Hoards of Newcastle United supporters are thought to have disrupted a number of amateur matches before their side's defeat to Wigan Athletic last weekend.

Hundreds of fans were spotted leaving coaches at the DW Stadium to interrupt a match between Wigan Cosmos and AFC Leight Centurions by running on the pitch and dropping their trousers.

"As the supporters spilled out of the coaches, which were not managed by the club or police officials, they proceeded to watch the game from the touchline," a Cosmos spokesman told the Daily Mail.

"Some fans then chose to run on to the field of play, dropping their pants, causing the game to be stopped."

Reports have claimed that some supporters, who have been accused of ripping out goal nets, boasted on Twitter that they had stolen a match ball worth £65.