Footballers who were jailed and what they did, including stars from Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United

Most recently, Mansfield Town footballer Lucas Akins was jailed at Leeds Crown Court for causing the death of cyclist Adrian Daniel. Pleading guilty to a charge of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving, he was sentenced to 14 months behind bars, and has been banned from driving for 12 months.

Following his sentencing, a spokesperson for Mansfield Town said: “Mansfield Town Football Club acknowledges today’s decision by Leeds Crown Court concerning Lucas Akins following a tragic road traffic accident in March 2022. Mansfield Town Football Club offers its sincere and deepest condolences to the family of Adrian Daniel at this difficult time.

“The club is considering its position with regards to Lucas and will be making no further comment at this stage.”

But Akins is far from being the first footballer to be jailed; in fact, many prolific players have spent time behind bars, including some of the Premier League’s biggest stars. While some were jailed in their playing days, plenty of others took their lives downhill after retirement.

Here are some of the most well-known footballers who have been jailed in the past.

Peter Storey (Arsenal)

Spending his playing days at Arsenal and Fulham, Storey had a reputation for being an aggressive footballer. He was capable of playing either at full-back or in defensive midfield, he earned 19 caps for England between 1971 and 1973.

But off the pitch, Storey found himself in and out of prison on multiple occasions. He was jailed for a number of crimes, including running a brothel, plotting to counterfeit gold coins and trying to import pornography from Europe - which he hid in a car’s spare tyre.

Jermaine Pennant (Liverpool)

English winger Jermaine Pennant played for a whole host of clubs, such as Watford, Leeds United and Portsmouth - but is perhaps best known for his stint at Liverpool in the mid-late 2000s.

He was also sentenced in court a handful of times in his career. From playing for Birmingham City with an electronic tag on his ankle after drink driving, to racking up five months of parking tickets on his Porsche Turbo in Zaragoza, Pennant’s life off the pitch was even more dramatic than his life on it.

Adam Johnson (Sunderland)

Another winger, Adam Johnson earned 12 caps for England in the early 2010s - but a few years later, his career came to a grinding halt. Johnson had played for Middlesborough, Manchester City and Sunderland before finding himself behind bars.

In March 2016, Johnson was sentenced to six years in prison for grooming and sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl. The court heard how Johnson began speaking to the girl in December 2014 - while his partner was pregnant. The following month, he met the girl and kissed her, before being arrested by Durham Police in March 2015.

He was released in March 2019 after serving half of his sentence.

Ian Wright (Arsenal)

After a failed stint as a non-league footballer, English striker Ian Wright was disillusioned with his dream of becoming a professional player. Desperate and stuck in poverty, Wright found himself in prison for 32 days, after failing to pay fines for driving without tax or insurance.

While in his cell, Wright broke down and vowed to himself that he would become a professional footballer - then did precisely that. He signed for Crystal Palace in 1985, before moving to Arsenal in 1991, scoring 128 goals in 221 games for the Gunners.

Duncan Ferguson (Everton)

Despite also having stints at Rangers and Newcastle United, the name Duncan Ferguson is synonymous with Everton, having two separate stints at the club. From 1994 to 1998 the 6ft 4in striker scored 37 goals in 116 games, before returning to Goodison Park in 2000 for a further six years.

But the Scotsman has been convicted four times for assault, including attacks on fans, a fisherman and even Raith Rovers defender John McStay in 1994.

Joey Barton (Manchester City)

Midfielder Joey Barton, who also played for the likes of Newcastle United and QPR, has been at the centre of various legal troubles for the better part of two decades now. In 2007, he assaulted teammate Ousmane Dabo, eventually pleading guilty to assault. Just one year later, he was sued by youth player Jamie Tandy, who claimed Barton stubbed out a lit cigar in his eye. The pair settled out of court.

He has since been sued by Jeremy Vine for repeatedly calling the presenter a “bike nonce” and just last month (March 2025) was found guilty of kicking his wife in the head and beating her while drunk. At the time of publication, he is also going through another lawsuit brought by Eni Aluko - after calling her and Lucy Ward the “Fred and Rose West of football commentary”.

George Best (Manchester United)

With 137 goals in 361 games for Man United during the 1960s and 70s, George Best is considered to be one of the greatest players in the club’s history. But his life was plagued by alcoholism, which eventually caused his death in 2005.

In 1984, Best was sentenced to three months in prison for drink driving, assaulting a police officer and failing to answer bail, spending Christmas that year at Ford Open Prison. Contrary to popular belief, he never played for the prison’s football team - which was certainly a missed opportunity for their starting XI.

Jan Molby (Liverpool)

Spending 12 years at Anfield, Jan Molby cemented himself as a Liverpool legend in the 1980s and 90s. He helped the club win the First Division three times, as well as two FA Cups and three FA Charity Shields.

But during his time in Merseyside, the Danish midfielder also had a stint behind bars. Molby was sentenced to three months in prison in October 1988 for reckless driving, after an incident earlier in the year. After coming out of prison, he walked straight back in to Liverpool’s starting XI,