Howard Webb swaps shirts at half-time due to midges bites and top 10 wacky moments

Howard Webb sparked great amusement at St James' Park when he returned to referee the second half of Newcastle's last-day clash with Arsenal because he and his team of assistants had swapped shirts due to bites from flying midges.

The first half had seen the group of officials in bright yellow, before the insect attacks saw them change into green kits to take charge of the match which saw the Gunners reach the Champions League thanks to Laurent Koscielny's goal.

Irritated: Webb was getting bitten by midges in the first half so changed from yellow to green (below)

The incident was bizarre, certainly - and brought back memories of the infamous incident when Manchester United changed out of their grey kit at half-time while losing to Southampton in 1996.

But weird and wacky is not that unusual in football. Here's Sportsmail's top 10 of weird and wonderful moments from the game: 

1. The beach ball

In 2009, Darren Bent’s shot for Sunderland cannoned off a stray beach ball and past Pepe Reina of Liverpool. Referee Mike Jones gave the goal – wrongly. The beach ball announced its immediate retirement.

Deflated: Liverpool conceded this goal to Darren Bent in 2009 thanks to his shot deflecting off a beach ball

2. The goal that never was

Look away now Stuart Atwell. You too Nigel Bannister. In 2008 Reading were bizarrely given a goal when Watford’s John Eustace’s back pass crossed the line three yards outside the post but both referee and assistant thought it had gone in.

3. Invisible booking

Peter Walton displayed a sense of humour as well as imagination during a match between Everton and Birmingham in 2011 when he dipped into his pocket to flash yellow at Jordon Mutch – only to discover his cards were back in the changing room. Walton improvised and Mutch got the message.

Furry friend: A squirrel was an up-close visitor to Arsenal's Champions League tie with Villarreal in 2006

4. Going native

Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against Villarreal was halted by an invading squirrel, prompting boss Arsene Wenger to make a joke about at least one native connection on the pitch – there were no Englishmen in the team. Don’t know if it was a relative but a squirrel also took to the Loftus Road pitch for QPR’s match against Everton.

5. Puss in boots

A dull goalless draw at Anfield between Liverpool and Tottenham last year was given an unexpected jolt of excitement when a black and white cat ran on to the pitch. Amazingly, the same thing happened in 1964 and was captured on television. For those watching in black and white, the cat was a tabby.

Crazy critter: Swansea mascot Cyril the Swan was fined £1,000 for invading the pitch in 1999

6. Pyscho mascots

Half-time punch-ups are one thing – Wolfie’s (of Wolves) dust-up with Bristol City’s three little piggies made Have I Got News for you – but Cyril the Swan went several steps further. After seeing Swansea score in the FA Cup against Millwall in 1999, Cyril racing on to the pitch to join the celebrations. He was fined £1,000 by the Football Association of Wales.

7. Bolshy ball boys

Talking of Swansea, ball boy Charlie Morgan was responsible for one of the most bizarre sendings-off this season when he refused to release the ball for Chelsea’s Eden Hazard. Hazard kicked at the ball, which was nestled next to Morgan’s stomach at the time.

8. Paper chase

Over to Europe and the UEFA Cup semi-final between Werder Bremen and Martin Jol’s Hamburg. A fan threw a piece of screwed-up paper on the pitch, a routine Hamburg back pass hit it and went out for a corner – and Bremen scored from it.

Controversy: Eden Hazard sparked debate when he tried to kick the ball from under a Swansea ballboy (below)

9. One in the pie

Back in 1992 Grimbsy and Newcastle were scrapping it out when a Blundell Park home fan threw a meat-and-potato pie at Micky Quinn, the player who sparked the ‘who ate all the pies’ chant. The, er, strapping, Newcastle forward picked it up – and took a bite out of it!

10. Zoo keeper

A few weeks ago a Swiss League match between FC Thun and Zurich came to a halt after a pine marten raced on to the pitch – where it promptly BIT defender Loris Benito. Zurich goalkeeper Davide Da Costa came to the rescue. Imagine a cat-sized animal with sharp teeth and vicious intent.  Wonder what Howard Webb would have done...

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