Shops have been boarded up, schools closed, cctv cameras trained and medics brought in... all for 2,000 people to fight over a ball for two hours. The Atherstone Ball Game is a Shrove Tuesday tradition in the Warwickshire town that's been going for 817 years. | BBC Birmingham

58K views · 213 reactions | Probably not the best afternoon for shopping in Atherstone... This afternoon saw the annual Atherstone ball game, which was first held in 1198. | BBC Birmingham | Facebook

49K views · 231 reactions |  Eoin Sheahan took a trip to Warwickshire - not for some Allianz National Hurling League Division 3B action, but the 824th edition of the infamous Atherstone Ball Game. Optimum Nutrition | #TheresMoreOfYouInYou | Off The Ball | Facebook

14K views · 37 reactions | Richie Anderson popped along to the Annual...

42K views · 128 reactions | It is Atherstone Ball Game day - the 824th time the historic event has taken over the heart of the town. While the rest of the nation flip and toss pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, in Atherstone a giant, specially made leather ball is thrown and kicked around. Alex Young was declared the winner of what was the 824th game. He was crowned the winner at the Ex-Servicemen's club after the klaxon was sounded. 丹⚽ | Birmingham Live | Facebook

A compilation of some of the biggest fights in Storage Wars history, including the ultimate showdown between Dave Hester and Auctioneer Dan Hoston, a dispute between Dave and Darrell's son, and a fight between Rene and the millennial rookie. | Storage Wars on A&E

18K views · 44 reactions | The (brutal) moment the 2020 Atherstone Ball Game started | Coventry Live | Facebook

The Atherstone Ball Game is a historic event held annually on Shrove Tuesday in Atherstone, Warwickshire, England. This tradition, dating back to 1199, is one of the oldest surviving examples of medieval football in the United Kingdom. ​ Gameplay and Rules The game unfolds along Atherstone's main thoroughfare, Long Street, and lasts for two hours, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. A large, specially made ball is thrown from an elevated position by a local celebrity or notable figure to commence the game.