There were brutal scenes with thousands of players battered and bruised during the feisty Atherstone Ball Game on Shrove Tuesday.
This is a traditional event that sees locals in Atherstone, Warwickshire in some sort of medieval football fighting for possession of large balls.
This has been in existence for over eight centuries and judging by new footage, it’s not surprising just how violent it turned out to be for this year’s 823rd show.
Every Shrove Tuesday of the year, the town of Atherstone play a game of ‘medieval football’ all around the town.
This years match saw punches thrown & a betting shop damaged as teams battled to gain control of the oversized ball… pic.twitter.com/u775gUKyXP
— george (@StokeyyG2) February 21, 2023
Great to be back at the Atherstone Ball Game for @ITVCentral. The start is three minutes away! Former champion Gaz Jackson will be starting this year’s contest pic.twitter.com/TiD7SBTXvM
— Nick Reid (@Nick_Reid91) February 21, 2023
The Ball Game preparations have led to the boarding up of shops in the small town, with is the ball dropped to the crowd at 3:00pm, starting off calmly and is then carnage by the end at 5pm.
Participants are fortunate that one of the few rules is that you can’t kill anyone.
An earlier post on the Atherstone Ball Games Facebook page stated that anyone who wishes to participate or observe can do so at their own risk.
It said, “Atherstone Ball Game will not be held responsible for the safety and well-being of all, please listen to the stewards!!’
The organisers stated that they strongly advise against alcohol consumption before and during the event while also warned that anyone caught under the influence of alcohol would be removed.
The game of ball dates as far back as to 1199, and it has continued to be played every year since then, even through the Black Death and two world wars.
Coventry Telegraph stated two hours after the event, when the whistle was blown for the end, the winner was Kieran Marshall, receiving the ball as his prize.
The 823rd winner of the ball game is local man Kieran Marshall! pic.twitter.com/JgRKFxFu19
— Free Radio News (@freeradionews) February 21, 2023
This is what social media users said on the brutal scenes with players battered and bruised during a feisty Atherstone Ball Game…
@pedrorod76: But could they do it on a cold, wet and windy Tuesday night in Stoke?
@Ryan27061986: What a complete waste of time and effort.
@ShayPoole6: What I wanna know is, how do they know who’s who?
@Dsandf0rd: I bet a fair few bags were consumed by these lot
@scottpompey: So many questions 😂
@SelvesterJamie: If the hunger games had an asbo
@doubleyolkerss: I’ve watch this 5 times and still really can’t figure out what’s going on. Does it just turn into a royal rumble?
@JackAlexRobson: not a GCSE in sight
@Parkesy1993: Makes me laugh how many people who aren’t from the town hate it and call it thuggish, it’s just a very weird tradition we were brought up around you weapons, cry more
@Paul_M__H: Shocked @EddieHearn hasn’t got it moved to Saudi and on Dazn ppv!
@_joepanama: This is how I imagine the whole of England looks at all times.
@Daren0109: If only the cared as much about being displaced in their homeland, priorities are all wrong 🤷🏼♂️
@MartynH18: Now in it’s 823rd year, The Atherstone Ball Game is a traditional gentile British event held on Shrove Tuesday each year. Two teams skillfully manoeuvre themselves to keep possession of a ball. The only rule is that your not allowed to (intentionally) kill any opponents.
@Matty_mj: Periods 4,5,6 and 7 for cup final tickets #nufc
@UnrefinedBrom: Nearly as saft as chasing cheese down a hill Still, I’m all for it.
@GoonerDaws: The best part of this is one of the rules being “you’re not allowed to kill anyone” hahahahahahaha
@REDactionAFC: FA charge incoming for Arsenal here…
@NickScribbler: Ah, the quintessential English tradition of kicking people hard in the head with steel-capped workboots. No wonder people are so keen to protect our unique culture.
@dalesilvermat3: We did this over the last pie at #NFFC once. No big deal
@Charlie40055425: gotta be the most mental game i’ve ever seen
@Cainy_10: Ahahaha belter this
@noobs2211: Got to love a bit of local tradition 😂
@Fit_at__50: This is sport.
@k4ty_b: Launching yourself down a hill after a wheel of cheese doesn’t seem as mental now
@WhiteNoise1879: The 823rd Atherstone Ball Game. The ball secured by one side in the doorway of the betting shop and defended to the last man. Shades of Agincourt. Shin kicking, cheese rolling, wife carrying England.
@KizzleKicks7: Lee Mason on VAR: Play on!
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