagents on the County Boundary.
Never a problem.
First went in late 1977 with an older relative, by early 1978, when I had turned 12 - it was me and my same aged schoolmates. For the Blackpool game in May with 32,000 others I was in the NE stand on my own (not on my own you understand - but I had gone without accompaniment) - can't remember...