Major BBC Match of the Day pundit loses £5m fortune as he admits 'shame'

Major BBC Match of the Day pundit loses £5m fortune as he admits 'shame'

The former international has spoken candidly about losing an eye-watering sum of money

Danny Murphy, right, on the BBC alongside Alan Shearer (Image: BBC)

Match of the Day pundit and former England international Danny Murphy has revealed he lost as much as £5million through disastrous investments during his playing career – and says the fallout left him struggling with shame, depression and addiction.

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The ex-Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder, now a regular on the BBC highlights show, is one of 11 retired professionals behind the V11 campaign group. All invested in schemes linked to Kingsbridge Asset Management during the 1990s and 2000s, with hundreds of footballers believed to have been affected.

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Speaking in a new BBC documentary, Football’s Financial Shame: The Story of the V11, Murphy described how money he had worked for across a 20-year career was wiped out.

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“I’ve lost four, maybe five million pounds,” the 48-year-old admitted.

“The financial abuse I’ve suffered has caused monumental problems.

"It’s the shame, embarrassment and guilt of getting yourself in a position that you think you’re better than.”

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Murphy is among those now being pursued for millions more in unpaid tax, despite players being told they were the victims of crime.

High-profile names such as Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney have also been caught up in similar schemes.

The former midfielder, who lifted the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup with Liverpool, has previously spoken about how financial collapse coincided with the end of his playing days.

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After retiring in 2013, he spiralled into a period of heavy drinking, drug use and gambling as he struggled to cope.

“The realisation I wouldn’t play football again, combined with the loss of most of my savings, left me suffering from depression,” he previously wrote in the Daily Mail.

“During the dark days, which lasted a year, I indulged in drink, drugs and gambling. My marriage broke down, I fell out with my brothers and friends and became really isolated.”

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Murphy eventually sought therapy and support from family, which he credits with helping him turn his life around.

But he says many other former players have not been as fortunate, with some driven to bankruptcy or worse.

The V11 campaign continues to lobby for greater protection for players and tougher scrutiny of financial advisers operating within football.

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