CRAIG BELLAMY has likened his journey toward bankruptcy to “being on death row” after opening up on his troubles.
The Welsh Prem legend earned fortunes playing for the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle and West Ham during his decorated career.
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But a series of bad investments, including his property company CBD Developments, racked up huge debts.
After officially being declared bankrupt, Bellamy, now assistant manager to former City team-mate Vincent Kompany at Burnley, has opened up to the Mail about his battle.
He said: “I have been living the last five or six years on Death Row, just waiting for someone to put me out.
“I have been waiting for the cell door to open and someone to say: ‘Today’s the day’. It’s like the feeling of not being able to look forward to anything.
“All the money I’ve earned, I can’t get a mortgage. Financially, I have no future. The hurt of that. I can’t own anything. Everything’s gone.
“My life has been on hold. I’m not a tax dodger but I have been very naive and the HMRC have been pursuing me for unpaid tax for some time.
“Everything I have had has been taken from me. If you get the wrong people advising you, it all haemorrhages, it all dwindles. It has got to the point where bankruptcy is a relief. It means I can just live again.”
Many former footballers have struggled with addiction beyond their playing careers – but that hasn’t been the case for Bellamy.
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He added: “I know some people will probably think I have squandered all my money on drinking or gambling or drugs. I haven’t. I can go quiet where you won’t hear from me but I won’t be down the pub.
“I have never touched drugs since I was a young kid. I don’t gamble. I have never gambled. It doesn’t make any sense to me. But I have gambled on people unfortunately.”
A former adviser of Bellamy’s was investigated by cops when issues were raised regarding the way 43-year-old’s finances had been handled.
No one was ever charged as it was deemed “not in the public interest – and Bellamy now wants to warn today’s young footballers about the potential pitfalls of trusting the wrong people.
He continued: “I want this to be a warning to other players. Check everything, make sure the people advising you are regulated. If they are not regulated, it’s the Wild West.”
Amid his financial struggled Bellamy has admirably gotten his coaching career up and running – and has played his part in Burnley’s outstanding first season under pal Kompany.
Top of the table Clarets have 84 points after 38 games, having lost just TWICE in a league known for its unpredictability.
Their remarkable campaign has seen Kompany emerge as a contender for the Tottenham job – with Bellamy surely likely to join the Belgian in North London if he does make the switch.
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