Fans chews to ignore charity Luis Suarez shirts

But one charity fundraiser trying to flog signed shirts of shamed Luis Suarez has clearly bitten off more than he can chew.

Since the Liverpool and Uruguay star's World Cup biting controversy, one company in South Staffordshire is having great difficulty getting anyone to stump up for the shirts.

Wombourne-based firm Route 39 had hoped to rake in hundreds of pounds for charity when bosses purchased the two Liverpool shirts signed by the Uruguayan striker, especially as they were putting one up for auction in Liverpool.

Managing director Steve Saul placed a £300 starting price on the item at John Parrott Golf Day at West Derby Golf Club last Friday – but after the player bit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini at this summer's World Cup not one bid came in.

Mr Saul was forced to take back the shirt, which came in a framed display with two photographs. It meant The Woodlands Hospice, which was set to take 80 per cent of the sale, lost out on much-needed cash.

Mr Saul, who has run the company for four years, is now preparing to take the shirt up to Liverpool again for another auction at the Formby Golf Club in aid of the same charity.

He said: "It says a lot when you take a signed shirt of Suarez to Liverpool and you can't even get a bid there."

Suarez has since apologised to Chiellini for the bite that has earned him a nine-match and four-month ban from football.

It took place during a final group game between Uruguay and Italy. It was a game Uruguay won and saw the South American side progress to the second round.

Suarez was banned for 10 games for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic during a Premier League match in 2013 and was also suspended for seven games for biting PSV Eindhoven's Otman Bakkal while playing for Ajax in 2010.

Mr Saul said: "After what happened I had my doubts the shirt would sell, and I was right too. We will still be able to make some money for charity from it even if it doesn't sell at auction, we will find someone who wants it eventually, I'm sure." The firm is hoping James Bond can come to the rescue, with a shirt signed by Daniel Craig.