Strangest stoppage of play ever!

[DaveMac]

What the strangest reason you've had to stop play.

Had a game today, greens on the attack. Everyone starts shouting ref, turn round and there is an ambulance in the centre circle driving across the pitch with lights on and everything.

Of course this started a whole raft of laughter about my eyesight not being able to spot an ambulance on the pitch! Still for the rest of the half when any player went down injured I could do the old joke of there being an ambulance there if they needed it.

 

[HullRef]

i once had to stop play because i was at the wrong match, that was embarrassing.

 

[DaveMac]

i once had to stop play because i was at the wrong match, that was embarrassing.

Haha brilliant! How did that even happen!?

 

[HullRef]

2 U14 teams playing on the same fields, i just picked the one closest to the car park and started reffing. The manager of the team i should've done came over about 2 minutes into the game and told me i was on the wrong pitch. I had to walk of to a roar of laughter, took it on the chin though, it was one of my first 6 matches and haven't done it since. I did think something was odd when the teams were in the wrong colours

 

[Ross]

Once stopped play as i saw some one from a game on the pitch next to mine walk off with my bag as he thought it was one of his teams. Just managed to catch it out of the corner of my eye. Quickly stopped my game to run over and get it back. Got a bit of grief for it, but ill be buggered if I'm gonna let that happen

 

[CA]

Today, over at the lovely Hackney Marshes, when 7 minutes from the end of half time a guy in a golf buggy comes onto the pitch with a bag of sand and starts to fill in a non-existent hole!

 

[DaveMac]

Today, over at the lovely Hackney Marshes, when 7 minutes from the end of half time a guy in a golf buggy comes onto the pitch with a bag of sand and starts to fill in a non-existent hole!

Should have sent him over to me in essex. The pitch I had yesterday was full of holes, my ankles are feeling it today.

 

[HarryD]

Typical essex pitch!

 

[Martiju]

2 U14 teams playing on the same fields, i just picked the one closest to the car park and started reffing.

Nearly did this myself - refereeing at a game last year and, as usual, dropped my stuff in the changing rooms, said hello to people then went to check the pitch. Came back in 10 minutes later to another ref getting changed (and even then didn't realise). It was only when we walked out and he walked onto the close pitch that it dawned on me that I was on some field behind a hedge!

 

[lincs22]

My two best - from some time ago:
1. Match suspended due to invasion by cattle - they escaped from a neighouring field and ran across the pitch....
2. Better still - skydriver who got lost. There were a number of pitches on Manby airfield a number of years ago. They also did skydriving for charity with the planes taking off.
Skydriver got taking by the wind and landed in the goalnet....

 

[smair]

Sub comes on for Reds, I'm admittedly paying little attention, winding down at the end of a good game, thinking of the Nandos I was getting soon with my match fee and let him come on after noting his number. Ball is played to him from a goal kick and I notice he is wearing a pair of what I'd describe as casual Nike skateboarding trainers. The sole made of a white rubber and completely flat and the rest made of a very flimsy, soft suede. Clearly equipment dangerous to himself, no chance am I letting an 11 year old get badly injured in them even if full time was in a minute. Explained to the coach and turns out he left his boots in the car and I said by the time he got them it would probably be full time. Felt bad for the wee guy but I'd have felt worse if he's slipped on his backside, or worse