A former Premier League star who as soon as earned £40,000 every week has admitted he has been unable to take out a telephone contract after being declared bankrupt.
Former West Ham captain Lucas Neill is a recognisable determine to English soccer followers having spent nearly all of his skilled profession within the Premier League.
He later loved spells at Turkish giants Galatasaray and UAE golf equipment Al Jazira and Al Wasl earlier than retiring in 2014 after a brief spell at Watford.
On the top of his profession as West Ham captain, Neill earned £40,000 every week and drove a Ferrari.
However he’s now being pressured to reside in rented lodging after shedding his fortune, The Sunday Occasions has reported.
Neill has now opened up on the nightmare monetary and authorized battle that noticed him dealing with three years in jail over allegations he hid cash from collectors after being declared bankrupt.
Final week, a jury at Preston Crown Courtroom took 26 minutes to acquit him of the costs.
“Behind my chair within the dock have been stairs going to the cells,” he informed The Sunday Occasions.
Neil mentioned his “all-time low” got here when he needed to attend a gathering with an insolvency service in 2016.
“It was the realisation that after 20 years of a soccer profession and all this difficult work, I’ve obtained nothing to point out for it,” he mentioned.
“I really feel like I did not defend my household… and that hurts. I let my household down.”
Because of the insolvency service’s extended investigation into Neill, he was left bankrupt for seven years – stopping him from proudly owning his own residence, and even taking out a cell phone contract.
“There have been some actually humiliating moments,” he added.
“Like at 7.55am on a college morning, my youngsters reply the door to bailiffs attempting to say a council tax invoice for £400.”
Neill is now rebuilding his life, teaching ladies and women soccer and dealing as a undertaking supervisor for a neighborhood digital agency.
“I do not care about fame, or luxurious. I simply need to survive with my household and that is it. Now we have our personal definition of happiness,” he mentioned.
“It won’t be your definition, but it surely’s mine. Would we be happier with extra selection? In fact, however we do not complain. We have one another.”
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