Former Premier League footballer Peter Ndlovu has claimed that he cannot afford to pay maintenance for two of his children because he has 11 others that he also has to pay for.
Those of a certain age will remember Ndlovu as a solid – if slightly unremarkable – striker for clubs like Sheffield United, Coventry City, and Birmingham City.
In his heyday, he became the first African player to play in the rebranded Premier League, which is a big achievement, for sure.
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The Zimbabwean international is now in South Africa where he currently works with football club Mamelodi Sundowns.
However, he’s also embroiled in a court case about his alleged failure to pay child support for two of his 13 children.
The 49-year-old has been ordered to pay £568 per month, although the mother of the two kids had asked initially for £1,420, despite the fact that he appealed to the court about how much he already has to pay for all of his children.
Ndlovu told the court: "I have 13 children, including the two children I have with the first respondent.
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“I’m obliged to contribute and see to the maintenance needs of all 13 of my children.
“I earn a monthly salary that is utilised for my own living expenses, needs, necessities, and liabilities as well as to contribute to the dependents' expenses and other obligations.
“As a result of these encounters, two minor children were born between the respondent and me.
“I was not informed by the respondent about the pregnancies or the subsequent births of our children.
"The last I heard of the children was when she instituted maintenance proceedings against me in 2016.
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“There is no communication between the respondent and me. We share no relationship and there is no contact between us."
He added: "I cannot simply afford a deduction of R29,845 per month from my salary."
Still, the court has ordered that he pay the agreed amount to the mother of his children, regardless of his situation.
During his long career, Ndlovu played at Coventry City, Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town, and Sheffield United, spending 13 years in the English leagues and scoring 37 goals at the highest level.
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His international record was quite impressive too, with the forward scoring 38 times for Zimbabwe in more than 100 appearances before he packed it in back in 2011.
Following that, he went on to become the assistant manager for his national team, then taking up the managerial role at Mamelodi Sundowns.
He’s been in charge there since 2013.
Topics: Football, Premier League, Money, Sport
Tom Wood