A former Manchester City and Chelsea star is reportedly at risk of financial ruin after being hit with a bankruptcy petition by HM Revenue and Customs. Shaun Wright-Phillips, who made 315 Premier League appearances during his playing days, had the petition lodged against him at the High Court on Friday, according to The Telegraph.
The petition comes as HMRC - the UK’s tax, payments, and customs authority - takes legal action over unpaid debts owed by an individual or business. Despite earning £60,000-per-week at the peak of his career, and earning 36 England caps, including a spot in the 2010 World Cup squad, the 43-year-old now faces a period of serious financial uncertainty.
According to a Daily Mail source: "Shaun is not aware of this and matters are already with his accountant, who is fully versed in Shaun’s affairs. He is currently out of the country and the matter will be strenuously contested on his return."
Shaun Wright-Phillips Faces Bankruptcy
Five of his six companies have already been dissolved
Shaun Wright-Phillips training
Wright-Phillips has a history of failed business ventures, including Maison d'IF, a luxury handbag retailer based in Mayfair that he established in July 2020. The business collapsed shortly after filing annual accounts showing net liabilities exceeding £200,000 for the year ending 30 June 2022.
Furthermore, his record on Companies House - listed under the name Shaun Cameron Wright-Phillips - shows involvement with six companies in total, five of which have been dissolved. The most recent of those, VisionPro Sports Europe, was dissolved in 2018. He is currently the director of SWP29, a 'public relations and communications activities' business incorporated in January 2023.
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Heskey played for the likes of Liverpool and Aston Villa, and also represented England on 62 occasions.
By the end of its first year, the company owed £103,894 to creditors, though it was also owed £102,268. Sadly, the current Manchester City ambassador is just one of many former professionals now facing uncertain financial futures. His former City teammate, Trevor Sinclair, was declared bankrupt earlier this month over a £36,000 tax debt related to punditry work during the 2021-22 tax year.
A judge accused Sinclair, now coaching the Jamaica national team, of "burying his head in the sand" over the debt. The 52-year-old was declared bankrupt after failing to appear in court, with the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Chris Sutton, and David James having all been in similar predicaments themselves in the past.