Baxter Scotland shirt pulled from auction after authenticity doubts

A Scotland shot garment said to person been worn by Jim Baxter has been pulled from auction aft doubts emerged implicit its authenticity.

The jersey was being sold arsenic the 1 Baxter wore successful Scotland's 3-2 triumph implicit England astatine Wembley successful 1967.

Auctioneers McTear's maintained the shirt's "cast iron" provenance aft different garment came guardant with the aforesaid claim.

But the garment was withdrawn from auction connected Friday.

The No6 garment was owed to beryllium the opening batch successful the Heritage: Important Sporting Medals and Shirts auction. It was expected to fetch astir £60,000.

McTear's sporting specializer James Bruce said: "Following caller reservations implicit the authenticity of the Jim Baxter 1967 Scotland jersey we person taken the determination to region the batch from today's auction.

"Although we stay convinced of the shirt's provenance, we would ne'er enactment an point to auction with questions unanswered."

The auctioneer said that they would behaviour further probe earlier taking a determination connected immoderate aboriginal sale.

Mr Bruce said: "The provenance of the garment traces backmost to the player, who exchanged his jersey with (England player) Alan Ball astatine the extremity of the match. The garment past came to the begetter of the vendor done (England player) Alan Hudson, with Ball being present.

"Hudson has been contacted to corroborate this concatenation and the cardinal information that Baxter didn't permission Wembley successful 1967 with the shirt. "

He added: "Jim Baxter was renowned for gifting Scotland jerseys to friends, acquaintances and functions, and that appears to beryllium the lawsuit for the jersey bought astatine the payment meal by the different parties.

"Crucially, further probe has shown that the statement connected the garment from the 1991 foundation auction does not look to lucifer those worn successful the 1967 crippled arsenic it dates the garment to pre World Cup 1966.

"In 1967, the Scotland shirts featured the 'won by the 1966 World Cup winners' Umbro label. This statement appears connected the jersey consigned to McTear's."