By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 12:00, Tuesday, 29 May 2012

Former England football defender Kevin Beattie has apologised for making a ‘silly mistake’ in claiming benefits while working as a radio pundit.

Kevin Beattie

Beattie, 58, a defender for Ipswich Town, has been fitted with a tag after being given a 12-week curfew.

“I’m a thick footballer and my brains are in my feet,” he said.

“I never meant to let people down.”

Beattie, who grew up on Carlisle’s Botcherby estate, admitted falsely claiming almost £9,000 by failing to declare he had begun work for BBC Radio Suffolk.

“After time things catch up and rightly so,” he said. “It was a silly mistake on my behalf.”

Beattie played for Ipswich during their most successful spell and Sir Bobby Robson described him as the best English player he had ever seen.

He was PFA Young Player of the Year, an FA Cup and UEFA Cup winner and won nine caps for England.

But his career was dogged by injury and all but ended at the age of 28, when he left Ipswich.

Thirty years later he is living in a council-owned bungalow in Wren Avenue in Ipswich, where he cares for his wife who has multiple sclerosis.

Beattie said he was not bitter about the money paid to footballers today.

“Good luck to them,” he said.

“In my days there wasn’t agents and the more money they get for the players, the more they make.

“But the way some of them flaunt it about does my head in a little bit – driving around in their flash Ferraris and spending £3m on a wedding, okay, but when you think about it there are little kids dying in the world.”

Beattie said he was paid £250 a week towards the end of his playing career.

Magistrates in Ipswich last week heard Beattie was paid £45 for Saturday matches and £75 for weekday matches by the BBC.

He has since been fitted with a tag and is restricted to his house and garden between 8pm and 7am.

“That’s my punishment and I’m taking it,” he said. “I didn’t realise I had to declare what I was earning.”

He said the experience had been a wake-up call for him and that he was grateful for messages of support from fans.

First published at 11:28, Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk