Doctor Who: 9 Things You Never Knew The Ninth Doctor Did

7. He Pretended To Be A FIFA Referee

WHAT: The Doctor has had a hand in many sports - cricket in his fifth incarnation, spaceship racing in his eighth and tenth and correcting Peri's English in his sixth. The Doctor has also had a penchant for visiting history and observing events unfold - from Neanderthals in his First to the Great Fire of London in his Fifth to the Star Whales in his Eleventh. While the Ninth Doctor visited many places in Earth's history during his tenure, including taking Rose to see the death of Earth and visiting the British Empire Exhibition in 1924, unlike his previous companions, there was few adventures where the Ninth Doctor travelled to an historical event for history's sake. Except, of course, the time he travelled to WW1 and pretended to be a FIFA referee. HOW: The Doctor and Rose travelled to the trenches of WW1 on Christmas Day. Talking their way into the British army's good graces, the Doctor revealed that he was here purely to wait for the German's football to come over the wire, and when it did, he challenged the Germans to a game on behalf of the British Army - and thus the Christmas Truce was born. Not only that, the Doctor decided to throw himself in the game, declaring himself a referee from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) with his trusty psychic paper and ensuring a safe and fair game on both sides. Afterwards, he left with Rose, leaving behind a peaceful and magical Christmas truce. SO: The IDW comic miniseries The Forgotten, and this Ninth Doctor story in it, is a tremendously fascinating read, filled with tiny little gems that fans of the old and new series would enjoy. The story alone mentions a 'Captain Jack Harkness' leading the British Forces and the Doctor also identifies himself by the psychic paper as 'Brigadier Bambera'. Psychologically speaking, the role of referee that the Doctor takes on also speaks volumes from his former incarnation and the incarnation he used to be - from a man of war back to a man who fights only to keep the peace. Sometimes, a story doesn't have to be filled with extraterrestrial invaders or some great evil or temporal paradox. Sometimes, it's cool to just let your hair down and have a bit of fun. God knows, the Ninth Doctor needed it.