Colin Hendry (the Legend) - from bad to worse

Colin Hendry faces financial ruin over massive internet gambling debts, it emerged yesterday.
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.



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.
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.

It's a sad to hear about him ending up this way, really liked him as a footballer

He's a really decent chap to ... he was our unoffical club captain but never took the job because, i dunno why really ... he just wanted to be an average - play your heart out - Joe, I suppose?

Complete legend round these parts ...

Wrong thread....oops