Save Lowry’s Going to the Match for public, urges Salford mayor

Plea to wealthy footballers and clubs to help buy auctioned painting to stop it disappearing into private collection

The mayor of Salford has urged wealthy football players and clubs to consider buying LS Lowry's painting Going to the Match when it is auctioned next month to prevent the huge tragedy and scandal" of it disappearing from public view.

The 1953 work by one of Britain's best known and best-loved painters is expected to smash records when it is sold by the Professional Footballers' Association next month. Christie's, the auction house handling the sale, estimates it will fetch up to 8m.