Adebayo Akinfenwa: 'The Beast' Northampton hat-trick shirt resold

Adebayo Akinfenwa scored a hat-trick against Accrington Stanley in 2012 - the first of his career

A shirt worn by a footballer known as "the Beast" has sold at auction for £440 - days after fetching £7,500.

Adebayo Akinfenwa scored a hat-trick in the kit for Northampton Town and decided to donate it to a supporters' trust to raise money for the club.

The shirt had to be auctioned online for a second time after the first bidder failed to pay.

Akinfenwa, who now plays for AFC Wimbledon, described himself as a "fan from afar" and said he wanted to help.

Speaking before the sale on online auction site eBay, he said: "I was cleaning up my little girl's room and found this shirt.

'Messing around'

"I thought I could auction it off. I thought 'every little helps'.

"Let's just say that I'm a fan from afar."

Adebayo Akinfenwa's signed shirt attracted 32 bids

Northampton Town Supporters' Trust auctioned the shirt to raise money for the club, which is facing insolvency proceedings over a £10.25m council loan.

The trust raised more than £40,000 for the club, but has not yet decided where that money will be spent.

The auction was started in November to save the club from a winding-up petition over unpaid tax, which has since been paid.

Facts about 'the Beast'

• According to the Fifa 15 computer game, Akinfenwa is the "world's strongest player".

• He became known as "the Beast" because of his imposing size - he weighs 16 st (101kg) and can bench press 28 stone (177kg)

• The striker has scored more than 160 goals in his career

• He has a clothing range called "Beast Mode"

More facts about Akinfenwa here

Ben Trasler, a volunteer from the trust, said it had expected the shirt would sell for around £500.

He said: "I think the person who bought it for £7,500 was messing around - I don't think it was a real bid. About £500 is much closer to what we thought it would sell for.

"Now the club is out of financial difficulties there will have to be a conversation on a senior level as to where the fundraised money will go."

He said the club has a partnership with breast cancer charity Coppafeel and funds from the shirt may go there.