Former England star Trevor Sinclair declared bankrupt after ‘burying head in sand' over £36k tax bill
CASH WOES Former England star Trevor Sinclair declared bankrupt after 'burying head in sand' over £36k tax bill
FORMER England star Trevor Sinclair has been declared bankrupt after "burying his head in the sand" over a £36,000 tax debt.
The footballer made a fortune during his career with QPR, West Ham and Man City before becoming a pundit after he retired.
5
Trevor Sinclair has been declared bankrupt
Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
5
He won 12 caps for England before retiring in 2008
But he failed to pay taxes and penalties totalling £36,424 in relation to his TV and radio career between 2021 and 2022.
As a result, Sinclair was told to come up with the cash or find an alternative way to pay.
The ex-Premier League star failed to turn up to court though and has now been made bankrupt in his absence.
Judge Caroline Wilkinson said HMRC had received no contact from the former star and concluded that he is "unable to pay his debts as they fall due."
The case previously reached Central London County Court in April when the judge heard that Sinclair ended up owing a sizeable chunk of cash to the taxman after his accountant died.
His bill included more than £13,000 for work as a pundit, plus outstanding National Insurance and penalty payments.
HMRC barrister Shabab Rizvi saying: "The debtor is a former Premier League footballer and should have the means to satisfy the debt, but there's been no contact with HMRC at all."
However, the case was adjourned to give him more time to pay after his lawyer Robert Lee told the court Sinclair was working in the media and "currently in receipt of a job offer in Saudi Arabia."
He said the debt arose from Sinclair "being considered self-employed when he ought not to have been."
Judge Wilkinson granted the adjournment on the basis Sinclair face up to his impending bankruptcy.
He said: "Mr Sinclair has to wake up to the fact that there's no more head in the sand because this is serious".
The case returned to court yesterday, where the judge was told Sinclair had failed to materialise.
Granting the bankruptcy order, Judge Wilkinson said the case had been paused for Sinclair to consider pursuing an alternative to bankruptcy such as an "individual voluntary arrangement".
She continued: "Mr Sinclair is not in attendance today and no proposals have been put forward for paying his debt.
"In the circumstances, the court finds that Mr Sinclair is unable to pay his debts as they fall due and it will make the bankruptcy order."
Sinclair received 12 caps for England during his career - including four during the 2002 World Cup.
His famous bicycle kick goal for QPR against Barnsley won him Match of the Day goal of the season in 1997.
Sinclair hung up his boots in 2008 but he returned to screens as a pundit for TV and radio.
However, this came to an end in 2022 when he questioned why "black and brown people" were mourning the Queen.
5
Sinclair failed to pay tax through his punditry work between 2021 and 2022
Credit: Getty
5
The former West Ham star failed to attend a court hearing
Credit: Getty
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
3 hours ago
- Leader Live
David Beckham ‘immensely proud' of knighthood in King's Birthday Honours
The sports star, who celebrated his 50th birthday last month, is being honoured for services to sport and charity. Sir David said in a statement to the PA news agency: 'Growing up in East London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour. 'To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career and literally a boyhood dream come true. 'Off the pitch I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation. 'I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment. It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family.' Sir David married his wife Victoria in 1999 and the couple share four children together – Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. He had been set on becoming a professional footballer as a child and as a teenager he joined Manchester United as a trainee, forming part of the class of '92 that won the FA Youth Cup, along with Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. The sports star from north east London made his Premier League debut for United in 1995 and was part of the team that earned a dramatic Champions League final victory in 1999 when they beat Bayern Munich with two late goals. In total he scored 85 goals and collected honours including six Premier League titles and two FA Cups as a footballer, before retiring from the sport in 2013. Alongside his football career Sir David has supported a number of charity causes and launched a fundraising appeal for Unicef in April ahead of his milestone 50th birthday. He has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for humanitarian aid organisation Unicef since 2005 and is a founding member of the charity Malaria No More UK's leadership council. Philip Goodwin, Unicef UK chief executive said: 'We're so thrilled that our Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham, has been awarded a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours. 'David Beckham has done an incredible amount to advocate for children's rights over the last 20 years. 'He became a Goodwill Ambassador in 2005 and launched 7: The David Beckham Unicef Fund in 2015 – with the goal of helping children around the world, especially girls, break down barriers including bullying, violence, child marriage and missed education. 'He's travelled extensively to see Unicef's work and used his profile to raise awareness, as well as support our flagship fundraising campaign Soccer Aid for Unicef and launch global fundraising appeals.' Last year the former sports star, who has described himself as a 'huge Royalist', was named an ambassador for the King's Foundation, an educational charity established by the King in 1990. In February Sir David appeared in a video helping to launch the hunt for '35 under 35', a network of influencers who can fly the flag for the charity which reflects Charles' vision. He is also known for his stylish clothing choices, and in 1998 was named most stylish man of the year by GQ magazine and he has modelled for the likes of H&M, Armani and Boss. In 2018 he was appointed Ambassadorial President of the British Fashion Council where he assisted the BFC in its search for young British talent from all backgrounds. His wife, Victoria, turned her hand to fashion designing after her time in the Spice Girls and Sir David and their four children are often spotted at her shows. Sir David is currently a part-owner of MLS side Inter Miami, and is also the co-founder of Studio 99, the production company behind the hit Netflix series Beckham. He was formerly appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.
Rhyl Journal
3 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
David Beckham's rollercoaster journey from Leyton Orient trial to a knighthood
Telling the aspiring young footballer he would go on to play for Manchester United and Real Madrid, captain England, marry a pop star and become one of the most recognisable faces on the planet, fronting global brands, might well have seemed just as far-fetched. It was, though, not an easy journey for the former midfielder, who turned 50 in May, to achieve all of that success, both on and off the pitch – with the 2025 Sunday Times Rich List showing the estimated combined net worth of Beckham and his wife Victoria at £500million. A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham) Born in Leytonstone, east London, Beckham had a trial at local team Leyton Orient and also attended Tottenham's school of excellence – but his father Ted, a staunch Manchester United fan, remained determined he would go on to play at Old Trafford. After coming through the club's academy as part of the famed 'Class of 92', Beckham announced himself to the Premier League on the opening day of the 1996-97 season with a memorable goal from the halfway line against Wimbledon. While there were plenty of doubters as to what he could go on to achieve, Beckham answered them and more – claiming six Premier League titles and two FA Cups with Sir Alex Ferguson's all-conquering side as well as a dramatic 1999 Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp. International success, however, proved elusive for Beckham as England's so-called 'golden generation' repeatedly came up short. In a Netflix documentary series, released during October 2023, Beckham revealed he still cannot forgive himself for the abuse his family suffered amid the fallout from his red card at the 1998 World Cup for kicking the back of Diego Simeone's leg during the last-16 clash against Argentina in Saint-Etienne – which left him a 'mess'. A pub hung up an effigy of the midfielder and Beckham received a hostile reception from rival fans around the country when he returned to action for United the following season but, despite the backlash, he went on to become an integral part of the national team. Beckham, possessing an expert dead-ball strike, took on the armband in 2000 for six years through two World Cup tournaments and still stands third on the all-time appearance list with 115 caps. However, the continued glare of the spotlight off the pitch, with Beckham having married Spice Girls singer Victoria in a star-studded ceremony in July 1999, saw his relationship with Ferguson cool – a cut eye from a boot kicked by the Scot in the changing room further fuelling speculation over his future at United. In the summer of 2003, having made almost 400 appearances for United and scoring 85 goals, a £25million switch to Real Madrid followed as Beckham became the latest 'Galactico' signing by club president Florentino Perez. Beckham would go on to win the LaLiga title before he departed for LA Galaxy in 2007 and collected the MLS Cup twice, spending two loan stints at AC Milan along the way. In January 2013, Beckham returned to Europe with Paris St Germain, later announcing his decision to retire at the end of the season, when he signed off with a Ligue 1 winners' medal. Beckham's impact off the pitch, though, had already long been established before eventually hanging up his boots at the age of 38. Already thinking about life after football during his time in the United States, Beckham became a co-owner of the Inter Miami franchise – with the club entering Major League Soccer for the 2020 campaign and now boasting Lionel Messi on the teamsheet. The world is a very tough place for millions of children and a global funding crisis is leaving them more vulnerable. In response, ahead of his 50th birthday, David Beckham is launching a fundraiser for UNICEF, to help children dream and thrive. Donate: — UNICEF (@UNICEF) April 15, 2025 A multi-million-pound lifetime deal with Adidas, signed in 2003, had secured his financial future away from the game. Other lucrative, high-profile endorsements down the years have ranged from fashion designers Calvin Klein, Armani and Hugo Boss to tech giants Samsung, Haig Club whisky and Stella Artois as well as kitchen appliance manufacturer Ninja. Beckham, who was made an OBE for services to football in 2003, has long been involved with children's charity UNICEF, and is a co-owner of film production company Studio 99. In 2024, Beckham was appointed Ambassador for The King's Foundation which works globally to create sustainable communities through placemaking projects and also transform lives through practical education programmes.
North Wales Chronicle
3 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Being made an MBE shows I've helped ‘change face of darts'
Humphries has been given the accolade in the King's Birthday Honours along with great rival Luke Littler for their achievements over the last 18 months. The 30-year-old has won eight major titles, including the 2024 World Championship, and set a standard that only Littler has been able to match. Luke Humphries and Luke Littler have been awarded MBE's in the King's Birthday Honours, recognising their contribution to the sport of darts Congratulations to both 👏 👉 — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) June 13, 2025 The 18-year-old is primarily responsible for opening up the sport to a new audience, but Humphries has stood alongside him. 'It's something that me and Luke have really done together,' he told the PA news agency. 'I know he's done it on a much bigger scale, and from a younger generational part of it, but I think him having someone that can compete with him, compete against him and push him all the way, it's made it really exciting for the sport. 'I think that's grown so many new fans. Everyone's talking about darts now, and I think that we're two of the pioneering parts of that. 'We've changed the face of darts over the last couple of years. It's starting to become a younger man's game. It's nice to be at the forefront of that.' Less than two years ago, Humphries' future was in doubt after he suffered anxiety attacks, but he went on a winning spree that has turned his life around and will lead to a visit to the royal family. 'I feel really good about it, it's obviously something that was very unexpected,' he added. 'When I got the letter, I kind of couldn't believe when I opened it and it's a very proud moment. 'My mum and dad are obviously incredibly proud as well. Their son's obviously getting an MBE, which is quite a feat, to be honest. 'It usually happens later on in people's careers, but it's happened in mine pretty early. 'I feel pretty blessed, to be honest, I'm fortunate enough to get one. 'My girlfriend and my son will be very, very proud, especially my son. When he grows up and understands what it means, I'm sure he'd be very, very proud.' A post shared by Professional Darts Corporation (@officialpdc) Humphries was congratulated on his honour by Littler, who earlier this year became the youngest ever world champion at the age of 17 years and 347 days. 'He's a fantastic ambassador for darts and, although he's a rival, I can't wait to partner him in the World Cup this weekend,' Littler said on the PDC website. On being made an MBE himself, Littler added: 'This is an amazing and unexpected honour, but one which I am very grateful for. 'To receive a recognition like this is something I had never thought would be possible and it is a proud moment. 'It's unbelievable what I've done for my sport. I'm happy, my family is happy and I can't wait to receive it.'
