Salford museum pays £7.8m for LS Lowry’s Going to the Match

Purchase of 1953 painting beloved by football fans made possible by gift from charitable foundation

A painting by LS Lowry beloved by football fans and art enthusiasts has been bought by the Lowry arts centre in Salford, saving it from disappearing into a private collection.

The arts centre paid 7.8m including fees for Going to the Match, painted in 1953, at an auction on Wednesday evening. The purchase was made possible by a gift from the Law Family charitable foundation, which was set up by the hedge fund manager and Conservative party donor Andrew Law and his wife, Zoe. The painting had been estimated to fetch 5m-8m.