The club have instated the harsh rule in an attempt to stop the dealers who sell and trade signed shirts on stalls outside the ground or online. Internet auctioneer giant eBay is a prime target for selling such merchandise, with signed shirts being sold for hundreds of pounds. Players may still sign pieces of paper, programmes and fanzines.

Charities wishing to auction signed shirts and other items of clothing can still obtain the garments by contacting the club. The ban only applies at our training grounds, and is purely in force to stop the traders who are at Carrington and The Cliff each week who are only obtaining the signatures to make money, when the autographs should be going to young fans and true United supporters.

"We were seeing the same faces every day with loads of merchandise which they were getting signed." said a United spokesman.

"That is not the behaviour of a genuine fan - that's someone trying to make money.

"We have no issue with genuine fans and the players will continue to sign blank pieces of paper and programmes."

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