Mike Ashley pulls out a wad of 50 notes during a factory visit.

Meanwhile, the football boss surprised onlookers when he pulled out a big wad of £50 notes when he emptied his pockets to go through a scanning machine at the company's Shirebrook warehouse.

As hundreds of supporters descended upon Nottingham for a campaign rally held by Jeremy Corbyn, he took aim at Mike Ashley and Sports Direct.

In a speech which touched on education, energy and the arts, Mr Corbyn also spoke about what he deemed the "disgraceful" conditions at Sports Direct - which held its company AGM on Wednesday morning in nearby Shirebrook.

Sign up to our daily newsletter The i newsletter cut through the noise Sign up Thanks for signing up! Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting...

He said: "I had a bit of a chuckle to myself when I was watching the born-again socialist of Mike Ashley on the television last night, saying that he had learnt lessons from what happened in Shirebrook.

"Shirebrook and Sports Direct are a symptom of a malaise in our society in the way in which we have a lack of respect for people doing vital and important jobs, who are underpaid, under-represented and treated with contempt."

Mike Ashley said he "clearly could have done a better job" but had "made a commitment to make a difference" at the company's meeting at their headquarters in Derbyshire.

Although Mr Ashley has been trying to drive home the message that he is not ducking any responsibility when it came to the retailer's problems, he sparked interest when he demonstrated the Shirebrook warehouse's security checkpoint to investors and journalists.

Pulling off his jacket, he then emptied his pockets, pulling out a wad of fifty pound notes and tossing them into a security tray.