Ex-England World Cup star Trevor Sinclair declared bankrupt over £36k tax bill

Daily Mirror

13-06-2025

Former England international Trevor Sinclair was not in court as he was judged to be bankrupt after failing to come to an arrangement to pay a debt of more than £36,000
Former England international Trevor Sinclair has been declared bankrupt after racking up a debt of more than £36,000. The 52-year-old failed to pay taxes and penalties that he owed.
The ex-Premier League ace 's debt related to punditry work undertaken in the 2021/22 tax year and was previously handed extra time to come up with a solution. But he did not turn up to court on Thursday after failing to come up with the money or offer an alternative proposal.
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Judge Caroline Wilkinson said HMRC had not heard from the former QPR, West Ham and Manchester City player. That lack of contact saw the conclusion that he is 'unable to pay his debts as they fall due', report the Independent.
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A judge in April, at the Central London County Court, heard Sinclair owed the money after his accountant passed away. The figure emerged in relation to two sums that totalled more than £13,000 in addition to outstanding National Insurance and penalty payments.
HMRC had wanted a bankruptcy order on that occasion but the case was adjourned to give him longer to pay the bill. Lawyer Robert Lee told the court at that time that Sinclair was conducting media work and was "currently in receipt of a job offer in Saudi Arabia".
Lee said that his client's debt arose due to an error that saw Sinclair "being considered self-employed when he ought not to have been".
But the HMRC lawyer revealed on Thursday that Sinclair had again failed to make contract and asked the judge to confirm their bankruptcy petition. The case was initially paused to offer the opportunity for Sinclair to enter an 'individual voluntary arrangement' rather than bankruptcy.
Judge Wilkinson said: "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 started his career at Blackpool before the Seasiders earned a record fee from QPR in 1993 to move to the Premier League. In 1997, Sinclair earned the goal of the season award for an impressive bicycle kick from outside of the box.
In 1994, the Republic of Ireland attempted to call up Sinclair ahead of the World Cup in the United States but he was unable to feature for his mother's homeland having already represented the Three Lions at under-21s level. It wasn't until 2001 that he earned an England cap and ultimately four of his 12 outings came during the 2002 World Cup and impressed for the Three Lions on the left.