The Football Day After Christmas
This is the story of the football day that takes place after Christmas.
A highly anticipated moment in the Premier League, the Boxing Day (December 26th), and the festive period is an institution that gives reputation and legend to English football.
Why is it called 'Boxing Day'?
Officially a holiday since 1871, December 26th is called 'Boxing Day' because domestic staff or disadvantaged people received Christmas packages -boxes- from their bosses or benefactors.
This Victorian-era tradition is also celebrated in many Commonwealth countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand), but it is also sometimes known as St. Stephen's Day, especially in Ireland.
A tradition as old as the championship itself
Without going back to medieval games, distant relatives of football, played on religious holidays like Easter or Christmas, Boxing Day has always been a special date for English football.
The first match between clubs, a derby between Sheffield FC and Hallam FC, took place on December 26th, 160 years ago.
28 years later, the inaugural season of the English championship, which consisted of 22 matches, saw Preston North End crush Derby 5-0 on December 26th, 1888.
The tradition continued and until the 1957-1958 season, it was customary for all teams to play on December 25th and 26th, usually in home-and-away matches between the same teams.
Well-chosen matchups
Boxing Day and the end-of-year festivities are generally dates with many derbies or regional clashes.
The advantage is twofold: these matches generally ensure large crowds of spectators and allow to limit the travel of teams in a busy period where the weather can play tricks.
Spectacular and decisive matches
Boxing Day usually reserves prolific matches. The ten matches of the 24th round on Boxing Day in 1963 produced 66 goals, including a 10-1 victory of Fulham over Ipswich, an 8-2 victory of Blackburn over West Ham, and a defeat of Manchester United against Burnley (6-1).
The rapid succession of matches on these days represents a true test of the clubs' ambitions, which can see their chances for the title disappear or increase thanks to Boxing Day. AFP