A MAN who made £1 million from selling fake soccer memorabilia aroused suspicion by selling a shirt 'signed' by 25 players - 11 more than club officials could ever hope to get, a court heard.

Liverpool FC officials who gave evidence at the trial of David Rennie alleged it was unheard of to get so many stars to sign one item.

Stephen Astell, the player appearance manager for the club, said he struggled to get more than 14 players to autograph one shirt or ball, it was heard.

He told jurors sitting at Bournemouth Crown Court: "I would be absolutely delighted if I got an item with 20 or more signatures and I deal with the players on a daily basis."

The court heard Rennie, 46, spent nine years selling 4,500 football shirts, balls and boots supposedly signed by stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney and Stephen Gerrard.

Those who visited the website for his company, FA Premier Signings, would have read that Rennie's 'team' spent hours waiting at club training grounds for players to autograph the items, it was said.

However, prosecutors allege Rennie bought blank replica shirts from high street shops like Sports Direct, and then faked the signatures of players himself.

Another memorabilia dealer who counts Wayne Rooney as a client became suspicious of the volume and range of signed items advertised by Rennie, it was heard.

Lee Reynolds, prosecuting, alleged Rennie had no contracts or licences in place with any football club, players or their agents.

In total, Rennie is alleged to have faked Messi's signature on 200 items, Real Madrid's Ronaldo on 272 items, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard's on 335 and Wayne Rooney's on 220.

He also had more than 1,400 squad signed items from a variety of clubs, it is said.

Rennie, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, made more than £1m from the business over nine years but never paid tax on his earnings and went on lavish trips with the proceeds, it is alleged.

He denies running a fraudulent business and transferring criminal proceeds to his bank account.

The trial continues.