Footie star Mo sidestep pounds 450k bill as taxmen say

TAX inspectors are chasing former Celtic and Rangers star Mo Johnston over a pounds 450,000 unpaid bill - but they can't find him.

Despite appearing in countless TV and newspaper interviews since quitting the UK for America, bungling staff at the Inland Revenue have failed to track down the striker.

Former Scotland forward Johnston quit Britain for the US ten years ago and is one of the highest profile stars in Scottish football history.

Since making the switch Stateside, Mo has even invited reporters and cameramen into his New Jersey home and has made no secret of his new life in the US. The most recent interview with him there was published as recently as October,

Scores of football fans have followed his career from Kansas to New York Metro Stars, where he's recently been appointed head coach.

And it seems the only people who DON'T have a clue how to contact him are... the Inland Revenue.

It's just been revealed that the former Old Firm star owes pounds 450,000 in what is believed to be unpaid taxes.

The debt came to light after bosses at the Inland Revenue seized pounds 1,000 from the BBC which the corporation was due to pay Johnston for appearing on sports programme Off The Ball.

The action at Glasgow Sheriff Court went on to reveal the star's massive debt.

But despite the huge sum of money involved - and despite the fact that the BBC were obviously able to track him down - clueless tax men can't find Johnston to hand him his bill.

The last known address they have for him is in Kansas, according to court documents.

The case is due to be heard this month and Johnston is entitled to lodge a defence, but it's not clear if he even knows about the court date.

Last night an Inland Revenue source explained: "It should be relatively straightforward, but it's all a bit of a mess.

"The real irony is that we've all heard stories about how the taxman goes to extraordinary lengths to recover even the smallest debt.

"Yet we can't even hand someone a bill for pounds 450,000 - even though we know where they work."

Mo started his career at Patrick Thistle, before moving to Watford, then returning to Glasgow to play for Celtic.

He later left the Parkhead club for a spell in France with Nantes.

But in 1989, the redhead created Scottish football history.

After agreeing to return to Celtic, he backed out at the last minute and signed for Rangers, causing a storm of outrage -among both sets of fans.

Johnston later moved to Ever ton, Hearts and Falkirk, then to Kansas City Wizards in the US.

He retired from the game in 2001 and later joined the Metrostars as assistant coach, before being promoted in November last year.

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