HOAXERS who say they are selling a struggling Premiership football club on internet auction site eBay have had their listing removed for the second time.

The advert claims to offer Sunderland Football Club for sale, with bids opening at £10m, and appeals for a "Russian billionaire with spare millions lying around" to help the club out of its dire situation.

In addition, the advert promises the buyer "the most loyal fans in the country, the Premiership's worst ever record, which they are well on the way to breaking this season, £40m worth of debt" and the club's 48,000-capacity Stadium of Light.

Although Sunderland AFC is not for sale, the fan - who calls himself Murray Out - said he hoped the episode would embarrass the club into making changes.

However, eBay officials removed the listing again yesterday, only hours after another advert was taken off, which said it was offering the club for sale for £200m.

Sunderland AFC are bottom of the Premier League with only six points from 20 matches, and are 13 points adrift of their nearest rivals.

The team, manager Mick McCarthy and chairman Bob Murray have been under mounting pressure from disillusioned fans unhappy with the dire start to the season.

The eBay hoaxer, from Sunderland, asked potential buyers not to bid online, and instead suggested they send the money to chairman Mr Murray at his Jersey home in the hope he may be persuaded to sell the club.