In Azincourt, the book of Bernard Cornwell, the father of the protagonist is kicked to death in a football match, while the players were looking for the lost ball in the bush. The local lord, when asked to investigate the case answers something like "Half of England could be hanged if every fatality in football would be considered a murder." Is there any truth in this story? Was football really a game were fatalities were commonplace? Just for comparison, nowadays 5-10 professionals die on the field yearly while playing soccer, so while it is dangerous to some degree it's not that dangerous.