England legend John Barnes is confronting another potential bankruptcy as HMRC have submitted a petition to the High Court on Monday regarding outstanding obligations exceeding £1.5million.
The 61-year-old former Liverpool and England star, who secured two league championships and two FA Cups during his Anfield tenure, has accumulated substantial financial liabilities through his now-liquidated media enterprise.
This latest legal action arrives nearly two months following revelations about the extent of his indebtedness, with tax authorities pursuing £776,878 in unpaid VAT, National Insurance and PAYE contributions.
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The ex-winger, capped 79 times for England throughout his 19-year professional career, was prohibited from serving as a company director last year.
The liquidators' report for John Barnes Media Limited reveals total liabilities of £1,521,262, comprising the HMRC debt alongside £461,849 owed to unsecured creditors, a £226,000 directors loan, and £56,535 in liquidation expenses.
Barnes has repaid £60,000 through agreed instalments on the director's loan, according to The Telegraph.
However, liquidators expect only a modest payment to HMRC whilst unsecured creditors will receive nothing.
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The media representation firm, established by Barnes in September 2012 following his 1999 retirement, ceased operations in January 2020.
His disqualification as a director followed an Insolvency Service probe that uncovered nearly £200,000 in unpaid corporation tax and VAT obligations.
Barnes has encountered numerous financial difficulties over the past 15 years, successfully defending against several bankruptcy petitions since 2010.
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Most recently in 2023, he avoided insolvency by settling a personal tax liability exceeding £200,000, with a petition against him withdrawn that November.
His barrister Nathan Webb told the court at the time that Barnes "just" needed time to pay, noting his £200,000 salary from Liverpool Football Club meant he was "very well and able to pay".
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The former Tranmere Rovers and Jamaica manager previously described a 2009 bankruptcy order as a "tax oversight", which was subsequently overturned.
The Insolvency Service investigation revealed Barnes' company generated £441,798 in revenue between November 2018 and October 2020, yet failed to remit any tax payments during this period.
Despite filing returns indicating required VAT contributions, the firm paid nothing towards its £78,839 corporation tax liability or £115,272 VAT bill accumulated between February 2019 and 2020.
Mike Smith, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, stated: "John Barnes had a legal duty to ensure his company paid the correct amount of corporation tax and VAT. Instead, it paid no tax whatsoever between November 2018 and October 2020, despite receiving earnings of well over £400,000."
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