Former football star Dean Windass is embroiled in bankruptcy proceedings.
A specialist judge oversaw a preliminary Bankruptcy Court hearing in London on Monday, the Press Association reported.
Tax officials say he owes more than £150,000.
Lawyers said Windass was trying to find a solution.
Windass, 47, who comes from Hull, was not at the hearing but was represented by barrister Sri Carmichael.
Another hearing is scheduled for December.
Striker Windass made more than 600 appearances and scored more than 200 goals in a career which began in the early 1990s and lasted around 18 years.
He played for more than half a dozen clubs, including Hull, Bradford, Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and Aberdeen.
His 22-year-old son Josh, also a striker, plays for Rangers.