John Barnes has been declared bankrupt
Liverpool and England legend John Barnes has been officially declared bankrupt after amassing debts in excess of £1.5 million.
The bankruptcy order was issued last week, marking a new low in the financial struggles of the former winger, once celebrated as one of the most gifted players of his generation.
Barnes, 61, had already faced financial scrutiny in recent years. In 2023, he was handed a three-and-a-half-year ban from serving as a company director, following the collapse of his business, John Barnes Media Limited.
A liquidators’ progress report published in July revealed the scale of the liabilities left behind.
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According to Telegraph Sport, Barnes owed HM Revenue and Customs £776,878 in unpaid VAT, National Insurance, and PAYE contributions.
In addition, there were £461,849 outstanding to unsecured creditors. The company also carried a director’s loan account debt of £226,000, alongside liquidators’ costs amounting to £56,535.
These financial woes have now culminated in the bankruptcy order, which will restrict Barnes’s financial activities until his discharge and could potentially affect his ability to work in certain business roles.
Barnes remains a revered figure in English football, having played over a decade for Liverpool during their dominant spell in the late 1980s and early 1990s, while also earning 79 caps for England.
Since retiring, he has worked as a pundit, motivational speaker, and charity ambassador, but financial challenges have overshadowed his post-playing career.
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