A priceless piece of Albion history is being auctioned by a fan to bolster the football club's campaign for funds.

Kieran Maguire knew the number seven shirt he 'borrowed' from a laundry basket at the Goldstone Ground in late 1983 would one day come to good use.

The yellow Adidas away shirt belonged to legendary midfielder Jimmy Case and young Mr Maguire, who was a ball boy, thought it would be a perfect memento of his idol.

He said: "It was just lying there in a heap and I thought 'I know a good home for that'."

The shirt has spent the last 15 years in a box but was dug out last week when Mr Maguire heard of the club's £2 million fund-raising appeal.

He has offered the shirt for sale on internet auction site eBay and will donate the proceeds to the fund. The highest bid yesterday was £102.

Mr Maguire, 42, who lives in Manchester, said: "The shirt came from the club and the money is going back to the club. It was worn by Jimmy Case during a golden era for the Albion.

"He steered us to the 1983 FA Cup final against Manchester United, when we lost the replay.

"It's not the yellow shirt he was wearing when he scored against Sheffield Wednesday in the semi-final because mine is long-sleeved, but he would have worn it throughout those two seasons.

"It's very rare and very precious to me. There's no doubting its authenticity because they did not make replicas of the long-sleeved away shirts."

The auction comes to a close at 1.49pm on Monday.

Mr Maguire, a university lecturer, added: "I had originally intended to pass the shirt on to my 11-year-old son Alex when he was a few years older, but unfortunately Alex suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, and has never played football and never will.

"I have already sent £250 to the campaign as, living so far from Brighton, I do not see many home games any more and cannot contribute to home ticket sales.

"I still follow them avidly away and have watched the Albion play in 101 different stadiums in England, the Millennium Stadium being the 101st, and want to add Falmer to that list.

"A bit of publicity from The Argus can only help increase the price of what to me is a priceless shirt."

Jimmy Case signed for the Albion in 1981 after twice winning the European Cup with Liverpool.

He returned to Brighton at the age of 40 in 1994 from non-league Sittingbourne and played in the Second Division under Liam Brady, who he eventually replaced as manager.