Boots Tom Finney wore to score four goals in a match for England go up for sale
A historic pair of football boots, with which Sir Tom Finney scored a career-best four goals for England against Portugal 70 years ago, have been put up for sale.
And auctioneers are expecting the rare ankle-high leather footwear could attract bids of up to £8,000 when they go under the hammer next week.
The boots are said to have been given by Sir Tom to England team-mate Alan Hodgkinson after the May 1950 international in Lisbon.
They were later gifted by goalkeeper Hodgkinson to another former footballer who has now decided to sell. The owner has asked to remain anonymous.
The boots, which still contain their original laces, will be up for sale at an online sale from East Bristol Auctions a week on Friday (June 19) starting at 9.55am. They also bear the initials TF and the number 20 in tiny hobnails in the soles.
The Portugal friendly was a memorable match for Finney - it contained the only hat-trick of his professional career.
The game was one of two friendlies England played in the build-up to the 1950 World Cup Finals in Brazil.
England beat Portugal 5-3 in the Estadio Nacional in Lisbon before travelling on to Brussels where they defeated Belgium 4-1.
In the Portugal game the Preston North End star scored two penalties in amongst his four goals - Blackpool's Stan Mortensen scored the other.
At the World Cup England opened with a 2-0 win over Chile at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. But they lost their other two group games - including the embarrassing 1-0 defeat at the hands of the USA - and returned home early.
In his career Finney played 76 times for England and scored 30 goals.
The auction catalogue describes Lot 525 as: "A fantastic rare pair of match worn boots from one of England's most respected and beloved players, and an important part of our Football heritage."
By way of provenance, the catalogue adds: "These boots were originally gifted to fellow England teammate and friend Alan Hodgkinson. Hodgkinson then gifted these boots to our vendor, a former footballer himself and former owner of a football club.
"Our vendor wishes to remain anonymous, but has supplied a letter of provenance for the winning bidder."