Rule #1: Don't Kill Anyone: The Brutal 'Medieval Football' of Atherstone

The story goes that in the year 1199, the counties of Warwickshire and Leicestershire faced each other in a duel of medieval football, using a bag of gold as the ball. The match was essentially a no-holds-barred fight, but Warwickshire managed to keep the bag. Since then, the town of Atherstone in Warwickshire celebrates that ancient victory with an annual “modern” version that in essence has no major rules. The only thing its organizers ask is that participants don't kill each other….

Shrove Tuesday, also known as “Pancake Day”, is the last day of Carnival under the Christian calendar, preceding Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. A particularly curious and intense way to spend Shrove Tuesday is by playing a traditional football match… very traditional. Imagine a town that almost completely stops its activity, with reduced school hours, interrupted traffic, and shopkeepers protecting their shop windows in anticipation of the violence that will erupt on the streets. That town is Atherstone, located north of Warwickshire, in England. Every Shrove Tuesday, a large part of the residents gather on the main street (Long Street) and wait for a 27 inches (68.5 cm) ball filled with water to drop from the window of Barclays Bank, at exactly three in the afternoon. What happens next? Well… watch this:

820 Years of Medieval Football in Atherstone

What you just saw is the medieval football of Atherstone, in its 820th edition. Indeed, the game has survived 38 monarchs, two world wars, and an act that prohibited playing football in the street. This football has no goals, no points to score, and no arcs for the ball to enter. There are also no teams, but it's common to see certain groups working together. The only way to win is to have possession of the ball when the clock strikes five in the afternoon. Each match lasts exactly two hours, no exceptions or extra time. At the beginning, the activity is more casual and relaxed, allowing children to kick the ball, but from four o'clock onward, everything turns into a super battle royale full of blood, blows, kicks, wrestling holds, torn boards, screams, and people fainting. To make things even worse, organizers allow the ball to be deflated and/or hidden after 4:30 PM, as long as it doesn't leave the main street.

Several moderators (i.e., bailiffs or marshals) identified by yellow vests do their best to prevent violence from reaching lethal levels, but it's evident that some individuals take advantage of the medieval football of Atherstone to settle differences or release pent-up aggression. Even so, winners tend to be very well organized. For example, the 2019 edition was claimed by Jonathan Slesser, who, with the help of his “Grendon Lads”, had already won on three previous occasions. Another notable incident: participants tore the ball in two, and it had to be replaced.

Source: Birmingham Live