Blanchflower medal sold for £10,500

Danny Blanchflower (right) with his brother Jackie

A European medal won by one of Northern Ireland's most famous footballers has been bought for over £10,000 at an auction in London.

Danny Blanchflower's Cup Winners' Cup medal, won with Tottenham in 1963, fetched £10,575 at Christie's football memorabilia auction on Wednesday.

The medal was bought by a fan who had followed the Spurs legend's career avidly since the age of four.

Christie's had estimated that the medal would sell for between £8,000-12,000.

Danny Blanchflower lifted the 1961 FA Cup

Having been lost for many years, the gong was discovered at the bottom of a claret jug bought for £25 at a market stall in west London 12 years ago.

Blanchflower, who captained both club and country, died in 1993 after battling against Alzheimer's disease for years.

He was a hero to Spurs fans all over the world after he led his side to the English League and Cup double in 1961.