Former Scottish Football Captain’s Gambling Debts Mount

DESPERATE Colin Hendry begged a friend to lend him thousands of pounds telling him the "vultures are circling".

In an email to Hector MacFarlane, written five months before Hendry's wife Denise died, the former Scotland football star said his "cash ow was zero" because he was not working.

He asked the long-time pal and neighbour - who was a pallbearer at Denise's funeral - to lend him £50,000 which would be paid back over six months.

But Hector, 61, and wife Williamina have not been given any of the money plus further loans back.

They have now taken out an order on Hendry at Blackburn County Court to try to reclaim £85,000 they say they loaned him plus £5000 legal fees.

ey are at the head of a line of creditors chasing the former Blackburn and Rangers player for money. ey include online gambling rm Spreadex who are owed £35,000. Hendry's email, which was sent in February last year, said: "Big Man. I'm in a bit of bother, Hec. Cas ow is zero and the vultures are circling. Only because I am not working, no income as such.

"So if you're serious about helping me for a bit I sure could be doing with it, pal."

Hendry then opened his heart, saying Denise - who later died from complications caused by botched plastic surgery - was "down" and that he knew he could rely on his friend to honour his o er of a loan.

He was not working because of his devotion to Denise.

He wrote: "Trouble is, Hec, I cannot trust anybody, and aside from that Den has been very down recently. And I do not help her cause of e/thing that is going on around.

"Hope you don't think I am talking out of turn. But when I talk to someone and they say I'll do this, I'll do that, I cannot take them seriously."

Hendry, 45, signed o using his nickname "Braveheart".

Last night, Williamina insisted that while they knew the former Scotland skipper enjoyed gambling, they had no idea of the extent of his debts.

She added: "Denise told me about Colin's latenight sessions in his office which he had moved to the basement of their home. She said he was spending all his time down there.

"Later, we were told by friends about Colin's basement, that he had a computer linked to internet gambling sites. We were aware he was gambling but had no idea that it was so much.

"Later on, after we'd lent him the money, we were told he was totally hooked and bet on almost anything - for example, which football team would get the next corner.

"We were shocked to be described as ruthless when we asked Colin to secure our loan to him on his house, as promised."

Hector added: "We are not going to send the bailiffs around against Colin. But he should not round on his friends when, deep down, he knows who really is the source of his own problems."

Denise died last July after su ering a brain haemorrhage fol lowing a botched liposuction treatment seven years earlier.

She won £300,000 compensation but a further operation to repair the damage also went wrong, leaving her on a ventilator.

The footballer, who won 51 caps, still lives in their £1.7million home in Lytham, Lancashi re, but he could be forced to sell it to settle his debts.

Hendry was unavailable for comment last night.

Source:  Sunday Daily Mail