Page last updated at 06:07 GMT, Friday, 22 May 2009 07:07 UK

Fans bidding for piece of history

Various items for sale at the online auction
Items being sold include signs, dugouts, turnstiles and the manager's sofa

The gates may be bolted at Cardiff City's 99-year-old home but fans still have the chance to secure a little piece of Ninian Park history.

Everything from turnstiles to manager Dave Jones' office sofa are being sold in an online auction.

Die-hard supporters may even want to secure the goalposts or a team dugout as unusual garden features.

The eBay-style auction by property consultants King Sturge runs from 1000 BST Friday to 1300 BST on Wednesday.

Other items up for grabs include corner flags, the PA system control box, the centre spot, the changing room doors, directors' seats and the boardroom table.

Even a bath from the home team dressing room and the doors from the stadium's police cells, where troublesome supporters were held, are being sold.

Or you may wish to buy a steel rubbish bin bearing the club crest, a burger kiosk menu board and a sign warning fans not to use bad language.

Season ticket holders have already been given the chance to buy a section of the pitch or their stand seat before the Bluebirds move to a new stadium next season.

King Sturge auctioneer Ian Bacon said it was difficult to predict how much individual items might fetch, but he was willing to guess at the most sought-after item.

Sign asking fans to refrain from using "colourful language"
Signs from around Ninian Park are among items being sold

"I would've thought the sofa from Dave Jones's office because that's something you could put in your house. It's a red button-backed sofa," he said.

"Everyone has got their own memories of the stadium so it's difficult to say what you think something might make. It's just how much people want a bit of history."

Mr Bacon has worked on auctions of fixtures and fittings from Arsenal's former Highbury home and also Lansdowne Road in Dublin.

He said even seemingly mundane items such as wheelie bins fetched large amounts.

"Some people have walked through the same turnstile for many years and they might love to get the sign that hangs above it to put on their shed," he said.

"We were selling red wheelie bins with the Arsenal crest on them for £1,500 while the turnstiles I think made a few hundred pounds.

"We have already had a lot of inquiries and we know from our experience of doing similar sales that sports fans are passionate people who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a part of their club's fabric."

Proceeds from the auction will be put back into the club.



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