Giles, Townsend and Lawrenson all on the scoresheet with firms’ profits

New figures show Irish TV soccer pundits are scoring for fun when it comes to being financially rewarded for offering their views on the game.

Accounts for media firms operated by Johnny Giles and former internationals Mark Lawrenson and Andy Townsend show that they are all prospering for talking a good game as the popularity of the multibillion-euro soccer industry continues to rise.

Lawrenson’s Van Horn Promotions Ltd increased its accumulated profits by 9% to £1.145m (€1.43m) in the 12 months to the end of October last.

The rise in profits at Lawrenson’s firm should go some way to make up for the disappointment of him being dropped as a regular pundit on Saturday’s edition of Match of the Day last season.

Lawrenson also provides match analysis for BBC Radio Five Live and BBC television, and has regular work here in Ireland with Today FM and TV3.

The cash pile at his firm last year decreased from £646,677 to £612,826. Lawrenson’s occupation is described as ‘sports promoter’ in his firm’s most recent return.

The Lancashire-born defender played 39 times for the Republic and made 356 appearances for Liverpool where he won five league medals and one European Cup.

Separate accounts for former Irish captain and regular ITV pundit Andy Townsend show that his main firm’s accumulated profits increased by £56,378, from £220,299 to £276,677, in the 12 months to the end of March 2013.

Referred to as the senior analyst on RTÉ’s international soccer coverage, Johnny Giles has been on our screens providing punditry since the early 1980s.

His Quoteford Ltd firm enjoyed a bumper year in 2012, more than doubling accumulated profits to €328,367.

Giles established the Dublin-based firm in August 2010, using it as a means to exploit image rights, provide marketing services, and to carry on all other activities in relation to these businesses.

The figures for 2012 show that the firm’s cash pile more than doubled to €380,731.