Not all footballers can be set for life when they retire from the game, as most are based in the lower leagues and need a second career to fall back on.
This was the case for former Hull City and Sheffield United player Ryan France. He was released by Sheffield Wednesday at 16, went to college and university before becoming a professional footballer.
But his career didn’t last for long and after a number of roles, France’s degree in maths and sports science helped him on the path to become a financial adviser.
Transition
France said: “I see a lot of similarities with my previous career, professional football and now wealth management.
“I had eight successful years playing, I can’t say I loved every minute of it because towards the end I was injured quite a bit, which is very annoying, however, I’m very proud of the achievements that I got.
“There are only a handful of players that play for the same team in all four tiers of the English Football League. It’s on the CV, and I’m very proud of what I achieved.
“After football finished, I thought to myself I’m just going to have a bit of time off to reflect and thought there was going to be loads of opportunities because I had a degree in maths with sports science and said to myself ‘somebody is going to want to take me on’.
“But it never came, the opportunity never came, and I tried a few sales roles, and I did a bit of sports massage therapy, where I became fully qualified. I just could not see myself doing those roles for the next 20 minutes, never mind 20 years.
“But a good friend and neighbour of mine introduced me to his brother, who was a partner and wealth manager at St James’s Place (SJP). He introduced me to the SJP academy.
“I transitioned across six months in Manchester. I knew from the moment I was in the academy that I loved it and gave it everything I had. I learned that financial advice is the thing that I want to do forever. I’ve got chartered now and I’ll carry on learning. I’ll be a fellow in the next couple of years.
“I want the highest qualifications so my clients can be assured that I’m doing everything I can to be up to date and regulated, and give the best advice possible.”
Similarities
The connection between financial advice and football is not easy to see, but as many of International Adviser’s articles on second careerists have shown, it is there.
“I think sports individuals in general, to play at the top level, have more than just footballing ability,” France added. “This comes from the skills that can be transitioned in any in any walk of life.
“Drive to succeed, determination, you got to have thick skin, you’ve got to be able to take the knock backs and bounce back and go again, learn from mistakes, everything that helps you along the way to have just keep being relentless, that’s what you want in any walk of life.
“I had knock backs in football and on the academy, I failed my first exam. But it gave me that desire to want to succeed. When I got given the opportunity to become a wealth manager, I grabbed it with both hands.
“It’s not scoring a goal at the KC Stadium or winning a game of football, which was being successful, now it’s my clients being happy with the service that I provide, and that’s me then being successful in what I do, and absolutely love that feeling.
“I was nowhere near the best in the world, there’s a lot better players than me, but it didn’t stop me getting up and being trained to be the best I could be.
“That’s where I’m at now, I want to be the best financial adviser in the world.”
Promoting second careers
Many people have argued that the promotion of success stories is something the financial advice industry needs to do more.
But France believes that football could do more to promote second careers in industries like financial advice.
“The top 5% of professional footballers could potentially turn around and say I don’t have to work again for the rest of my life. However, even though they do not have to do it from a financial perspective, you’ve got a lot going off upstairs that need to keep you active and keep you busy.
“A sportsperson needs ‘What am I going to do next? What am I going to sink my teeth into? What’s going to make me try and be the best person that can be?’ Whether that’s in financial services, sales or car mechanic, there’s certainly transferable skills.
“I do think more and more organisations, in particular within football, could be a little bit more proactive in promoting this.
“I think, with financial advice, you have got to have a certain likeability towards it. You got to be a people person, you have got to like sitting down and having discussions.
“I love that side of it and meeting new people. But for every one of me, there might be many more that do not like financial advice. For me, I fully believe you have to find something you’re passionate about. Without passion and without a purpose – irrelevant of how financially rewarding something is – what’s the point really?
“It’s not a rehearsal this life. It’s imperative we make the most of it and I’ve certainly found something I’m passionate about.”
Negative association
The footballing industry has not had a good experience when it comes to financial advisers.
Stories like Alan Shearer’s or his ex-Newcastle teammates Rob Lee, Warren Barton and David Beresford are sadly quite common.
France said: “I had a few friends and colleagues that got mis-sold to and I was sat there listening to financial advisers trying to sell us off-development properties around the world.
“And these properties never got built. I’ve got a lot of colleagues that got affected directly from mis-selling, and it drives me absolutely insane.
“As a footballer, I looked at a financial adviser and thought as a whole are you doing it for the right reasons?
“We get a bad reputation, because of a small minority not doing it for the right reasons.
“With my professional athletes that I look after, when they get to retirement I want them to have options.
“There are reports that 60% of footballers become bankrupt after five years they finish. For me, that is absolutely astounding. It hurts me because there is not enough to help and there’s not enough proactivity out there.
“I’d love to help and reduce the figures. It’s around education and trying to just to get people to understand the benefits of just living a little bit now, but living for later as well, just planning a little bit for later.”
Message to future advisers
France’s knowledge of both industries is invaluable to many future second careerists.
What does he say to people who might think financial advice is right for them?
“There’s a lot of hoops you’ve got to get through, a lot of qualifications involved in it,” he said. “It’s very difficult if you’re not that way inclined. It is difficult bringing on new clients in the first few years because you are new to the industry.
“Why would anybody trust someone who’s only been in the industry two minutes? It’s difficult with client acquisition and that will always be the case.
“However, the industry is so rewarding. I’m not talking financially; I’m talking about making people feel relaxed about retirement plans. I get a warm feeling that I am doing the right thing for the clients and putting them on a path and a strategy that they wouldn’t be in before.
“It’s a tough industry to get to be successful, but it’s a very rewarding one as well, and one that I’m so thankful that I chose to be part of.”
