Pitch invasion have been a constant things in football history. There have been quite some series of times where the referee had to stop the game from proceeding due to hilarious reasons ranging from animals invading the pitch to fans entering the pitch to take selfies with players.
Below are some of the documented pitch invasion that are still very common even in recent times.
Chicken
Foul play is definitely not at play on the list but chickens have been prominent in putting a stop to a game. In England, there was the case of disgruntled Blackburn Rovers supporters who released a chicken on to the field of play. This was in protest of the owners Venkys who made the majority of their wealth in selling poultry. Rovers fans even went to the extent of dressing up the animal which was emblazoned with the club crest. Meanwhile, over in Portugal, Benfica's match with Porto had to be stopped due to a bird. Benfica were hammered by five goals to nil against their bitter rivals but this did not stop a fan unleashing a live chicken which gave security guards the runaround. Kudos to whoever was able to grab that chicken.
Drone camera
In October of last year, a EURO 2016 Qualifying match between Serbia and Albania had to be stopped just before half time. In the 41st minute, something from the sky came down to greet both sets of players. It was not a bird nor a plane but a drone which was carrying the Albanian flag on it. This sparked plenty of on pitch battles as both countries had a tense relationship. This so called "political provocation" led to both teams being investigated by UEFA.
Evil black Cat
Whereas some believe they are sources of bad luck, in the footballing spectrum black cats can provide wonderful sources of comic timing. This is exactly what happened in the Eredivisie game in 2013 which took place between Heracles and FC Groningen. It was the purrfect crime as the feline trundled on to the surface and halted the game. At the time, the game was a dull scoreless affair so the timing was excellent. The man in the middle had no choice but to stop the game as both teams waited for the cat to depart. It was eventually caught but the match was just the sideshow in this case.
Fan selfies with players
One of the most hilarious stoppages to a game took place at White Hart Lane which is home to Tottenham Hotspur. This particular incident occurred during a UEFA Europa League match between Spurs and Partizan Belgrade. The game was suspended after less than 42 minutes when not one but three invading fans ran on to the pitch in separate incidents. They were kitted out with 'BassBuds' shirts which is a well known headphone manufacturer. All three individuals then ran around the field before posing for selfies with three of the Tottenham players before being escorted off. The delay lasted a total of ten minutes with Ukrainian referee Yevgen Aranovsky having no alternative but to take everyone to the safety of the dressing room.
Young Boy
Before the days of streakers who were soon to become de rigour, young kids were trying their luck. One of the most funniest incidents happened in the 1970s at Old Trafford which involved a game with Manchester United. As a cross came in from the right hand side of the field and was soon nodded down from nowhere, a young boy appears on the pitch. Not overawed by the occasion or the players, he steps up to the ball and gives it an almighty whack. In spite of the fact that he does not score, it has provided one of the all time great sporting clips.
A similar incident occurred last year, when a young South African boy ran onto the field after Brazil's 5-0 victory in Soccer City. This youngster surely had the moment of his life when players hoisted him on their shoulders.
Dog
Even pooches can get in on the footballing act. Just ask one plucky dog who stopped a game taking place at the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile. The teams this time included England who were playing the holders Brazil. Featuring the likes of Pele and Garrincha, the game was progressing as normal until a dog intervened. After coming on to the pitch in order to chase the ball, many individuals tried to trap it; the dog and not the ball. After some time, it was left to Jimmy Greaves to apprehend man's best friend as he went down on all fours to grab the dog's attention.
Fog
The weather can play a role in proceedings so much so that is can become beyond a farce. Just last month in a scene more akin to a field scene from Braveheart, a game in the South West Peninsula League tie between Bodmin Town and St Austell was called off. This was as a result of heavy fog which left many unable to see clearly. What is even more bizarre is the fact that the match was stopped just after 58 seconds of play.
Player bitten by Pine Marten
As they say, some creatures are great and some are small. Over in the Swiss League, a game between FC Thun and Zurich was interrupted due to a furry pine marten which had made a dash for it onto the field. This weasel like creature managed to avoid capture for more than five minutes and proved to quite the speed merchant. It was almost stopped by a Zurich player was also bitten by the wily animal. Some of the martens' main characteristics include sharp teeth and one defender was unable to weasel out of this scenario. In the end, the goalkeeper proved his worth by capturing the culprit with his gloves.
