'I refereed Craig Bellamy and gave a Man Utd legend a free pass to whack him'

Manchester United icon Nicky Butt didn't waste the rare opportunity to "whack" Craig Bellamy which left the Welshman needing medical attention

Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey once gave Manchester United legend Nicky Butt a free hit on Craig Bellamy.

For Vincent Kompany's testimonial game where Manchester City icons took on Premier League All-Stars, Halsey had been put in charge to oversee the match. Games like these are usually played with a lighthearted atmosphere.

But when Bellamy was subbed on, he started to give Halsey a tough time. It was at this moment when the referee, who first took charge of a Premier League game in 1999, had a change of heart. And somehow it was United icon Butt, who turns 50 today, that came to the rescue.

"Nicky Butt was on one team, and Craig Bellamy was on the other team; Bellamy was a substitute, and he comes straight for me!" Halsey joked on Undr the Cosh

"He has a huge go at me, and I'm thinking, what have I done? He just absolutely tore into me for some reason. So Nicky, they didn't get on very well, comes up to me and goes: 'Mark, do you want me to do him for you?' I went: 'I'll give you one challenge!'"

Halsey continued to tell the story, joking it wasn't long until the winger had the ball, and Butt was quick to take his chance.

"A couple of minutes later Bellamy's got the ball, and he came in and whack! Right from behind! He's put him up in the air, and they've had to get the trainer on the pitch."

As Bellamy received a treatment at the testimonial, Halsey called Butt over: "I blew up. 'Nicky come in here', and I go 'well done, but no more'. He said: 'No problem Mark'."