Wes Brown, by the latest revelation, leads a pack of popular footballers who have run into financial problem.
The Mirror revealed on Thursday that the former Manchester United star had been declared bankrupt at the High Court. HMRC had filed a bankruptcy petition against him, on February 27 this year, with it being rubber stamped at the High Court on April 12.
Wes Brown won five Premier League titles with the Red Devils before retiring in 2018 after spells at Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers. However, the former defender is far from the first footballer to have fallen on hard times though.
For instance, just two years after helping Liverpool to win the Champions League, star fullback John Arne Riise was declared bankrupt by Liverpool Crown Court. The order was given due to an unpaid debt of £100,000. The Norwegian international had been involved in a legal dispute with his former agent over how much money had been invested.
John Riise went on to play for Roma and Fulham before retiring in 2017 following a spell back in Norway. Since his retirement, he was featured on economist Silje Sandmæl’s show, in which she helps those who have fallen on hard times.
Then there is former England international David James who was declared bankrupt in 2014 after a divorce from his wife Tanya in 2005. James had won the FA Cup with Portsmouth during his career, as well as modelling for Armani. David was estimated to have earned £20m from his football career, but nine years ago was left struggling to pay off debts.
David was forced to sell hundreds of items of football memorabilia collected during his career, including signed shirts, shorts and match balls.
There was also Emmanuel Eboue who enjoyed a successful career at Arsenal and Galatasaray, winning two League Cups and three Turkish Super Ligs. But he ran into problems amid bad investments.
He revealed in 2018 that he had to go to his local pub to watch Arsenal as he could not afford his subscription to Sky.
He told The Mirror in 2018: “I sat, I took a beer and I watched the game. But I kept my hood over my head and I hardly raised it because I knew that the Arsenal fans would recognise me.”
And Aston Villa keeper, Brad Friedel, was declared bankrupt by Macclessfield County Court in 2011 with debts of almost £5m. Repossession proceedings also began on a £260,000 house in Ohio belonging to the former US international.
He ran into trouble after ambitious plans to set up a football academy failed. He opened the Premier Soccer Academy in 2007, but it ran into trouble.