Fans snap up football souvenirs

The Ninian Park goalposts were sold for £1,300 each

Cardiff City fans have paid thousands of pounds to secure souvenirs from Ninian Park in an online auction.

Hundreds of bidders sought to secure everything from turnstiles to manager Dave Jones' office sofa.

The large clock from the roof of the Grange End stand raised the single largest amount, £2,600.

Turnstiles were sold for between £100 and £125, the goalposts went for £1,300 each and the home dressing room door was bought for £150.

Auctioneer Ian Bacon, from property consultants King Sturge, said the online auction had been a success.

"We had 500 active bidders on the website and we had 97,000 web hits," he said.

"With the items, you were never going to make huge values - it's the memorabilia side of things. All in all, it was very successful.

"The clock made a bit more than what we thought. You never quite know what things are going to fetch."

The door to the police cells sold for £185

A spokesperson for Cardiff City FC said the total amount raised was not yet known but the auction had gone "really well".

Other items to be sold included the sofa from the manager's office (£275), the centre spot from the pitch (£250), corner flags (between £175 and £220 each), the door to the stadium's police cell (£185) and various signs (£30 to £100).

The table from the boardroom remained unsold because its reserve price was not met.

Some items had to be withdrawn from the auction after they were stolen from the ground. The items, many of them signs, were taken during the final matches played at Ninian Park.

Cardiff City has closed the gates on the ground after 99 years as the club prepares to move into a purpose-built stadium across the road.