Interview with female football agent Georgina Lillis

As you'd probably expect from the name of my blog, I like to bring you the world of football from a female's point of view and what better insight into the game than with someone who's responsible for the comings and goings in the football industry.

Image copyright of TheSun.co.uk

So with that in mind here is an interview with football agent Georgina Lillis (yes Rochdale fans, she's the sister of our ex-keeper!). She's one of just 10 female football agents in the country and she knows a fair bit about football, given that not only is her brother a goalkeeper, but her dad is also a former footballer too.


I hope you enjoy reading about the life of a female football agent...


Tell me about who you work for?

"I work for a company called Star Management Signings. Our offices are in London and I am based in the north. My job as an agent involves many different things, no day is ever the same which I like."


What type of services does the company provide?

"We are involved heavily in contract negotiations when finding a player a new club and also at a player's current club to re-negotiate their contracts. We have to speak to managers on a daily basis, especially now it's the transfer window and make them aware of the availability of our players and get them the best deal we possibly can, with everything they need and are happy with. Once the contract is sorted we then have all the aftercare to think about. We have a lot of foreign clients who we have brought to England, so we have to start at the very beginning with them. We have to help set up bank accounts, find them a house, insurance, internet, cars, changing their driving licenses, language lessons, kids in school, mobile phones etc. It is the same for our English players aswell, if we have found them a new club we then help them move house and get settled. We are on call 24/7 for them. I think some people maybe see that as molly coddling the players slightly, but we just help to ensure everything off the field is all fine so they can concentrate fully on their football and play to the best of their ability."


And what about the commercial side?

"We are also there to gain commercial deals and endorsements for our players, including boot and merchandise deals, always trying to raise their profiles as much as possible for the right reasons. We have accountants, financial advisors and lawyers connected to the company so that the players deal with everything wisely to help in the future. We also help them after football, whether it be going into coaching or refereeing as one of players wants to do!"


What's a typical week like for you?

"We are always actively looking to recruit new players to the company. I go to 4-5 games a week on average, including youth team, reserves and first team games. We then try and make contact with the players and explain what we are about and how we can help them. Standing in the rain and cold on a Tuesday night isnt exactly glamorous, but its what football is about and I love it! (I like to work my way around the grounds and compare the pies!) We also scout for clubs as well and bring players to them if they tell us what they are looking for."


Are you responsible for anything else?

"I am also the full time PA for the company which I have done for 4 years now. I do this alongside the agent work which means I have to be very good at time management and prioritise! This includes flight bookings and travel arrangements for the staff, ticket requests, insurance, liaising with the accountants with regards to receipts etc. Our company also organise pre-season tours to Slovenia. Reading came out last year, QPR and West Brom the year before, and Chelsea reserves the year before that. We go out there in July; Reading and Middlesbrough are coming out with us this year. So this time of year is also busy with the arrangements for that. I book all the flights, hotels, liaise with the club sports scientists and fitness guys to ensure the meals are all correct, book the travel to and from training and to the games, and we also organise all the games whilst over there.


You can read more about the company Georgina works for - Star Management Signings - by visiting their website at www.star-signings.com and their Twitter @StarMSignings.


And you'll find Georgina on Twitter too @GeorgieLillis.