Cash Trapped: Football Legend’s Widow Forced To Sell Family Home
A footballing legend’s widow has revealed she is being forced to sell the family home with the future looking “terribly bleak”.
Former Huddersfield, Leicester and England forward Frank Worthington was one of the English game’s great mavericks.
The flamboyant striker, who represented more than 20 clubs and scored more than 260 goals during his lengthy playing career, including for the national side, died last month at the age of 72 following a long illness.
Skynews.com report says that the latter years of his life saw wife Carol become his full-time carer as he battled dementia and prostate cancer, with benefits their only source of income.
The death of the former Philadelphia Fury and Tampa Bay Rowdies player has left his widow in financial difficulties.
Speaking at their Huddersfield home, Carol Worthington said: “Frank had been declared bankrupt after returning from playing in America when he was landed with a big, unpaid tax bill.
“After the money stopped coming in I was made bankrupt as well.
“Everyone was chasing us for money but with sickness and other benefits we just about managed to get the interest paid on the mortgage.
“When Frank’s illness got particularly bad over the last five years, I became his full-time carer but now he has gone that income has stopped.
“I can’t pay the mortgage so I have got to sell our home. I’m applying for Universal Credit and hopefully I can get benefits to pay my rent somewhere but the future looks terribly bleak.”
The 62-year-old revealed Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, had “helped in many ways” and was due attend Worthington’s funeral on Friday.
A JustGiving page has been set up in memory of Worthington to raise money for both his wife of 35 years and dementia charities, with 90% of the final total set to go to good causes.
“Gordon Taylor has been fantastic and helped in so many ways but I desperately need help for the future,” Mrs Worthington added.
Worthington played in 22 consecutive Football League seasons from 1966, scoring 266 goals in 882 appearances in all competitions.
In 14 of those campaigns he played in the top division, notching 150 goals in 466 matches and claiming the Golden Boot award at the end of the 1978-79 season.
Worthington, who also had a spell as Tranmere player-manager, scored twice for England during eight appearances, before retiring from the game at the start of the 90s.
He leaves behind his wife Carol and children Frank Jnr and Kim, both from his previous marriage to Birgitta Egermalm.
