Football Football used to be played as a running battle between villages and small towns. There were no boundaries and there were no limits to the amount of people on each side. It was often played on bank holidays on some open ground; in many ways it was a form of gang warfare. These battles were contested between sides of working-class men. They often took place when the factory had closed early or on Sundays, a day of rest. The later introduction of the half-day off proved to be vital, allowing men to both play and watch football.