In Focus: Paul Lynch Wealth Management Ltd

Welcome. I run a London based wealth management practice offering holistic financial advice to high-net-worth individuals and businesses across the UK. This is achieved by creating tailor-made financial solutions to suit your current needs. These solutions will be reviewed regularly and adjusted based on your future circumstances. We’re committed to building and sustaining long-term relationships with our clients. You can rest assured that we will provide you with high quality advice and create a bespoke financial plan that works for you. Paul Lynch, Director and ex international footballer.

Why is it important to plan for the future?

Planning for the future is vital for your financial wellbeing and stability so that you can maintain your standard of living and that of your loved ones now and in the future. Everyone has goals they want to attain in life that involves a level of financial planning. With footballers, due to their short careers and unpredictable nature of earnings, there is a significant need to plan their finances to help provide long-term stability. Financial planning helps them maintain their lifestyle and that of their loved ones after their playing career ends and manage any unexpected events, like injury or a drop in performance.

Some of the challenges footballers face:

Short career lifespan: Footballers typically retire in their early to mid-30’s meaning they need to plan for a long life after football. 

Commitment bulge: At retirement, players accustomed to a certain lifestyle are likely to have large mortgages. If you add in a financially dependent partner, children in fee paying schools all based on their career earnings which is highly likely to fall.

High income fluctuations: While footballers earn well during their career, their income can be inconsistent, especially if they change teams, face injuries, or experience a dip in form.

Lifestyle inflation: The rapid increase in income can lead to overspending, which may create problems when earnings decrease. Without adequate planning you are left very exposed and in financial jeopardy.

Sadly, there are many examples of high profile, ex-Premier League pros who have been declared bankrupt due to poor financial planning and bad financial decisions. This is despite having successful well-paid careers.

Young footballers will transition from modest incomes as academy players to earning significantly larger salaries when they sign their first professional contract.

My role as a financial planner is to make sure that at those times when players move up to healthy salaries that they are saving, investing, and making provision in the right areas. This will help provide a financial platform and asset base to call on in the future to support them and their loves ones.

In other words: “I help you shape the tomorrow you picture for yourself”

What financial plans should a young footballer consider?

There is a vast range of financial plans that young players should consider. In principle, building up savings and investments that will give them the potential for capital growth for a more tax efficient future when they most need it when the funds invested can provide an income stream and access. Young players should look to get on the property ladder at their earliest opportunity and build an asset base there. 

Financial planning should cover:

Short term needs – Having an adequate emergency fund i.e. available capital to take care of any unforeseen circumstances.

Medium term planning – Saving / investing over 5 – 15 years aiming for tax efficient capital growth.

Long term Planning – Investing for 15 years plus so that when your earning potential is at its peak while playing, you have invested well so your money is working for you and supporting you post playing career.

Protection – Having the right type of health, sickness, critical illness, disability, and life insurances in place in the event your playing career is cut short is paramount.

I’m retiring in a few years but have no financial plan…  Is it too late to start?

It is never too late to start planning. Just because you are late to start your financial planning, progress can be made by investing it the right areas. There is a life after football that you can plan for, even with a short time-span until you retire from playing.

How do we ensure our clients get the best advice?

Having had a bit of a football background myself, I totally understand that a football career is unique—fast-moving, full of big opportunities and constantly evolving. That’s why we are here to provide expert financial advice that’s tailored to you, helping you make smart decisions now, so you and your family are secure for the future.

Our approach is simple: we build long-term relationships based on trust, expert guidance, and a personal touch. Whether you’re just starting out, in your prime, or planning for life after football, we’ll help you stay in control of your finances every step of the way so you can focus on your career without financial worries.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US:      

– Face-to-face meetings to review your financial plans and goals     

– Ongoing support—We are always available to discuss any financial concerns as your career and life evolve. We have a friendly knowledgeable client focused team ready to assist    

– Clear and relevant updates to keep you informed about your investments, tax opportunities, and any rule changes that may affect you   

– Straightforward communication — no jargon, just clear advice that makes sense     

– A focus on your financial wellbeing so you can concentrate on your career, knowing your future is in safe hands

REGULAR REVIEWS TO KEEP YOU ON TRACK:   

– Understand where you are financially and where you want to be   

– Adjust your plans to match any career changes—new contracts, transfers, or retirement planning   

– Ensure your investments and savings align with your goals and risk appetite   

– Maximise tax benefits to make the most of your earnings   

– Keep you up to date with financial legislation that could impact you   

– Listen to your feedback to ensure we’re providing the best possible service

WORKING TOGETHER, YOU WILL:    

– Have a clear financial game plan that grows with your career and beyond   

– Make informed decisions with expert support along the way  

– Have a proactive strategy to protect and help grow your wealth now and in the future,

We know that football careers don’t last forever, but with the right financial plan, your wealth can.

Let’s work together to build a secure future — for you and your family — long after the final whistle blows.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select, and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested.

What other services do we provide?

The services we provide are very comprehensive and span the entire financial spectrum including investments onshore and offshore, portfolio management services, Retirement planning, estate advice services, mortgages, specialist banking services, life insurance, health insurance, private healthcare, tax advice services and more… Find out more about us by checking out our website: www.sjpp.co.uk/paullynch

I will be happy to arrange a meeting to discuss your personal goals and plans for the future. The meeting is exploratory and on a non-committal basis. Based on your financial goals I will create a bespoke wealth management solution based on your financial needs that can be considered. Our approach is simple: we build long-term relationships based on trust, expert guidance, and a personal touch. Whether you’re just starting out, in your prime, or planning for life after football, we’ll help you stay in control of your finances every step of the way so you can focus on your career without financial worries.

The Partner Practice is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/ products. The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives. SJP Approved 06/02/2025

About Paul Lynch

After a promising but unfulfilled trial at Colchester United at 18, I spent 10 years playing amateur football. Then, in February 2000, I received two unexpected phone calls from the President of the Montserrat Football Association and head coach Knut Auf Dem Berge, inviting me to attend a week-long trial for the Montserrat National Team in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. Montserrat, a country severely impacted by a volcanic eruption a few years prior, had most of its population living abroad at the time. I was eligible to play because it was my mother’s birthplace. Although I was four years into my career as a Financial Consultant, I was still passionate about football and eager for the opportunity.

I attended the trial, and out of approximately 20 trialist players, I was one of six chosen to join the National Team which literally was a dream come true. We flew to Antigua to train and prepare for Montserrat’s first-ever World Cup qualifying matches against the Dominican Republic in March 2000. It was one of the proudest moments of my life to play in those matches, and I was honoured to be named the player of the match by our coach.

Though we didn’t advance, my third and final match was part of what came to be known as “The Other Final.” On June 30, 2002—the same day as the Brazil vs. Germany World Cup final—Montserrat travelled to Bhutan to face their national team. Although we lost, playing at 4,000 meters above sea level and being part of Bhutan’s biggest sporting event to date made the experience feel like a victory in itself. (See post-match pics above)

Today I am a wealth manager and Senior St. James’s Place Partner with over 28 years’ experience committed to providing bespoke financial solutions for my client’s advice needs whilst building and sustaining long term ongoing relationships.

Paul Lynch Dip PFS
Senior Partner 
St. James’s Place Wealth Management 
York House, 23 Kingsway, London WC2B 6UJ  
Direct – 020 7744 1630 
Mobile – 07967 105 478 
Website – www.sjpp.co.uk/paullynch