Footballer’s firm owes the taxman £270,000
Ex-Celt on HMRC list of defaulters
Footballer Aiden McGeady’s recruitment company owes more than a quarter of a million pounds in unpaid tax.
The ex-Celtic winger was appointed a director of Elite-Energy Recruitment in April 2016 but, according to HMRC, the firm defaulted on £267,494 in tax between January 2016 and April 2018.
The government department names and shames businesses that owe more than £25,000 and the most recent list shows 115 businesses across the UK, including three in Scotland – a construction firm, a fastfood takeaway and Mr McGeady’s company.
Mr McGeady, 33, reportedly earns £30,000 a week at current club Sunderland and was said to be on £75,000 a week at Spartak Moscow. He moved to the Russian club from Celtic in 2010 in a deal reported to be worth £10 million.
He sold a mansion in Thorntonhall, near Glasgow, for £1m in 2017 and now lives in a seven-bedroom house in Bothwell that boasts a gym, games room and bar, cinema room and two lounges.
Elite-Energy Recruitment was set up in 2015 to help hire staff to work in the energy sector. It was wound up in September after failing to file accounts.
McGeady was one of two directors at the firm when it went into liquidation. Bryan Booth, from Newton Mearns, was also a director.
The company is now in the hands of accountants Grainger Corporate Rescue and Recovery.
Mr McGeady, who grew up in the southside of Glasgow, previously criticised Rangers for failing to pay tax.
When the firm that owned Rangers got into financial difficulties in 2012, McGeady said it should have paid taxes owed.
Speaking in February 2012, he said: “It’s really their own fault for overpaying players’ wages 10, 15 years ago and not paying taxes on them. That’s the way it goes. It comes back to haunt you later on in football.”
He was also a director at sister company Elite Energy until February last year, when he quit the board.
McGeady also previously had a stake in Glasgow restaurant Black Dove. It closed in March 2017.
HMRC said: “The people named have cheated the Exchequer out of more than £25,000, and that’s unfair to those who pay their tax.”
Mr McGeady declined to comment while co-director Bryan Booth could not be reached for comment.
Grainger Corporate Rescue and Recovery said the liquidator Scott McGregor was also unavailable to provide comment.