FOOTBALL boss Douglas Hall is being divorced by his former model wife.

Tonia Hall, 42, has moved out of the property millionaire's home on Teesside's Wynyard estate.

She started divorce proceedings in 1998 after a newspaper expos about their exploits in Marbella, Spain.

He and chairman Freddy Shepherd boasted to an undercover reporter about their sexual exploits, mocked fans and called North-East women dogs.

Mr Hall, 46, vice-chairman of Newcastle United, persuaded his wife to stay with him for the sake of their sons John and Gregory, now grown up.

Mr Hall, the son of Newcastle United president Sir John Hall, runs the property company Cameron Hall Developments.

Mrs Hall, originally from Ponteland, Northumberland, was a successful model when she married Mr Hall in 1986.

Since then, he has tried to keep her and their child ren out of the media spot-light.

Four months after the scandal, he returned to the Newcastle United board as vice-chairman.

A spokesman for Leeds Combined Court yesterday confirmed it had issued a divorce petition on Mrs Hall's behalf.

It is expected to be about five months before the divorce is finalised.

Mr Hall was not available for comment yesterday.