Football team planned to use moat full of crocodiles to stop pitch invaders

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A Romanian football team once planned to build a moat inside their stadium and fill it with crocodiles in an attempt to stop pitch invasions.

Just before we begin, this wasn't just something someone at the club mentioned once off-hand, this was a genuine plan that was taken to local authorities for approval.

Back in 2003, fourth-division Steaua Nicolae Balcescu were being threatened with expulsion by Romanian football league chiefs who had had enough of constant pitch invasions and subsequent outbreaks of violence during the club's home matches.

But rather than erect a fence or beef up security, Chairman Alexandru Cringus had a more left-field idea.

He proposed the club build a moat around the perimeter of the pitch and put fully-grown crocodiles in it, to deter hooligans once and for all.

They planned to feed the crocs with meat from the local town and were going to put electric pipes in the water to keep them warm during the winter.

"This is not a joke," Cringus insisted.

"We can get crocodiles easy enough and feed them on meat from the local abattoir.

"The ditch is planned to be wide enough that no one could manage to jump over it. Anyone who attempted to do so would have to deal with the crocs.

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"As soon as it is warm enough, I will introduce them to the ditches. No fan will be brave enough to jump across the ditch."

Cringus explained that he got the idea after spotting a crocodile in a pet shop, and finding out that they only cost around £400.

One problem with the plan though – not that there weren't loads – was that there was nothing to stop players from falling into the moat if they accidentally strayed too far from the pitch.

But the gap, the chairman insisted, would be wide enough to avoid such a disaster from ever happening.

Sure, mate. Sure.

• FIFA

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