England and Liverpool legend John Barnes racks up debts of £1.5m
The debts include £776,878 in unpaid VAT, NI and PAYE to the taxman, £461,849 to unsecured creditors, a director's loan worth £226,000, and liquidator's costs amounting to £56,535. The football legend has managed to repay £60,000 after agreeing to pay back the director's loan in instalments.
However, the latest report warns that only a "small distribution" towards the tax bill will be paid, while "no funds" will be available to pay unsecured creditors. John Barnes Media Limited went into liquidation in 2023 due to unpaid taxes.
Barnes, now 61, was banned from acting as a company director for three-and-a-half years last year. This followed his media firm's failure to pay £190,000 in VAT and corporation tax.
An investigation by the Insolvency Service, which began in September 2023, found that the company failed to pay £78,839 in corporation tax between August 2018 and January 2020, reports the Mirror.
The company also failed to pay £115,272 in VAT between February 2019 and 2020. During this period, the company's turnover was £441,798 and the company filing returns outlined what VAT payments should have been made.
A statement from the Insolvency Service read: "The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from Barnes. His ban started on Wednesday 24 April."
Barnes, an ex-England star with 79 caps and previous stints at Watford and Newcastle United, established his company back in September 2012 and served as its only director.
When caught up with by the Mirror at his Heswall residence on the Wirral, Barnes declined to comment.
His financial troubles are not new; reports show he's faced six different bankruptcy petitions since 2010.
He previously shared in 2009: "I don't like dealing with taxes, of course. I just hate not having enough money. Apart from that, I don't like dealing with bills and never have done.
"I let my wife Andrea deal with them. I don't even like opening them."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
16 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Liverpool make surprise decision over Alexander Isak pursuit after Newcastle bid rejected
The Premier League champions believe the swiftness and clarity of Newcastle's response means it would be futile to up their club record offer for the striker. Liverpool, who had made an inquiry for the 25-year-old last month, stepped up their interest in the Newcastle top scorer as they looked to take their summer spending up towards €460m (£400m). But the Carabao Cup winners had long maintained their top scorer was not for sale and they immediately rebuffed turned Liverpool's bid down. Isak had told them he wanted to explore the possibility of a move, leading manager Eddie Howe to omit him from Newcastle's friendly defeat to Celtic because of the speculation and admit the forward's future was out of his hands. The Sweden international is missing United's pre-season tour of Asia with what the club called a minor thigh injury and has trained with his former club Real Sociedad this week in an attempt to regain fitness. Liverpool are determined to be ambitious in their recruitment and head coach Arne Slot has said they will target high-quality players. They have already bought one striker, Hugo Ekitike, for €79m this summer, purchasing a player Newcastle had tried to purchase, as well as the €114m club record buy Florian Wirtz and full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong. However, they also sold winger Luis Diaz, who spent some of last season operating as a centre-forward, to Bayern Munich this week for €75m and there could be further departures among attackers, with doubts about the futures of Federico Chiesa and Darwin Nunez. Newcastle have not got a ready-made replacement for Isak and, after Callum Wilson left the club, have fewer strikers than they did last season. Howe has been frustrated in his attempts to buy a host of other forwards, including Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Bryan Mbeumo but while Newcastle are interested in Brentford's Yoane Wissa, they are yet to conclude a deal for him, while their only major signing this transfer window is winger Anthony Elanga. Isak scored 23 Premier League goals for Newcastle last season as well as a Carabao Cup final strike against Liverpool. He has three years left on his contract at Newcastle but is now unlikely to sign an extension.
Irish Examiner
16 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Liverpool willing to walk away after Newcastle reject £110m bid for Alexander Isak
Liverpool have had a £110m bid for Alexander Isak rejected by Newcastle and do not intend to submit a second offer for the striker in this transfer window. Despite long-held interest in the Sweden international and his desire to move to Merseyside, Liverpool's first formal offer came in under the £120m suggested when Richard Hughes, sporting director at Anfield, made an informal enquiry over Isak's availability a fortnight ago. Newcastle value their prized asset at £150m, a British transfer-record sum, but are reluctant to sell the 25-year-old, who was the second highest goalscorer in the Premier League last season behind Mohamed Salah. Given how swiftly Newcastle rejected their offer, Liverpool consider it futile to return with a second bid before the transfer window closes on 1 September. Their offer of £110m for the want-away player remains on the table. Liverpool were encouraged to step up their pursuit by Isak's stance following Hughes' enquiry and the player's representatives. The club have spent almost £300m so far this summer, including a £79m deal to sign Newcastle target Hugo Ekitiké. But with £190m recouped in sales since Hughes arrived in June 2024, plus healthy revenues from their title triumph and return to the Champions League, Liverpool are in a position to test Newcastle's resolve to keep Isak. Their current transfer record is the £100m paid to Bayer Leverkusen for Florian Wirtz in June. That could rise to a British transfer record of £116m with add-ons. Isak did not travel on Newcastle's pre-season tour of Asia. The club attributed his absence to a minor thigh injury but the player informed them that he wishes to explore his options this summer, with Liverpool his preferred destination, and has been training at former club Real Sociedad this week. It is unclear whether Isak had Newcastle's permission to do so. There has also been no progress on a new and improved contract. Isak, signed from Sociedad for around £60m in 2022, has three years remaining on his contract at St James' Park. Newcastle have maintained that the forward is not for sale but have been attempting to sign other top-level strikers this summer, so far without success. Whether a breakthrough in Newcastle's striker search softens their stance on Isak remains to be seen. Eddie Howe and his nephew, Andy Howe, have been overseeing the club's recruitment this summer after Paul Mitchell stepped down as sporting director and with chief executive Darren Eales due to leave on health grounds. As well as Ekitiké, Newcastle have missed out on strikers Liam Delap, João Pedro and Bryan Mbeumo, along with goalkeeper James Trafford, who rejoined Manchester City. RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko is a target but Newcastle face competition from Manchester United for the 6ft 5in Slovenian, while Brentford have rejected their opening offer for Yoane Wissa. Guardian
Irish Times
20 hours ago
- Irish Times
Newcastle reject Liverpool bid for Alexander Isak
Newcastle have rejected a formal bid from Liverpool to sign Alexander Isak, with the Premier League champions' offer way below their £150 million (€173 million) valuation of the forward. Liverpool's first official offer for the Sweden international is believed to have been for less than the £120 million (€138 million) suggested when Richard Hughes, sporting director at Anfield, made an informal inquiry a fortnight ago. Newcastle value their prized asset at a British transfer record £150 million and remain reluctant to sell the 25-year-old. Isak's stance since Hughes' inquiry, however, has encouraged Liverpool to step up their pursuit of the player. The club have spent almost £300 million (€345 million) so far this summer, including a £79 million (€91 million) deal to sign long-time Newcastle target Hugo Ekitiké. But with £190 million (€219 million) recouped in sales since Hughes arrived in June 2024, plus healthy revenues from their title triumph and return to the Champions League , Liverpool are in a position to break their transfer record for a second time this summer after signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial £100 million (€115 million) in June. Isak did not travel on Newcastle's preseason tour of Asia. Newcastle attributed his absence to a minor thigh injury, but the striker has also informed the club that he wishes to explore his options this summer and has been training at former club Real Sociedad this week. There has also been no progress on a new contract for Isak at Newcastle. READ MORE Isak, signed from Sociedad for £60 million (€69 million) in 2022, still has three years remaining on his contract at St James' Park. Newcastle have insisted he is not for sale but have been attempting to sign other top-level strikers this summer, so far without success. – Guardian
