"Professional football is only a relatively recent invention - the first of the British Football Associations, the FA was only formally created in 1863 - but we've been having festive public games for hundreds of years. Variations of the game known as medieval football, or mob football, are documented as far back as 1170. Games were often put on at Christmas and Easter and some of these ancient games are played today, such as The Orkney Ba game on Christmas Day and The Royal Shrovetide village game in Ashbourne, Derbyshire."
"Over the years, the popularity of Christmas day football dwindled. As living standards have improved and food, gifts and decorations have become more affordable. "Communal entertainments were clearly on the decline as the festival took greater root in the home," says Prof Johnes. "Football shifts just to Boxing day, as Christmas day becomes more family orientated and more importantly public transport becomes more and more limited.""
"The last Christmas Day game in England was in 1965, when Blackpool beat Blackburn Rovers 4-2 at Bloomfield Road. The last Christmas Day game in Scotland was Saturday December 25, 1976. Clydebank and St Mirren drew 2-2 in a top-of-the-table first division clash and Alloa beat Cowdenbeath 2-1 at home in the second division. Northern Ireland still hosts the Steels of Sons cup final every Christmas Day - although it shifts to Christmas Eve if Christmas is on a Sunday. As to why our Christmas football habit contrasts so much with our European neighbours, Dr Alexander Jackson, National Football Museum Curator, suggests it could be down to football being such a traditionally popular spectator sport in Britain."
Christmas football in Britain has roots in medieval 'mob' games recorded from 1170, with festive matches held at Christmas and Easter and traditional events like the Orkney Ba and Royal Shrovetide still played. Organized professional football emerged in the 19th century with the FA established in 1863, while public festive fixtures persisted for many years. The practice of playing on Christmas Day declined as living standards rose, festivities shifted into the home, and public transport limitations made travel harder. Boxing Day became the principal holiday fixture day, and occasional Christmas Day matches ended in the 1960s and 1970s, with some regional exceptions.
Read at BBC Bitesize
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