BUILDERS who hid a Pompey shirt at Saints' training ground have been sacked, the Daily Echo can reveal.

Footage appeared online of workers at the club's Staplewood development sealing over a Pompey shirt and scarf into a wall partition, prompting uproar from some Saints fans.

Now the Daily Echo can reveal the two employees were dismissed by their employer, and the shirt and scarf were immediately removed.

The Leadbitter Group, which was appointed to carry out the Staplewood redevelopment, sub-contracted a firm to carry out the dry-lining work.

David Cook, regional director of the Leadbitter Group, stressed the workers were employed by the sub-contractors - not by the Leadbitter Group.

He said the builders' behaviour was “unacceptable”.

The 47-second video starts with a man panning a camera across the pitch at the Marchwood-based training ground.

It turns to the balcony area of a building visibly under construction where a colleague is standing by a wall partition.

The shirt and scarf are covered with insulation and the worker gives the thumbs up sign to the cameraman.The footage was uploaded to YouTube before it was removed by the person who originally posted it to the site.

Some fans described their actions as “unprofessional”, while others said it was a light-hearted prank.

Mr Cook said: “They were not direct employees of Leadbitter. They were employed by our dry-lining sub-contractor.

“We understand they have been disciplined by their employer and basically sacked.

“It is not something we condone and do not agree with their behaviour at all.

“The shirt that was put into the partition was immediately removed and the actual YouTube footage was removed within 24 hours.

“It is a serious matter that has been dealt with.”