The TikTok Accountant Footballers Fear Most: Meet the Self-Proclaimed HMRC of Football Podcasts

The TikTok Accountant Footballers Fear Most: Meet the Self-Proclaimed HMRC of Football Podcasts

Everybody lies. As you move through life, it is something you must come to terms with.

Sometimes, a small lie is told. A white lie. These are often done to protect people's feelings. Maybe your mother-in-law cooked you a delicious-looking dinner, but it turned out to be horrible.

You will not say to her face that it is horrible, will you?

But there is another type of lie. A lie for ‘clout.’

And footballers are some of the worst offenders at it.

But over the past month, Karel Prince has been at the forefront of stopping these footballers from spreading lies on the internet by calling them out.

The self-proclaimed ‘HMRC of Football’, Prince is not collecting debt, but unclaimed truths.

His remit? To fact-check the stories ex-pros tell on podcasts—and to see who’s chatting complete bollocks.

The concept is so simple, yet genius. A player goes on a podcast and tells a story about playing against Zinedine Zidane in the Champions League, or states that they dominated against one of the best defenders of all time. Prince opens up Transfermarkt, Opta Stats or even old football matches and completely discredits the lies.

Within minutes, anyone following Prince on social media knows the truth.

The comment section erupts, and the myth collapses.

For years now, ex-professional players have been pulling on the nostalgia strings, talking about their ‘stories’ on a myriad of podcasts.

There is a charm to it, but nostalgia has a blind spot, and Prince is there to call them out on it.

Nobody is above the taxman

Talking to Prince over the phone, he was exactly how I expected.

Kind, engaging, and armed with the same dry humour that’s made his social media so addictive.

“It started as a bit of fun,” he said. “I have always been into research, checking Wikipedia, and seeing where players were at what times.

“And then just over a month ago, I was watching a video on Jay Bothroyd, and things were not adding up. I made a video out of it, and it did way better than expected.”

From that moment, the HMRC of football podcasts was born. He has exposed the likes of Samuel Eto’o, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Owen. As his pinned X post says, “HMRC is non-bias, non-partisan, HMRC operates on facts not feelings.”

Exposing ex-pros is not the easiest of jobs. These players are used to the limelight shining positively on them. But Prince believes his humour—and his commitment to evidence over ego—helps keep things civil.

“I don’t take unnecessary jabs,” he says. “I just show the facts. Most of the time, it’s light-hearted. If anything, I think they should laugh it off.”

He recalls one of his favourite interactions with former Arsenal and Spurs midfielder David Bentley. Bentley once claimed Frank Lampard scored a hat-trick against him and Norwich back in 2005. Prince quickly debunked it, and Bentley responded, saying he’d start taking Lion’s Mane mushrooms, a supplement said to boost memory.

With new podcasts featuring ex-players and managers dropping daily, Prince has noticed a subtle shift in tone. “I’ve started hearing more players saying they’re ‘not 100% sure on the story,’” he says. “Maybe that’s because of me. I just want there to be truth on football podcasts.”

“I think you can tell the difference between someone misremembering an event and someone trying to make themselves sound better than they are. Carlton Palmer was saying a lot of things which just did not happen. He claimed he played John Terry in a professional match in 1991. At that point, Terry was only 11 years old.”

🚨EMERGENCY EPISODE🚨 WE DIDN’T TAX CARLTON PALMER ENOUGH!!😭😵‍💫🧾 pic.twitter.com/euo7ZblJQr

— karel (@karelprince_) October 2, 2025

Prince says some of the backlash he receives comes from online fans. “If I call out a beloved player, fans might say, ‘Let them lie,’ or accuse me of overdoing it. But if it’s someone less popular, they’re more likely to accept it,” he explains.

https://t.co/rrTpLLEhDM pic.twitter.com/spbp0V9PJW

— karel (@karelprince_) October 4, 2025

As it stands, Prince has exposed numerous footballers, with the most recent being Rio Ferdinand.

Let's get into some of the best stories Prince has debunked.

Lee Clake vs Zinedine Zidane

It does not even look right, does it?

Lee Clarke is not a bad player by any means. He played over 180 times in the Premier League for Newcastle and Fulham and even managed 13 goals.

But when you put him in the same sentence as two-time Ballon d’Or winner Zinedine Zidane… well, there is only one winner, and it is not the Geordie.

Clarke claims that in the Champions League, he faced off against Juventus's Zinedine Zidane.

It was then time for Prince to do some digging

Take away the fact that Clarke has never played a single second of Champions League football, and the only time Newcastle have played against Juventus was in 2002.

At this point, not only was Clarke paving his way at Fulham, but Zidane had also transferred to Real Madrid.

Straight cap, from start to finish.

This one is an open and shut case😵‍💫😭 pic.twitter.com/jHqST6WOlo

— karel (@karelprince_) September 17, 2025

Gary Taylor-Fletcher vs Nemanja Vidic

Another mismatch of insane proportions, Gary Taylor-Fletcher played over 600 times in his career.

But out of all of those games, he played just 32 in the Premier League, scoring six goals in the process.

But in a recent tweet, which has since been deleted, Fletcher claims that he ‘tore’ Vidic apart when he played against him in the 2010/11 season.

He then compared him to Martin Skrtel…

If anyone tells you I’m not committed to the cause, tax them heavily.

I’m about to watch both Blackpool vs United games just to assess if Gary Taylor-Fletcher was capping about tearing Vidic apart twice in 10/11🧾 pic.twitter.com/J8lunmABFB

— karel (@karelprince_) September 20, 2025

There is simply one word for this. Egregious.

Not only did Vidic win the league that season, but he also won the player of the year.

Fletcher? Well, he and Blackpool were relegated on the last day of the season, after losing to Manchester United, no less.

Prince watched 180 minutes between Manchester United and Blackpool in the 2010/11 season, and Fletcher’s claim to tearing Vidic apart? He passed by him once in a match. Just once.

Once again, straight cap, from start to finish.

I wasted 180 minutes of my life for an open and shut case😭😭🧾 pic.twitter.com/Ubh7JSbQMV

— karel (@karelprince_) September 20, 2025

Joey Barton

Mr Barton needs absolutely no introduction here, so let's get on with the things he has lied about.

After praising Prince on his podcast ‘Common Sense’, the HMRC of football got to work.

This was NOT on my bingo card for today, but let’s do it anyway… pic.twitter.com/k65yPSqhyH

— karel (@karelprince_) October 4, 2025

Barton claimed on X (Twitter) that training in diamond earrings means that you cannot win.

This photo was in relation to England players Kyle Walker and Ivan Toney warming up with diamond studs in their ears.

Culture is all wrong. Training in diamond earrings and leggings.

Won’t win a sausage! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Too many weak, disingenuous men in positions of leadership.

More arsed about looking like the rapper Drake than the great Bobby Moore.

👍🥷👑 https://t.co/zQyFYf9vsm

— Joey Barton (@Joey7Barton) March 20, 2024

Prince proceeds to show photos (of all these players playing) of Ronaldinho playing wearing diamond earrings, Paulo Maldini playing wearing a chain, Paul Pogba wearing diamond earrings, and Cristiano Ronaldo wearing diamond earrings.

All serial winners with multiple World Cups, Ballon d’Ors and Champions Leagues in their cabinets.

With the HMRC taxman on the lookout for any ex-professional’s ‘caping’ online, there is only one thing for certain.

Nobody is safe.

To see more of Karel, here is the link to his TikTok, and his Twitter/X