A former Liverpool player, who was part of the 2005 Champions League-winning team under Rafael Benitez, is in danger of becoming bankrupt. The night in Istanbul, Turkey, a little more than two decades ago, is still remembered as perhaps the greatest final in European club football history, with the Reds fighting back from a 3-0 halftime deficit against AC Milan to win on penalties.
Steven Gerrard was hailed for delivering the rallying speech on that miraculous night, and the performances of himself, goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, and Xabi Alonso became folklore. But despite how significant their fifth European Cup triumph proved to be, time has not been quite as kind to one of the players involved.
Considered one of the greatest right-backs in Premier League history, Steve Finnan remains the only man to have played in the Conference, League Two, League One, the Championship, the Premier League, the UEFA Cup, the Champions League, and the World Cup. But a decade-long legal battle has taken a heavy toll on him in life after football.
Former Champions League-Winning Liverpool Star Facing Bankruptcy
Finnan, who was ultra-reliable during his eight-year spell at Anfield where he also won an FA Cup, ended up embroiled in almost a decade of legal strife after getting involved in a disastrous property business with his brother, Sean. After he became concerned about the way the business was being run around 2016, he sued Sean, before eventually securing a £4m settlement at the High Court in 2018.
But the footballer did not get his money, instead having his brother made bankrupt in July 2019, before getting involved in a series of court fights 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 facing a five-figure costs bill, according to The Independent.
He is yet to pay that back, and the former Ireland international is now facing a petition to make him bankrupt at Central London County Court as a result. The retired full-back has attempted to appeal the orders, but a judge has branded the bid “hopeless” just to add insult to injury.
Mr Justice Mellor said: “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.” A return court date has not currently been set, but he reportedly owes less than £50,000.
According to the Daily Mail, in an effort to cover his extensive court costs, Finnan sold his 2005 Champions League winner’s medal for at least £12,000, as well as his match-worn shirts in 2020. Needless to say, this has not worked out as intended, and he looks set to join a number of former footballers hit with bankruptcy, which includes eight former England internationals.
