Liverpool and England football legend John Barnes has been declared bankrupt after his media company amassed debts exceeding £1.5 million. A bankruptcy order was issued in the High Court of Justice last week and published in the London Gazette on Tuesday.
The bankruptcy stems from John Barnes Media Limited, which has since been liquidated. Barnes was previously banned from being a director for three and a half years due to the company's debts. Liquidators' reports indicate that he owed HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) £776,878 in unpaid VAT, National Insurance, and PAYE, along with £461,849 to unsecured creditors and a £226,000 directors loan. He has so far repaid £60,000 of the directors loan in instalments.
This is not the first time Barnes has faced financial difficulties. The 61-year-old former winger has encountered multiple bankruptcy petitions since 2010, including one in 2023 relating to a £238,000 personal tax bill that was settled at the last minute. Barnes has previously spoken about being poorly advised financially, stating on the All Things Business podcast that he lost between £1 million and £1.5 million over four years due to misplaced trust.
In August, Barnes said he had repaid £2.2 million since 2017 and continues to pay £10,000 each month to HMRC. He emphasised his commitment to repaying his debts, noting that he has sold all his assets and has nothing left. “It would be easy to be made bankrupt because they can’t take anything else from me,” he said, adding that he does not want hard-working people to think he is avoiding tax.
Barnes earned 79 caps for England and won two league titles with Liverpool during a playing career that spanned nearly two decades. He was the first player to earn £10,000 a week.
