Colin Hendry faces ruin over gambling debts

• zocoss

  19 Mar 10, 19:42

  Colin Hendry faces ruin over gambling debt as he is forced to sell home

   

  

  Colin Hendry and his late wife Denise. The former Scottish international footballer has run up huge gambling debts

   

  Colin Hendry faces financial ruin over massive internet gambling debts, it emerged on Thursday. The former international footballer and ex-Blackburn player is to suffer fresh anguish after the death of his wife from complications caused by botched plastic surgery.

  Spreadex, an online sports betting firm, has filed a bankruptcy petition against the former Scotland World Cup captain at Blackpool County Court. He is understood to owe the company £35,000.

  Yesterday the extent of Hendry's financial freefall was revealed - as he was forced to accept an undisclosed bid for his £1.7million Georgian home on the seafront at Lytham St Annes, Lancashire.

  It is understood there is an outstanding re-mortgage debt of nearly £1million on the house, which he bought outright for £750,000 in 2001.

  Hendry's legal advisers hinted the taxman was 'circling' for an Inland Revenue bill which friends estimate may be as high as £800,000.

   

  

  Hector McFarlane (far left) at the funeral of Denise Hendry last year

   

   

  And Blackburn County Court has ordered him to pay more than £90,000 to his former friend and neighbour, businessman Hector McFarlane.

  Hendry does not dispute that he owes Mr McFarlane, 61, the money and accepts the debt. But it was the legal dispute over the original loan of £85,000 that revealed Hendry's financial 'house of cards'.

  He has been sinking in a sea of debt since the tragic death last year of his wife Denise, 44. The mother of four had suffered serious ill health since 2002 after a botched 'tummy tuck' operation.

  She underwent a series of operations but died from a brain infection.
  Until yesterday, Hendry's friends claimed he had been left penniless because his devotion to his wife had prevented him from working.  

  They said they were surprised by the gambling revelation. One said: 'Obviously Colin has always loved football but we never realised how much money he was gambling on the sport.'

  'It is so easy running up a gambling account when you are big name or putting on bets via the internet.

  It is understood Spreadex launched the bankruptcy action, scheduled for April 6, after Mr Hendry defaulted on an arrangement to pay off his debt with them.

   

  

  Colin Hendry on international duty before his retirement. He is said to bet heavily on football

   

  Speaking from Thailand, where he is staying with wife Williamina, 59, Mr McFarlane said: 'My wife and I will probably get about 3 per cent  -  the average payout for creditors in bankruptcy - of money we had saved for our retirement.

  'The big question is where did his money go? He earned all that money as a player and then got £300,000 in compensation for what happened to Denise.

  'Colin also took my money and I know that he borrowed from others.'

  Hendry declined to comment.