Soccer: Cantona’s Spitting Image puppet fetches £4,000

The Spitting Image puppet of former Manchester United footballer Eric Cantona was today sold for £4,000 at an auction of footballing memorabilia.

The latex likeness of the enigmatic French midfielder was one of the most coveted items at the 620-lot sale being held at Cosford auction rooms near Wolverhampton.

A puppet from the satirical television series of Everton midfielder and former England international Paul Gascoigne fetched £2,400 while a waxwork head of Old Trafford favourite George Best was bought for £600.

The Gascoigne puppet squirts water from its eyes, a reference to his tears at receiving a yellow card and being suspended for a potential England appearance in the 1990 World Cup final in Italy.

A spokeswoman for Shropshire-based auctioneers Mullock-Madeley said the puppets had been bought by unidentified buyers.

Earlier in the day, a programme from the 1914 FA Cup Final between Burnley and Liverpool sold for £3,600.

The buyers will have to pay a buyers’ premium of 12.5% and VAT of 17.5% on top of their accepted bids.