VIV ANDERSON: I splashed out on a BMW aged 22 – that same car was my worst financial decision

Viv Anderson, 68, won the European Cup twice with Nottingham Forest, became the first black player to represent England in football and has 30 international caps.

As well as Brian Clough’s Forest, he played right-back for Arsenal, Manchester United, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley and Middlesbrough.

After hanging up his boots, he turned to coaching before becoming a goodwill ambassador for the Football Association.

The father-of-three lives in Timperley, Greater Manchester, with his long-term partner Nicole and their son and daughter.

What did your parents teach you about money?

They taught me to be very careful with money because money can disappear very quickly.

Their thoughts crystallized in my mind when I finally found some money.

Have you ever struggled to make a living?

When I was a student, I would travel from my home in Nottingham to Manchester United to train during the holidays.

That ended when I was 16 and the club said I couldn’t sign with them.

My parents told me to get a job and leave football behind, so I got a job as a screen printer making warning stickers for the backs of trucks.

Luckily I was only there for six weeks before Nottingham Forest signed me up as an apprentice for £7 a week.

Two years later I turned professional and my salary rose to £80 a week. This was a huge amount of money for an 18-year-old boy.

I was saving some of it after the club insisted we save and start a pension.

Have you ever been paid ridiculous amounts of money?

When Brian Clough took over as manager he said: ‘You don’t get any of your bonuses until you score a certain number of points – no £50 for a draw, no £100 for a win.’

We all had to agree on a certain number of game points and only when we reached this number would we start earning bonuses. Cloughie wanted to reward success and that was really smart because we were working our butts off to earn our bonuses.

If before we were getting £100 a game to win, under Clough we would each be getting £1,000 a win and we would find ourselves higher up the league and competing for trophies. He was a genius at motivating us.

What was the best year of your financial life?

I went from Arsenal to Manchester United in 1987 and at that time there were only three players with more money than me. I can say that that period was the best of my career financially.

What’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought for fun?

When I was 22 I bought a 6 Series BMW. I don’t remember how much I paid, but it cost most of my salary. It was a very good car for a young lad but I always loved my cars so I moved out.

I bought a 6 Series BMW when I was 22, says Viv Anderson

What’s your biggest money mistake?

Buying that damn car! I didn’t realize it at the time, but when you buy a nice big car as a young lad, insurance screws you up. Gasoline wasn’t too bad, but the fuse was a shock.

Best money decision you’ve ever made?

Buying a house. I left my parents’ house and moved into a small house a mile down the road.

This was my best decision; I became a homeowner at 21 and still reap the benefits of getting on the property ladder so early.

The best financial year of Viv Anderson’s life was 1987

Are you going to give away your money or spend it all?

I have souvenirs like my first England shirt that will go to the kids and I’d like to think I’ll help them financially. This is my intention.

Do you have a pension?

I’m that old, I get a State pension! Additionally, I have always missed payments on my private pension. I see the benefits now.

Do you own any property?

Yes, it’s my five-bedroom house. I have been a homeowner since I moved out of my parents’ home years ago.

I live in Timperley close to Manchester Airport. I have been in this region for 30-40 odd years.

When I was manager of Barnsley FC I used to go to work at Sheffield Wednesday the same way.

When I became Bryan Robson’s assistant at Middlesbrough, I was able to fly to Teesside, so I haven’t had to move every job since leaving Arsenal in 1987, which makes financial sense and is better for my family.

What would you do if you were chancellor?

I would increase the state pension contribution by a significant 5 or 10 per cent. I’m sure it won’t be popular, but I don’t think enough young people realize how important it is to have a pension later in life.

Of course, you can advise people to invest or save, get a private pension, but many do not do this and they accumulate problems.

What is your number one financial priority?

Family. One of my children, Charlie, has grown up and recently become a father for the first time; the other two, Ruby and Freddie, are still teenagers and living at home.

Of course, making sure these are provided when I die is very important, but not only that.

Now I want to do what I can for them and so my priority is to make sure they are safe, that they have money in their pockets and that they know that they are being looked after and will continue to be looked after.

Who will win the World Cup?

I love the French, I love the Spanish because they both have great players but on any given day nobody wants to face England.

I went to two World Cups, although I didn’t play in either tournament, and we always talked about the importance of not losing the first match.

If you get something out of this, the momentum builds and you gain more confidence as the tournament progresses.

Nobody wants to play England in a one-off match. I would list my favorites as France, then Spain, then England.

Viv Anderson is an after-dinner speaker represented by Champions Speakers Agency and the founder of PlayOnPro, a global networking platform that connects sports fans and former sports professionals.