You dirty rat

[Michael Morris]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/oct/14/cardiff-city-defend-pest-control-policy-after-rat-halts-wales-football-match

Cardiff City have defended their pest control policy after a rat halted play during the second half of Wales’s World Cup qualifier against Belgium.

The Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made an unsuccessful attempt to catch the rodent during Belgium’s 4-2 win on Monday night before the Wales substitute Brennan Johnson ushered the rat off the Cardiff City Stadium pitch. The rat then slipped past a ball boy and disappeared behind the referee review monitor and was not seen again.

“It’s something I’ve not seen in my 36 years at Cardiff City,” said Wayne Nash, the club’s head of operations who also works as a security manager for the Football Association of Wales and Uefa. “We’ve had a stray dog on the pitch but this was something new, a freak of nature.

“The stadium is close to allotments and railway sidings and we know rats can be problematic. The railway bankings can be infested with rats. We know they are in the area and we do have the odd sighting of them. But we work closely with our pest control partners and do everything we can to keep them away.”

Rat bait stations are in operation at the stadium and the club say stringent cleaning policies are followed. Nash said: “We pick up litter and food like half-eaten burgers straight after games. Everything is put away.

“They say you are never too far from a rat, especially in cities, and this one managed to get in. People have seen a rat on the pitch as quite funny, but it does have serious undertones. If I was the ball boy or Brennan Johnson I would have run a mile.”

[North Cardiff Blue]

Re: You dirty rat

https://www.theguardian.com/football...football-match

Cardiff City have defended their pest control policy after a rat halted play during the second half of Wales’s World Cup qualifier against Belgium.

The Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made an unsuccessful attempt to catch the rodent during Belgium’s 4-2 win on Monday night before the Wales substitute Brennan Johnson ushered the rat off the Cardiff City Stadium pitch. The rat then slipped past a ball boy and disappeared behind the referee review monitor and was not seen again.

“It’s something I’ve not seen in my 36 years at Cardiff City,” said Wayne Nash, the club’s head of operations who also works as a security manager for the Football Association of Wales and Uefa. “We’ve had a stray dog on the pitch but this was something new, a freak of nature.

“The stadium is close to allotments and railway sidings and we know rats can be problematic. The railway bankings can be infested with rats. We know they are in the area and we do have the odd sighting of them. But we work closely with our pest control partners and do everything we can to keep them away.”

Rat bait stations are in operation at the stadium and the club say stringent cleaning policies are followed. Nash said: “We pick up litter and food like half-eaten burgers straight after games. Everything is put away.

“They say you are never too far from a rat, especially in cities, and this one managed to get in. People have seen a rat on the pitch as quite funny, but it does have serious undertones. If I was the ball boy or Brennan Johnson I would have run a mile.”

Jumped out of a Swansea luchbox no doubt.

[dandywarhol]

Re: You dirty rat

Roland Errol and Kevin got in for free.
It was a good job the keeper didn't catch it.Weil's disease is serious if bitten

[uncle bob]

Re: You dirty rat

We look in the dustbin for something to eat.
We find a live Rat and we think it's a treat

[Trigger]

Re: You dirty rat

They are everywhere, think the club can be forgiven unless one is found in the kitchens.

I can't say I'm too keen on them but remember my wife almost crying and screeching every few seconds when one scurried past us in Paris a few years back.

Was at night near the Eiffel tower loads of locals were sat around in groups on the floor chatting whilst what seemed like an invasion of these things were zipping around left, right and centre. Most I've seen in one small area.

[Mr Soul '68]

Re: You dirty rat

Yep! The most entertaining part of the 2nd half was when Gary Neville ran onto the pitch! He was soon chased off though....

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: You dirty rat

Yep! The most entertaining part of the 2nd half was when Gary Neville ran onto the pitch! He was soon chased off though....

Oh dear...

[splott parker]

Re: You dirty rat

Yep! The most entertaining part of the 2nd half was when Gary Neville ran onto the pitch! He was soon chased off though....

Never thought I’d say this but I reckon Gary Neville is a pretty decent bloke with a view of things I’m, on the whole, agreeable with.

[delmbox]

Re: You dirty rat

Never thought I’d say this but I reckon Gary Neville is a pretty decent bloke with a view of things I’m, on the whole, agreeable with.

Agreed. Bit hypocritical for going to Qatar but I think his heart's generally in the right place

[BLUETIT]

Re: You dirty rat

How did the rat get through the “open coat” policy, at the turnstiles ?

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: You dirty rat

Never thought I’d say this but I reckon Gary Neville is a pretty decent bloke with a view of things I’m, on the whole, agreeable with.

Speaking of rats, he managed to irritate Nigel Farage, Tommy Ten Names and plenty of the fools who follow them, which was good work.

[splott parker]

Re: You dirty rat

How did the rat get through the “open coat” policy, at the turnstiles ?

Got through by a whisker!

[Moodybluebird]

Re: You dirty rat

I had one on my bird feeder about 6 weeks ago so the bait went down, I put wire gauze in a small gap between next doors garden wall and our own and fingers crossed we haven't seen one since. They have decking next door and rats are known to occupy the spaces underneath these features. Horrible little beggars.

[North Cardiff Blue]

Re: You dirty rat

I had one on my bird feeder about 6 weeks ago so the bait went down, I put wire gauze in a small gap between next doors garden wall and our own and fingers crossed we haven't seen one since. They have decking next door and rats are known to occupy the spaces underneath these features. Horrible little beggars.

Is that euphemism?

[bobh]

Re: You dirty rat

I had one on my bird feeder about 6 weeks ago so the bait went down, I put wire gauze in a small gap between next doors garden wall and our own and fingers crossed we haven't seen one since. They have decking next door and rats are known to occupy the spaces underneath these features. Horrible little beggars.

We used to feed the birds, but after seeing rats on the bird table, we stopped. One of my neighbours keeps putting food out for f'king PIGEONS, and my other neighbour has had his decking and hot tub ruined by rats. I have no hesitation in putting poison down if I see any. I tried traps, but after traps killed a bullfinch and a hedgehog, I stick to poison, tucked away in a piece of pipe so birds and hedgehogs can't get at it.