Strangest injury ever? Player set to miss a game after cotton bud stuck in ear

Hartlepool midfielder Mark Shelton has been ruled out of the club's League Two clash against Scunthorpe on Saturday because of a cotton bud incident.

Graeme Lee's side are facing an injury crisis ahead of their trip to Glanford Park this weekend, with the likes of Nicky Featherstone, Luke Molyneux and Joe Grey missing out through knocks.

The Pools have gone three successive games without being able to fill their substitutes bench. In fact, they have lost all three of those fixtures. And things aren't getting much better.

Ahead of Saturday's game against Scunthorpe, it was confirmed that Shelton, who has made 41 appearances in all competitions this season, managed to get a cotton bud stuck in his ear this week.

He will therefore miss tomorrow's 230 mile round trip down south. "Mark's had a cotton bud in his ear that has gone in too far," Pools boss Graeme Lee told BBC Radio Tees.

"He's gone to the hospital, it sounds like the tweezers have gone in too far and he's dizzy and can't stand up."

Shelton's injury will certainly go down as one of the strangest this season.

On the subject of injuries, here are a few of football's most bizarre and unfortunate injuries. Strap in, because these are mad.

- Darren Barnard (Chelsea/Barnsley) - Fell on Dog Poo

An innocent puppy almost ended former Welsh international Darren Barnard's career.

Unbeknownst to Barnard, said new born puppy had accidentally left a rather large mess on the kitchen floor and the midfielder ruptured his ankle ligaments after slipping in it. He was out of action for five months.

Dave Beasant (Southampton) - Salad Cream Injury

Soon after joining Southampton in 1993, the former England goalkeeper dropped a bottle of salad cream in the kitchen and attempted to control it with his foot.

He severed a tendon in his toe and was ruled out for eight weeks.