Footballer fined after accounting error

A PROFESSIONAL footballer who played for Sheffield United has been fined after inaccuracies were found in his accounts.

An inaccuracy penalty was enforced on Nick Blackman who played for the Blades 2012, after his accountant understated his income by £45,000.

During the 2012-13 year he also played for Reading. However it was his income from Blackburn Rovers went unreported.

Despite the “glaring mistake”, an appeal by the footballer was overturned by a judge.

Mr Blackman has had to pay nearly £9,000 for the error by his former accountants, including tax of £7,612, and a penalty of £1,141.97 by HMRC.

A statement from his current accountants, Lancashire-based Shacter Cohen & Bor, which were not involved in the reporting of his accounts in the year in question, said: “Mr Blackman is a footballer, not a financial consultant, professional man nor does he have a university degree.”

They said all his paperwork was sent to his mother to send to accountants, and a representative said: “Having met Mr Blackman myself, I would not expect him to understand a tax return and all its complexities.”

They continued: “The accountants sent Mr Blackman the tax return and Mr Blackman had every right to expect the accountants, professional people to whom he paid a not insubstantial fee, to prepare his tax return correctly.”

Mr Blackman currently plays for Derby City after signing a three-and-a-half year deal for a reported fee of £3m.