Back in the day there were never any real ‘Friendlies’ – if you think that any match is Friendly then you are in the wrong game.
The report shown below was published in the ‘North Herts Mail’ on the 1s January 1914 and was for a match held on Christmas Day 2013.
Although the Teams may have met in Friendly Rivalry this did not extend to the spectators.
When Baldock were denied a penalty they appealed to the sportsmanship of the Ashwell Players – that went down well so the Baldock Fans took charge and the game was abandoned.
‘Peace and Goodwill to all men on Christmas Day’ – I don’t think so.
None of the Players, Officials or Fans could have know what was about to befall them on 28 July 1914, the next year, as World War 1 started. It would be a long time before there were any more ‘Friendlies’.

Thanks to Frank Foy for his research of historical newspapers and for finding this for us.