The Derby Game – A History of Local Rivalries
Written by Ian Collis, published by Pitch Publishing 2023.
I bought the book after going to see Ian Collis do a talk about Shrovetide football in Derby and once I started it I couldn’t put it down. In fact the 237 pages disappeared in less than a week.
The book tells the story of the Shrovetide football game that was played in Derby and gained a notorious reputation for its violence and damage to property.
There is no definitive date for its start although it is believed to have been played for centuries before its demise in the mid 19th century.
The book goes into depth about some of its stars, supporters and detractors, especially the way it was killed off.
Other features of the book are a review of past and surviving festive football games, the most high profile being the still played Royal Ashbourne Shrovetide game.
There is some good analysis of why the current game was greatly influenced by the Sheffield and Derbyshire region and evidence that the ‘Derby Game’ was the inspiration for the term ‘Local Derby’.
A fascinating read that taught me a lot.
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