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A dad is auctioning his baby son’s future football allegiance on eBay - and the winning bidder gets to choose whether he supports City or United.

Ian Charters, 30, has vowed to buy his son Eddie a football top and curtains in the winning team’s colours, take him to matches and do ‘the best I can to make sure he doesn’t end up supporting the other team’.

The money will go to Bliss, a charity which supports premature and sick babies.

Eddie was born six weeks premature and his weight plummeted to 3lbs 11oz in the first few days of his life at Stockport’s Stepping Hill Hospital as he struggled with jaundice and problems with his digestive system.

After four weeks in hospital, he was finally discharged and allowed home to Cheadle and now, aged seven months, Eddie is doing well and weighs a healthy 16lbs. He is Ian and wife Jo’s first child.

The unusual eBay listing, which goes live on Thursday night, states: “I live in Greater Manchester, but originally come from down south so I have no affiliation with either of the Manchester clubs. I’ll be fighting a losing battle trying to get my son to support my team (Watford). Frankly, I wouldn’t want to inflict that on the poor child anyway.”

It vows that ‘fatherly influence’ will be brought to bear to make sure Eddie supports the winning team and a picture of his son wearing the either a United or City top will be posted on Twitter.

Asked how he would explain to his son his allegiance when he grows up, Ian, an administrator, told the M.E.N: “I could just say ‘United or City fans are more generous son’ or something like that.

“I’ll do all I can to encourage him. I’ll get him the top and the curtains and take him to the odd game. I won’t be able to force him. But I’ll do all I can to encourage him.”

Ian, originally from Hertfordshire, said the idea came to him suddenly.

“I was thinking of ways of fundraising. It just popped into my head. I thought ‘little bit controversial but why not’ and gave it a go,” he said.

“Growing up I was a Watford fan but I have been in Manchester ten years now. I haven’t really followed football much. I don’t really think, however hard I tried, I would have got him to support Watford.”

Ian is running the London Marathon for the charity and has set up a web page where people can donate at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=iancharters