A FAKE police appeal has been circulating online after some Saints fans said they were denied the chance of taking home their commemorative scarves from Sunday's League Cup final.

Each seat should have had a special souvenir scarf placed on it as a memento for ticket holders.

However, some fans said that a number of the scarves went missing before the game.

Angry fans then took to social media to voice their disappointment.

One Saints supporter who posted on social media said: "It is despicable - Saints football club fans are like a family. I had a right to that scarf, they were there for people who were at the game to mark the occasion.

"It is a bit petty but I wanted to know whether other fans had the same thing happen to them or see if someone had a spare one that they collected after the game.

"If the scarves had been left by fans that is a different story, but my scarf was taken from my seat before I had even arrived ten minutes before the game.

"I was disappointed that supposed supporters would do that would do that, I wouldn't call them fans, they are low lives with no prospects."

The fake police appeal then appeared claiming to have identified the culprit and includes his photograph and contact information, which the Daily Echo has removed to protect his identity.

The alleged offender admitted taking four scarves. He wrote on social media saying: "Took four, gave three to my nephews couldn't get tickets, what's the issue with that?"

But angered fans argue that people who were not at the event should not have scarves over people that were at Wembley stadium.

Almost 20 fans took a poll on facebook stating they did not have a scarf on their seat when they arrived.

Some fans are now referring to the incident as #scarfgate.

A spokesperson from the police said: "We had a surprise today after finding out that we were supposedly investigating the “theft of scarves at Southampton Football Club’s EFL Cup Final Match at Wembley.”

"We would like to assure anyone who has come across the false witness appeal, which includes a photograph of a man, on social media or other public forums that this is not genuine and is not being circulated by us."

Southampton Football Club was unable to comment when contacted by the Daily Echo.