The match against Sweden in the 1992 European Championship was not the striker’s finest hour – he was controversially taken off by manager Graham Taylor as England lost the match 2-1 and went crashing out of the tournament in the group stages. It was a deflating end to the international career of one of the country’s greatest goalscorers.
Lineker, who was captain that day but was replaced by Alan Smith in the 62nd minute, ended his international career with 48 goals, only one behind Bobby Charlton who was top of the all-time list of England goal scorers at the time.
The No 10 jersey comes framed and is signed by 22 members of the England party. It was purchased at auction at Sotheby's Olympia in July 1998.
The shirt is one of a large number of pieces of football memorabilia that until recently had been kept at the Charleston SC Battery Football Stadium in Daniel Island, South Carolina, for over two decades.
Charleston Battery currently play in the USL Championship – a tier below the Major League Soccer (MSL) – and the collection was originally formed by Tony Bakker, a British businessman who founded the software company Blackbaud and helped set up the football club in 1993.
Bakker, who held a majority stake, sold the club in 2016 and is no longer the owner of the memorabilia. The auction follows its removal from the stadium at the end of last year – the Daniel Island stadium is now being demolished and Charleston Battery are currently playing at a local college stadium in Downtown Charleston.
The collection is being offered in a timed online sale conducted by corporate asset auction house Schneider Industries. It features over 800 lots and, although none of the lots have published individual estimates, they are collectively thought be worth several hundred thousand US dollars.
Most items were purchased at auctions in the UK and examples include numerous signed shirts, footballs, photographs and boots as well as more unusual offerings such as a turnstile from the Anfield Road end at Liverpool’s stadium.
David Beckham’s shirt from the England World Cup qualifier against Italy away in 1997. It features in the auction being held by Schneider Industries.
Another lot on offer relating to another former England captain is David Beckham’s shirt from the World Cup qualifier against Italy away in 1997. A battling 0-0 draw meant England secured qualification for the World Cup in France the following year.
Beckham was a relatively young talent with 11 England caps at the time, four years before he would be appointed captain. The shirt from that famous night in Rome is signed by Beckham and 20 England players from the squad.
Among the older shirts on offer is an England No 9 jersey worn by Nat Lofthouse against Wales in a World Cup qualifying match in Cardiff in October 1953. England won 4-1 with Lofthouse scoring a two of the goals.
The shirt, which had previously sold at a Mullock Madeley sporting memorabilia auction in October 2000, comes with four signed photographs of Lofthouse as well as a team photo from the game.
The England No 9 shirt worn by Nat Lofthouse against Wales in a World Cup qualifying match in Cardiff in 1953. It is offered at the auction being held by Schneider Industries along with a group of signed photographs.
Bidding at the timed auction is now open and is scheduled to end on March 11 at 9am CST (3pm GMT).
The full catalogue is now live on thesaleroom.com
