even simpler unshifting of a reference !
<?php
/**
 * @return int
 * @param $array array
 * @param $value mixed
 * @desc Prepend a reference to an element to the beginning of an array. Renumbers numeric keys, so $value is always inserted to $array[0]
 */
function array_unshift_ref(&$array, &$value)
{
   $return = array_unshift($array,'');
   $array[0] =& $value;
   return $return;
}
?>