Veteran Owls star made bankrupt

Jermaine Johnson, who also previously played for Bradford City, was declared bankrupt at Sheffield County Court over a debt owed to the taxman.

The amount involved was not disclosed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) yesterday. HMRC initially petitioned for Johnson’s bankruptcy on May 24 and the court granted the order on September 4.

Sheffield Wednesday declined to comment and said Johnson would also not be commenting. The winger has played more than 200 times for the club since signing from Bradford in 2007, including 13 appearances this season.

A spokeswoman for HMRC said: “For legal reasons, HMRC does not comment on the tax affairs of individuals. Our aim is not to bankrupt individuals but to collect, as efficiently as we can, the debts that are due and to prevent any situation deteriorating further, using the range of powers available to us.

“HMRC only initiates bankruptcy action where it believes this is the best course of action to protect the interests of the Exchequer, in respect of a particular debt.”