New Ukip leader scores an own goal after his website claims he was once a star footballer

NEW Ukip leader Paul Nuttall has scored a dramatic own goal after his own website's claimed he was once a  star footballer.

The site has two references to Mr Nuttall's past as a 'professional footballer' with Tranmere Rovers, who play not far from where he grew up in Bootle.

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But when the National League club was contacted by the to ask whether he had ever played for the first team, a spokesman replied "Definitely not."

The first mention reporting on  Mr Nuttall's support for the National Football Museum, called him a 'former professional footballer' in the second paragraph.

The other claimed he 'spent time as a professional footballer for Tranmere Rovers'.

The two posts on paulnuttallmep.com, which carried Mr Nuttall's byline.

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But Ukip told the MailOnline the claims were just an 'innocent mistake', and blamed a 'press officer' for posting them.

A spokesman insisted the site was 'not a personal blog', adding: "Paul has never described himself as a former professional footballer."

Mr Nuttall was elected as Nigel Farage's successor after pledging to turn Ukip into the ‘patriotic voice of working people’.

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He vowed to rebuild Ukip after a disastrous summer that culminated in an altercation between two of its MEPs that left one of them in hospital.

He promised to take advantage of Jeremy Corbyn’s weakness on immigration and defence.