This weekend might just have seen the most bizarre abandonment to a non league match ever, with just minutes remaining before stopping.
One particular United Counties League Premier Division (ninth tier of English football) match was called off with fewer than 10 minutes left after a spectator refused to control his dog.
Leicester Nirvana were beating their hosts GNG Oadby Town by two goals to one in their fixture when the referee decided a dog on the sidelines was a RISK to the players.
“Never experienced a game not finishing due to a person and his dog both on loose,” tweeted Leicester Nirvana.
WOW! Match Abandoned after 78’ – @GNG_Oadby 1 Nirvana 2 (@shaqsmaster ⚽️ R Akintunde ⚽️) – never experienced a game not finishing due to a person and his dog both on the loose around the ground” refs said enough.. game over!”
— Leicester Nirvana FC (@LeicNirvana) December 26, 2020
The Alsatian was reportedly jumping up against the pitchside barrier to bark at players.
The Non League Paper add their report that the dog repeatedly kept invading the pitch at Freeway Park will the owner getting a good talking to.
The dog chose to stand in the opposition’s technical area and couldn’t be arsed to move when official tried to shoo it away.
Nirvana secretary said: “In all my years in football, I have never heard a game being abandoned for this reason.”
Dog in question – game abandoned- dog in dug out!!! pic.twitter.com/LbhL53dv7b
— Fox (@foxyland9) December 26, 2020
Fans took to give their reaction with some calling it the most bizarre abandonment to a non league match ever…
@davidjhorwood: Even men with steel hearts love to see a dog on the pitch!
@JohnRWilliam: Weak match officials, local derby boxing day clash, big crowd and you get weak match officials ,Why did the match officials not make a stand at half time about 1 man and his dog
@MJGibbo28: You mean all the players couldn’t deal with one bloke and a dog…. ffs
@neilwatson01: Pathetic reason to call the game off especially so close to the end. It’s not like the dog ran on the pitch and attacked someone.
@Greyingbeard79: Maybe the dog was looking for his Kurt Co bone?………….do you get it?????………..oh Nevermind
@essexfootie: All happening in my old patch! #Oadby #barkingmad
@DazzaMc92: Give that dog a medal
@xCurtisTyler: Every man and his dog
@HarrisonMediaHQ: Football story of the year…
@Official_Sean4: Huh, That’s a new one
@sensibletony: @OliSaysStuff @tomjcmorris @tony_e83 ever hear of a game abandoned because a supporter wouldn’t control his dog?
@KHall1992: Doesn’t get more non league than this
@coomsey16: New one on me – reasons for abandonment no. 738 Dog and owner running loose around the ground! #OnlyInNonLeague
@PaulDonegan1980: A new reason for a match to be abandoned! Both a person and his dog on the loose around the ground!
@Woodysimon1987: What a cunt that man is.
@ForeverAYellow: No way haha as if they couldn’t just lift up the dog and put it back into the stands or at least do that then kick them out for being a nuisance haha. Proper non league that!
Is it really the most bizarre abandonment to a non league match?
A while back we took a look back at the weird reasons as to why football matches were postponed or abandoned and one certain League Cup clash may top it.
Back on the 28th of June in 1999, Torquay United had to call off their Worthington Cup first-round match which they were due to play Portsmouth at Plainmoor.
The fixture was set to be played the 10th of August, but it just happened to be on the same date as a total eclipse.
Despite the date and time of the solar eclipse being known for thousands of years, police decided that they were not able to handle the huge amount of tourists that were expected to arrive in the seaside town to watch the much anticipated moment.
A local police chief said: “A total eclipse is a once-in-a-lifetime event, it hasn’t happened since 1927.”
It meant Pompey’s match was pushed back six days by Devon police.
The re-arranged game ended up finishing 0-0, something that would have been less memorable than the palaver of having to call the game off.
And for those wondering how the second leg went, Portsmouth came out with a comfortable 3-0 win.
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