LEGENDARY FA Cup-winning captain Bobby Kerr has been made bankrupt.

Mr Kerr, who skippered Sunderland to an unlikely victory in the 1973 Wembley final, had been rumoured to be in financial difficulties after the sudden closure of a pub he ran.

The Copt Hill, near Houghtonle- Spring, Wearside, shut in May and sparked fears among fans that the former midfielder had fallen on hard times.

Since then, rumours of his bankruptcy have been circulating on Black Cats fans’ forum websites.

Mr Kerr is a folk hero among Sunderland fans as a key member of the team that beat the then mighty Leeds United 1-0 in one of the biggest FA Cup final upsets of all time.

The match is best remembered for Ian Porterfield’s winning goal and a tremendous double save by goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery.

A statue of late manager Bob Stokoe stands outside Sunderland’s home ground, the Stadium of Light.

After he retired from football, Mr Kerr went into the pub trade and was licensee at the Park Inn, in Sunderland city centre, before taking over The Copt Hill more than ten years ago.

But it closed in mid-May and when The Northern Echo tried to contact Mr Kerr at the pub, where he also lived, the only sign that he had been there was a skip placed outside containing rubbish and belongings, including bedding, shoes and photographs.

The lease was taken over by Alan Waters, licensee of The Mill Inn, in Houghton-le-Spring, but neither he nor pub regulars knew where Mr Kerr was.

Now it has emerged that a bankruptcy order was made against Mr Kerr at the High Court last Tuesday.

His last known address – on the individual insolvency register – is The Copt Hill, in Seaham Road.

He will remain bankrupt for a year, until he is discharged, and will remain on the register until October next year.

Efforts to trace Mr Kerr have been unsuccessful.

It is believed The Copt Hill is still closed. No one at Enterprise Inns, which owns the pub, was available for comment.