adminFormer England goalkeeper David James has been forced into auctioning signed shirts, shorts and match balls after being declared bankrupt in May.
James has built up crippling debts after breaking up with his wife Tanya in 2005 and is said to have blown his £20million fortune which came from his football wages, endorsements and modelling contracts for companies such as Armani.
The 44-year-old played in the Premier League for teams such as Liverpool, Manchester City and Portsmouth and has recently came out of retirement to become a player-manager at Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters.
Until the revelations, no-one inside the James circle was aware of the desperate financial situation that forced him to Hertford County Court.
The former England keeper has written a regular column for The Observer and has always donated his fee to charity. He also owned a house in Dubai at the time of a credit crisis, which was part of his seven-strong property portfolio.
He has also worked as a pundit for BT Sport.
James split up with his wife to rekindle a relationship with childhood sweetheart Amanda Salmon, and they have been together for nearly a decade. He was forced to pay Tanya £3m as part of the divorce settlement.
His PR team have refused to comment about the bankruptcy.
James has decided to sell around 150 items of signed merchandise through Kent-based auctioneer Hilco.
A 1998-1999 multicoloured Port Vale FC goalkeeper shirt — which he would have swapped with former Manchester United trainee Kevin Pilkington – (left) and a signed Frank Lampard shirt is also available to buy.
James will auction the pink goalkeeper strip he had previously worn against Chelsea in the 2010 FA Cup final and the yellow England jersey he wore against Germany at the 2010 World Cup
He is also selling a Technics SL-1200 Turntable — this series of music player is no longer manufactured.
A petrol driven chainsaw is also up for grabs as James auctions off many of his possessions.
The public will be able to bid for items, which range from football memorabilia to DJ equipment and toys, from November 6 to 18.
A signed Frank Lampard shirt, a bright pink Portsmouth goalkeeper top, a Malawi shirt and a NFL jersey are among the 150 items.
James has even put up for auction shirts worn by Chelsea’s Petr Cech in the 2010 FA Cup final against Portsmouth, a Holland jersey he swapped with Edwin van der Sar and a Michael Owen No 10 kit with ‘best wishes’ penned across it. — Daily Mail.
Online Reporter