John Barnes banned as company director over taxes

John Barnes will be unable to act as a company director for three years

Ex-Liverpool and England star John Barnes has been banned from acting as a company director after his business failed to pay £190,000 in taxes.

Barnes, 60, was the only listed director of "media representation" firm John Barnes Media Ltd, which went into liquidation in 2023.

The Insolvency Service began investigating the firm and found that between November 2018 and October 2020 it had paid no tax at all despite a turnover of £441,798.

Barnes has now signed a disqualification undertaking which bans him from acting as a director for three-and-a-half years, starting from 24 April.

John Barnes' company owed £190,000 to HMRC

The undertaking prevents him from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without special permission from the courts.

Mike Smith, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said Barnes had a "legal duty" to ensure his company was paying the correct corporation tax and VAT.

"Individuals and businesses not paying the tax they should deprives the government of the funding it needs to provide vital public services and investment in areas such as schools, hospitals and roads," he said.

HM Revenue and Customs was the company's only creditor when it folded.

The Insolvency Service calculated that John Barnes Media, based in West Byfleet, Surrey, failed to pay £78,839 in corporation tax and £115,272 in VAT.

In November, 2023, a judge dismissed a bankruptcy petition brought by HMRC against Mr Barnes after officials told a court he had paid a debt.

Barnes also played for Watford and Newcastle.

He won 79 England caps between 1983 and 1995 and was head coach at Celtic after ending his playing career.

In November 2022, Liverpool FC said Barnes, who works as a television pundit, had been appointed as a club ambassador - a role that would see him "represent the Reds at home and abroad".

He has been contacted for comment.