If you read my last post, I said how I’m going to be discussing very odd, uncommon, and exotic sports. What I found for this week is called, as the title depicts, Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide football. So this ‘sport’ occurs annually in city called Ashbourne in England. Although it has football (soccer) in the title, the only similarity it bears is the ball itself. I think you’ll find this just as interesting as I did.

Most of the documentation surrounding the origins of the sport were lost in fire. However, the game dates back as early as the 1600’s, and has only ever been cancelled twice in history (1968, 2001) due to disease outbreak. The game survived through both World Wars at requests of the soldiers, for tradition.

So, the game is relatively simplistic. Anyone born north of the Henmore River, which passes through town, is placed on the team called Up’ards, and anyone born south of the river is placed on the team Down’ards. The game is played throughout the entire city, and thousands of people participate. The goals are large brick structure called plinths located 3 miles apart. The ball is tossed up at a plinth directly in the middle of the city. The ‘hug’, or the crowd that participates, attempts to carry the ball to the opposing goal, and bounce it off the plinth 3 times in order to score.

The Prince of Wales tosses the ball at the center plinth to start the match.

As you could predict, this game takes all day, and scoring is relatively low. At 2pm, the national anthem is sung, traditional songs of the game are sung, and the ball is tossed up from the center plinth into the hug. If a team were to score before 5pm, the ball could be retossed from the center plinth. The game stops officially at 10pm, and if no team scored, neither team wins and the ball is given to the person who tossed it up at 2pm.

The ball is tossed along the hug.

The rules in the game are relatively minimal. Obviously, all local laws apply, which includes trespassing. The ball could be taken onto your own property, but not someone else’s. Churchyards, memorials, and building sites are off-limits. You cannot intentionally hurt another player, and the ball cannot be transported via motor vehicle. Finally, the ball cannot be hidden in a backpack or any other type of bag. A score is only counted if one team bounces the ball off the plinth three times.

The Up’ards score at the opposing plinth, shortly before 5pm.

The goal scorer is carried back through the streets to the center plinth.

The Down’ards score late at night to tie the game.

Although the ball looks similar, the center is actually made of cork, and the surrounding material is rubber.  Essentially, it’s harder and heavier than your average soccer ball. It was designed this way so it could float on water and be carried across the river. The ball is painted before every game, and the keeper of the ball gets to choose if they want it repainted after the game. Whoever scores the winning goal gets to keep the ball,except in the case that no team scores. If no team scores, the person who tossed it up at the center plinth keeps it.

This is one of the weirdest games I’ve ever seen, but I think it’s really cool at the same time. The game offers a way to be civic for the entire city, and offers insight into tradition and sportsmanship.

*All photos used were from the 2003 match and were obtained from the site below,

All info was also obtained from the site below.

http://f2-preview.agilityhoster.com/shrovetide.net/index.htm