The Birmingham Mail’s promotion special last Monday proved a big success, with 10,000 extra copies sold as Birmingham City fans enjoyed their triumph.

The figure is around a 15 per cent rise on the average Monday sale, with another special out yesterday, to mark the end of a successful season.

Another was due out today following the afternoon bus-top victory tour through Birmingham.

The Birmingham Mail produced the Blues Promotion Special after the club won a place in the Premiership thanks to Derby County’s loss against Crystal Palace.

Meanwhile, a copy of the special edition, fronted with a picture of Blues players celebrating Saturday’s win over Sheffield Wednesday, has sold for 13 times the cover price after starting a bidding war on eBay.

Blues fanatics were so desperate to grab hold of Monday’s paper that they logged on to internet auction site eBay to search for it.

eBay seller SJ Ainsworth, was quick to cash in on the success of the special paper.

The winning bidder, listed as growagear, paid £3.21 for the paper, with a delivery charge of £1.99 – a total price of £5.20 or 13 times the cover price of 40p.

Collectibles expert Roy Stokes, of Birmingham-based auctioneers Biddle and Webb, said: “There is a big market in football paraphernalia. It is unusual for something like this to go for so much because it is hardly rare, as it is a modern newspaper with a large circulation."