Ex-Liverpool star John Barnes owes £238,000 tax, judge told

Tax officials have lodged a bankruptcy petition against the former England footballer and a judge considered the case at a hearing on Wednesday.

Former Watford, Liverpool and England footballer John Barnes is the subject of a bankruptcy petition (Jacob King/PA) (PA Media)

Tax officials have lodged a bankruptcy petition against former Liverpool and England footballer John Barnes.

A judge considered Barnes’ case at a hearing in a specialist court in London on Wednesday.

Judge Catherine Burton was told, by a HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) official, that Barnes owed £238,000.

She made no orders and said the case would be reconsidered on November 29.

Mr Barnes is very well and able to pay

Nathan Webb

Barnes was not at the hearing.

Barrister Nathan Webb, who represented Barnes, told the judge that his client “just” needed time to pay and asked for an adjournment.

He said Barnes was employed by Liverpool Football Club “on a salary of£200,000”.

“Mr Barnes is very well and able to pay,” Mr Webb told Judge Burton on Wednesday.

“He just requires a bit of time.”

Another judge had dismissed another bankruptcy petition lodged by tax officials against Barnes in June.

HMRC officials had indicated, during that earlier litigation, that Barnes had owed at least £200,000.

They had told a judge that money owed had been paid.

Barnes, 59, played for Watford, Liverpool and Newcastle.

He also won 79 England caps between 1983 and 1995 and was head coach at Celtic after ending his playing career.

Judge Burton oversaw a hearing in the Insolvency & Companies Court.

In November, Liverpool said, in a statement on the club website, that Barnes had been appointed as a “club ambassador” – a role that would “see him represent the Reds at home and abroad”.