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Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide 2020: Match unlikely to be cancelled due to weather

Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide 2020: Match unlikely to be cancelled despite weather warnings

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Royal Ashbourne Shrovetide officials have said they are determined to play on despite weather warnings.

Members of the players’ committee will meet to discuss safety concerns ahead of the game on Tuesday, February 25.

The Met Office has forecast clouds with a 30% chance of rain at 2pm time the ball is turned up.

The match, which has been a tradition in Ashbourne for hundreds of years, has never been cancelled due to weather or safety fears.

A spokesperson for the Royal Shrovetide Players Committee said: “We don’t have any concerns for the match.

“We’ve had no rain today, and there’s none forecast for tomorrow.

“There’ll be a decision in the morning from the committee.”

Shrovetide football matches have taken place in much more extreme conditions than flooding and stormy conditions.

While last year’s event was played in milder weather, residents have experienced Shrovetide football in snow, ice and sleet.

The last time the match was cancelled was in 2001, due to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease. The only other occasion was in 1968 for the same reason.

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