Leicester fans' fury as Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha tribute memorabilia auctioned on Ebay for hundreds of pounds
Football fans have vented their fury after tribute memorabilia to the late Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was being flogged on Ebay for hundreds of pounds.
Commemorative programme packs produced for Saturday’s Burnley game – the first at the King Power Stadium since the helicopter disaster last month – had been given out free.
But they began to emerge on the auction site on Monday.
One listing for the pack, which included a 100-page programme, "Mr Chairman" scarf, clapper and pin badge, was being auctioned for £120.
“Remembering the great man himself,” the seller said. “Only selling due to boiler packing up and in need of money for Xmas, sorry if it offends anyone.”
Other packs were going for as high as £510 – though it claimed all proceeds were going to “Leicester Hospital Charity”.
Another listing was for the individual programme. Four sold for £23.50 each, more than seven times the value of a normal matchday programme.
Some supporters are selling Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha tribute memorabilia on eBay. Absolutely shameless profiteering. @LCFCpic.twitter.com/VVlWwvFDy0
— Mark Salmon (@MSambo1979) November 12, 2018
Mark Solman, a Middlesbrough fan who said he drove to the King Power Stadium to pay his respects after the tragedy, said on Twitter: “Absolutely shameless profiteering.”
Can’t believe there’s people selling the Leicester City commemorative programme pack from Saturday’s match on eBay. You really are lowlife scum. #RIPVichai
— Scouse (@31Cardens) November 12, 2018
Another football fan said: “Can’t believe there’s people selling the Leicester City commemorative programme pack from Saturday’s match on eBay. You really are lowlife scum.”
Just seen #Leicester city #Vichai scarves etc for sale on eBay. You should be ashamed of yourselves whoever you are.
— Paul Thee Painter. Verily. (@Norman498Paul) November 11, 2018
Norman Paul said: “Just seen #Leicester city #Vichai scarves etc for sale on eBay. You should be ashamed of yourselves whoever you are.”
Amazing gesture.
Please, if you’re a Leicester city fan at the game today, don’t whack it on eBay. Keep it. Cherish it. Don’t disrespect the gesture. https://t.co/rMh5bF62Qh
— Dwain (@SpionKopite1892) November 10, 2018
One fan had foreseen the trouble on Saturday, posting: “Amazing gesture. Please, if you’re a Leicester city fan at the game today, don’t whack it on eBay. Keep it. Cherish it. Don’t disrespect the gesture.”
Mr Srivaddhanaprabha was killed alongside Nusara Suknamai, Kaveporn Punpare, Eric Swaffer and Izabela Lechowicz when the helicopter spun out of control and burst into flames outside the King Power Stadium on October 27.
The opening of an inquest into their deaths found they had “minimal opportunity” to escape the machine when it crashed.