Shrovetide soccer game

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The Royal Shrovetide Football ( Royal Shrovetide Football ) is an annually on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday held-find popular football game in Ashbourne ( Derbyshire Dales ), United Kingdom . It has been going on since at least the 12th century . This game is considered to be the origin of the derby , the sporting conflict between two local rivals.

regulate

In contrast to normal football, the Shrovetide football game has only a few rules, the main ones being:

  • No crossing of private property
  • The ball may not be played in cemeteries, graves, memorials.
  • Unnecessary violence is frowned upon.
  • The ball must not be hidden in bags or backpacks or transported in motorized vehicles.
  • A goal is only considered valid if the ball hits one of the goals / one of the two stone pyramids three times in a row. If the goal is scored before 5:00 p.m., a new ball is put into play.
  • The game ends at 10 p.m. Then the ball is returned.
The plinth - starting point for the annual Shrovetide

Playing time, playing field, kick-off

Playing time is eight hours on both days from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. If a goal is scored before 5 p.m., a new ball is thrown in. If no one scores a goal by 5 p.m., play will continue until someone scores a goal or until the game is up. The field of play has no limit, but is practical, 3 miles long and located along the Henmore River . Playground, the so-called "Plinth", is a special pedestal in "Shaw Croft" in the center of the city. Here, the ball is usually released by a local dignitary, having previously carried it to the starting point on the shoulders of the crowd. In some years, however, the ball is thrown in by nationally or world-wide famous celebrities. Prince Charles opened the game in 2003 , his second uncle in 1928, who later became King of England Edward VIII, and in 1966 Sir Stanley Matthews .

Shrovetideball from 1949

ball

The ball is slightly larger than a normal football, filled with cork and hand-painted. The painting is based on the wishes of the thrower, the "turner-up". This always includes the English flag and the royal crown. If no goal is scored, the ball falls as a memento back to the thrower, a goal is scored from the penalty may keep the ball. In any case, the ball must be repainted after the game, as it has been played on beyond recognition.

Structure of the game

"Hug" at Shrovetide 2013

The number of players is unlimited. Those born north of the river, the "Up'ards" (roughly: Upper Towns) and those born south of it, the "Down'ards" (roughly: Lower Towns) try to reach their own goal with the ball. With the throw-in, the "Hug" develops immediately. Since possession in the strict sense of the word is out of the question, both teams try - similar to rugby - to push the opponent in front of them with the ball. At the heart of the action there are maybe 20 players per team. You are surrounded by players who speculate on gaining space by running play in case the ball "jumps" out of the crowd. Another stylistic device is the "River Play". The ball is purposely driven into the river with the expectation that it will make better progress here. The first “supporters” who cheer on the “Hug” can then stand in a further ring. Children, photographers, tourists or the elderly could then stand at a greater distance. The transition from player to spectator is fluid. In total, thousands of people take part in the game, many in the hope of kicking the ball.

Gates

Gate of the Downwards at the old Sturston Mill
Gate of the Upwards at the old Clifton Mill

Two stone pyramids serve as gates . It used to be the millstones of two mills, the "Sturston Mill" and the "Clifton Mill". Both have now been torn down. The remaining millstones, which were now located directly on the river bank, served as gates for several years. For example, for the "Clifton Mill", which was demolished in 1967, a year later a stone that is still visible today was erected on the site of the old millstone, and later a wooden post was erected under a footbridge in the middle of the river as a gate. In 1996 stone pyramids were built both here and at Sturston Mill, which are arranged so that a player can only score from the river. Hit the ball three times - in the vernacular of the local population: "Bang, Bang, Bang" - on the stone pyramid, a goal is scored.

It is not necessarily the person in possession of the ball near the goal who performs the act of striking three times, but rather the person who has rendered services to his district this year or in the years before. He is let forward to press the ball against the stone pyramid while he is secured by the others.

Every player, whether Ashbourn or away, can score a goal, the game is very open here too. It doesn't matter who scores the goal, what matters is which goal the ball is put into. It can therefore happen that, as an outsider, you will be asked to work for one or the other team. To score a goal is considered a great honor, so that is very difficult for outsiders. Whole rugby teams from, for example, Nottingham are said to have tried to score a goal at Shrovetide, but then failed due to the fraternization of all "Ashbournians".

In earlier years, on the other hand, players from their own team started fighting each other shortly before the goal in order to score a goal.

Tradition versus modernity

Shrovetide football is in danger of being banned. Under the guiding principle of occupational health and safety, the British government wants to minimize the risk of injury at such events. For example, popular football has already been banned in other places. Due to these tendencies, the Shrovetide Committee strives meticulously to set up rules that will help avoid a ban. This includes B. helping each other up and respecting private property. The chairman of the Shrovetide Committee warned of the kick-off in 2013:

"Look after this game and it exists, don't look after it and it will finish and finish forever."

The Shrovetidemarshalls, who are placed everywhere during the game, also watch over this.

See also

Web links

Commons : Royal Shrovetide Football  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Shrovetide rules (English)
  2. ↑ Throw-in on Shrove Tuesday 2013 (English) on YouTube
  3. ↑ Prince starts 'maddest' game. In: BBC News. March 5, 2003, accessed January 19, 2017 .
  4. ^ The history of Royal Ashbourne Shrovetide Football. In: BBC News. December 24, 2009, accessed January 19, 2017 .
  5. ↑ Information board at the monument "The Hug" in Ashbourne
  6. ↑ Information board at Clifton Mill
  7. ↑ Christoph Becker and Daniel Meuren: A village is going crazy. In: FAZ. March 2, 2009. Retrieved January 19, 2017 .
  8. ↑ Goal on Shrove Tuesday 2013 (English)
  9. ↑ Tor on Ash Wednesday 2013 (English)
  10. ↑ Ashbourne Shrovetide Football 2013, Tuesday 12th February - Part 1 of 6 on YouTube , published February 12, 2013