IT is the sale of the century - an entire 100 years and more of footballing history - as the heart and soul of The Dell are ripped out and offered at auction this Sunday.

From the clock at the top of the Eastern stand to the dugout beside the hallowed Saints turf, it is the final encore for the stadium opened to the Southampton public in 1899.

It is also the last chance for fans to save a piece for themselves.

Once the auctioneer has sold lot 383 - a signed club ball - the hammer will be traded for a wrecking ball and in a matter of months The Dell will be gone.

Organiser Katie Thompson said: "This is it, the final time we are inviting fans to visit The Dell and they can take a piece of The Dell home with them.

"After that, Barratts move in for demolition."

To offer the greatest opportunity for people to capture their own memory of The Dell, almost everything imaginable has been stripped and put in the catalogue.

But while even the most hardcore fan would probably not want to remember their favourite stadium by buying a Burco water boiler or a dishwasher, there are some collectors' items up for grabs.

Ms Thompson said: "The turnstiles will be popular, people have walked through those turnstiles every Saturday for every home match of the year so they have a high value. We don't know how much we're going to get out of this auction but we're giving ten per cent to charity - Hampshire Deaf Association, Leukaemia Busters, Rose Road Children's Appeal, Wessex Cancer Trust and Wessex Heartbeat."

Ian Maycock, from auctioneers Smith Hodgkinson, said although he had overseen auctions at Manchester United and was preparing Manchester City's move from Maine Road, it was difficult to judge how much would be raised.

He said: "How much is a fan willing to spend? We have such a vast array of lots to sell and there is going to be a lot of interest.

"The information has been posted on the Saints website, we've done advertising and there's been a very positive response.

"We would like to raise something in the order of £30,000 to £40,000."

The club is holding a viewing tomorrow from 10am to 4pm before Sunday's auction.

The auction will run from 11am to 3pm with the Milton Road Stand opened to 700 people to make their bids.

While payment will have to be made on the day, collection will not be available until August 6.

The 700 fans who were also told to collect their seats tomorrow will now have to wait until July 28 because of a delay in mounting the seats on special plinths.