A former Blackburn Rovers player has declared bankruptcy after racking up almost £200,000 in debt.

Danny Guthrie had borrowed £75,000 from a friend to help him pay his household expenses, as well as racking up £120,000 in gambling debts, a statement from The Insolvency Service said.

Having promised to repay his friend the £75k with funds raised from selling a property, Guthrie received £160,000 in equity from the property, but instead chose to repay his gambling debts.

Guthrie played for Rovers from 2015 to 2017, making 40 appearances in the Championship across two seasons at Ewood Park before being moved on to a team in Indonesia.

Having started his career at Liverpool, he went on to play in the Premier League for Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United and Reading, as well as other teams in the Football League pyramid, including Southampton and Fulham and Walsall, finishing his career playing in the Icelandic second division last year where his Fram side won the league.

On May 18 this year, his Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking, an order which is given if someone is bankrupt and the receiver thinks you’ve been dishonest or to blame for your debts, was accepted by the Secretary of State and will run until May 2028.

A statement from The Insolvency Service said: “In May 2019, Danny Guthrie borrowed £75,000 from a friend to help him pay his household expenses, promising to repay the loan with funds raised from selling a property.

“However, prior to selling the property Guthrie racked up gambling debts of £120,000.

“When he eventually sold the property in August 2020, receiving just over £160,000 in equity, he chose to repay his gambling debts ahead of other creditors by making several cash withdrawals despite knowing he was insolvent.”

The statement continued: “Danny Guthrie accepted a six-year bankruptcy undertaking, which runs until May 2028.

“As a result, he is under a number of restrictions, including not being able to borrow more than £500 without disclosing his bankrupt status, and he cannot act as a company director without the court’s permission.”

Kevin Read, Official Receiver at the Insolvency Service, said: “Danny Guthrie’s actions were deliberate in dissipating assets, at a time he was already insolvent, and to the loss of his creditors.

“This extension of bankruptcy restrictions should serve as a warning that the Insolvency Service will take action to tackle such financial wrongdoing.”