Partner Article

From home ground to homeless…How do footballers prepare for life post-turf?

Heartland Group MD, Tamsin Harrison, explores if urban regeneration can play a role in regenerating the fortunes of sport stars post-career.

This week saw us waving goodbye to both January, and the transfer deadline window. This vital, exciting and, at times, frustrating part of the football season can highlight some of the mind-boggling sums of money involved in the game. It can also bring into sharp relief the relatively short playing careers of a sport notorious for constantly seeking ‘the next big thing’.

For the players that are dropped, without the chance to play in other leagues or take up TV pundit positions, a lack of financial planning and investment can have devastating consequences. Surveys have shown that as many as 60% of ex-players can end up penniless ‘within five years of hanging up their boots’.

Of course, there will always be smart investment, and many could be happy to live off the dividends reaped from a prudent portfolio. However, just as the artificial turf provided them with a profitable playing career, could land acquisition provide them with profits that stand the test of time and give them a stimulating project post-retirement?

There are a few reasons land acquisition and footballers could prove an attractive partnership. To reach the top of the tables, footballers require an incredible level of discipline, from training to diet to mind management. Once their careers end and this strict structure is removed, it can cause real problems. Having a new project ready to focus on can help to ease the transition to from one career to another.

With the right guidance on which plots to pick, what begins as a small acquisition in the early years can continue to grow and evolve as a player’s finances do.

Finally, many footballers are known for their energetic and fun personalities which can allow them to be thoroughly creative when it comes to how to use their land assets! From visitor attractions to SMART housing…or even a touch of astro-turf.

A player’s career may end before they’ve blown out 40 candles but, with smart advice and investment, that could just be the beginning of their journey.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Heartland Design Ltd .