A former England international is facing a bankruptcy order from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) over an unpaid tax bill amounting to £36,000. The individual, Trevor Sinclair, aged 52, enjoyed a successful Premier League career, playing for clubs such as Queens Park Rangers, West Ham, and Manchester City, before transitioning into a media career as a regular pundit on television and radio.

Sinclair's media career, however, faced setbacks when he was dismissed by the BBC in 2018. He also parted ways with talkSPORT following a controversial social media post regarding the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Now, he is in a legal dispute with HMRC, with Judge Caroline Wilkinson urging him to face the matter directly, stating, "No more head in the sand."

The Central London County Court heard that Sinclair's tax issues arose after the death of his accountant. The unpaid amount relates to the 2021/22 tax year and includes two substantial sums, along with outstanding National Insurance contributions and penalty charges.

Representing HMRC, Shabab Rizvi informed Judge Wilkinson that HMRC is pursuing a bankruptcy order due to a lack of communication from Sinclair since a "breathing space order" concluded. Rizvi argued that as a former Premier League footballer, Sinclair should possess the financial means to settle the debt but has failed to engage with HMRC.

Robert Lee, representing Sinclair, requested a delay in the order to allow Sinclair additional time to gather the funds, attributing his financial difficulties to his accountant's death. Lee stated that Sinclair had a job offer in Saudi Arabia, seemingly to resolve his financial situation. The court granted a two-month adjournment to allow Sinclair time to organize and pay the outstanding amount, which reportedly includes two significant tax debts of approximately £13,000 each, in addition to the unpaid National Insurance and penalty payments.

Sinclair's career saw him capped 12 times for England and, more recently, he has been the assistant coach for the India national team since January 2025. His career as a pundit diminished after he questioned why "black and brown people" should mourn the Queen's death. Although he later deleted the post and apologized, he only made one further appearance on talkSPORT. His role with the BBC, which he began in 2015 following seven years of retirement, ended in 2018 after he injured a woman while driving under the influence.

This case highlights the financial challenges that some professional athletes face after retirement, even those who earned substantial incomes during their playing careers. A recent report indicates that a significant percentage of former Premier League players face bankruptcy within a few years of retiring, often due to issues with tax planning schemes or difficulty managing their finances after their high-earning years conclude.