HERE'S a knock-out opportunity that's on the ball.

A football signed by Brazilian ace and World Cup winner Rivaldo is set to be auctioned off to raise funds for the York City Supporters' Trust.

Also going under the hammer at next Wednesday's Legends Dinner will be a pair of boxing gloves signed by world super middleweight boxing champion Joe Calzaghe.

The items, just two of a number of sporting goodies that will be auctioned of at next week's event at York Racecourse, have come courtesy of the Sky Sports anarchic Saturday morning football show Soccer AM.

The ball and gloves were donated to the Trust by the programme's producer John Fendley, better known on the show as 'Fenners', who is a former student of York St John's College and player for Nestle Rowntree FC.

Fendley got the football signed by Rivaldo when he interviewed the world footballer of the year for Soccer AM last year, while Calzaghe has featured on the Sky's All Sports Show, a Friday evening spin-off of Soccer AM.

Last year, a framed Brazilian shirt signed by Ronaldo raised more than £1,000 for the Trust when it was auctioned off.

Updated: 10:28 Saturday, March 01, 2003