Debts could cost widowed Colin Hendry his home

FORMER Scotland football star Colin Hendry could be forced to move out of his family home after running up gambling debts.

The father of four, whose wife Denise died last year after complications from botched plastic surgery, faces a bankruptcy petition by online spread betting company Spreadex. He is reported to owe it 35,000.

Hendry, 45,who was capped 51 times, lives in a 1.7 million Georgian seafront home in Lytham, Lancashire.

A friend of the family said: "Colin is working against the clock to satisfy his creditors. His only thoughts are for his children."

"He has spent virtually five years out of work looking after Denise and this is all catching up. However, the spread betting issue is a cause for concern, as they have issued the petition against him after repayment offers have fallen through."

A sale of the Lytham property, where Hendry and his wife raised their children, is expected to raise enough capital to allow him to apply for an Individual Voluntary Arrangement, under which bankruptcy could be avoided if a majority of his creditors agreed to a repayment plan. It would mean Hendry agreeing to repay each creditor at least 20 per cent of what he owed them.

The former Blackburn Rovers and Rangers star already faces a claim from former neighbour Hector McFarlane, 61, who says Hendry owes him 85,000. He says the money was offered as a short-term loan but that Hendry failed to offer security as promised.

Mr McFarlane has submitted a Request for Judgment at Blackburn County Court. He said: "We've been left with no choice. We've never actually asked Colin for our money back. We wanted him to put a charge on his house to secure the loan, but it never happened.

"We never had any option but to take legal action, because Colin stopped all contact – he wouldn't talk to us.

"They were our friends and Denise was very special to us. We feel very sad about the situation, but we were given false promises and feel betrayed."

Mr McFarlane went on: "We don't think we are going to get our money back. Legally, we could apply for bailiffs to go into his house and take property, but we don't want to do that.

"I'm 61 and my wife is 59, we are never going to make that money again."

Hendry is also believed have a large outstanding mortgage debt on his family home.

The former footballer did not return calls from The Scotsman.

HIGHS AND LOWS

• 1983: Begins professional career at Dundee

• 1987: Joins Blackburn Rovers as a defender.

• 1989: Joins Manchester City, where he is named Player of the Year – but falls out of manager Peter Reid's plans for the team

• 1990: Returns to Blackburn Rovers and wins the English Premiership in 1995.

• 1998: Back to Scotland for Rangers – but is not manager Dick Advocaat's 'type'

• 1998: Captains Scotland in the World Cup

• 2001: Plays his last international game, which ends with a six-match ban after he is accused of elbowing a San Marino player.

• June 2004: Appointed manager of Blackpool but is sacked in November 2005.

• June 2007: Becomes manager of Scottish First Division Clyde, but resigns in January 2008 because of his wife's illness.