Former Liverpool defender’s bankruptcy fight after multi-million pound court clash with brother

Former Liverpool defender Steve Finnan is facing the threat of bankruptcy following a multi-million pound legal battle with his brother.

A bankruptcy petition was brought against Finnan, 49, over his failure to pay a five-figure sum linked to a family feud that resulted in him making older sibling Sean bankrupt in 2019.

Part of Liverpool’s legendary 2005 Champions League-winning triumph and the Republic of Ireland’s 2002 World Cup squad, Finnan has been plagued by legal strife for almost a decade since suing his brother over a failed property venture.

He was awarded £4m in a High Court settlement in 2018 but his brother failed to pay up and he instead had his sibling made bankrupt in July 2019.

He then became involved in a series of court battles with his solicitors.

One such case – an attempt to have a Charles Russell Speechlys lawyer jailed for contempt of court during a failed £6m negligence claim against the firm – ended in him being hit with a five-figure costs bill.

However, the former full-back did not pay the debt, leading to a petition to make him bankrupt at Central London County Court.

The case went to the High Court earlier this month, when Finnan tried to appeal earlier orders in the bankruptcy case, but was told by a judge that he was only “delaying” things with a “hopeless” appeal.

“I form the strong view that this appeal simply amounts to an attempt on his part to delay the final hearing of this petition for as long as possible,” said Mr Justice Mellor.

Limerick-born Finnan played in the Premier League for Fulham, Liverpool and Portsmouth, winning Champions League and FA Cup medals, as well as playing more than 50 times for his country.