The Cotswold Village is one of the most beautiful villages in England. But at the end of August, the village became the center of attention not for its beauty, but for its famous football game, nicknamed Bourton-on-the-Water.
In this village, on the Windrush River, an unusual football match took place. Players chase, dribble, kick and score the ball over a shallow river, around the ankle.
The two teams that faced each other were not from well-known football clubs. They were members of the local football team called the Bourton Rovers club.
Players wear full football clothing, including shoes. Hundreds of spectators lined up on the bank to watch the game full of laughter. The 30-minute game itself ended 1-1, with no overtime or penalty.
“The game was fun and there were a lot of spectators,” said organizing committee chairman Matt Winter. “This game made the players soaking wet, but the water was not too cold and the pitch was a bit uneven,” he added.
Winter says the tradition began around 120 years ago when visitors to the Riverside Kingsbridge Pub got bored and decided to throw an impromptu football game on the water.
COVID-19 has presented challenges in maintaining this tradition. Last year, a small group of players kept the game going despite just two innings, which lasted only five minutes each. [ab/uh]
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