A leading football speaker, Paul Merson is undoubtedly one of the characters of football, enjoying a successful professional football career as well as turning his hand to managerial and punditry work. An ideal football speaker for events, Paul describes the drive and determination needed to perform at a high level consistently, combined with the ability to perform under the pressure of the media and fans. Playing for highly successful clubs has given Paul the insight into life at the top, allowing him to deliver intriguing talks as a football speaker. Beginning his career at Arsenal in 1984 as an apprentice, Paul made his debut for the side in 1986 against Manchester City, before becoming a permanent figure on the team towards the late eighties.
The attacking midfielder played for Arsenal 423 times in total, scoring 99 goals in all competitions before moving to Middlesborough for a record £5 million pound fee. Paul first played for his national side in 1991, playing in a friendly against Germany. Also playing in the 1992 Euro Championship, 1994 World Cup and 1998 World Cup, Merson racked up 21 caps for his country, scoring on three occasions. He played a pivotal part in a team that had one of the most successful runs for England in the modern era of the sport.
Since retiring from professional play in 2006, Paul has made his mark as a memorable and well liked TV pundit. Appearing on Sky Sports, where he is part of the panel for Soccer Saturday and on the program ‘Fantasy Football Club’, Paul is an instantly recognisable face for fans. In addition to TV reporting, Paul has also dabbled in writing, mainly articles for the Arsenal FC magazine and the Daily Star’s ‘Seriously Football’ section. Most recently, in 2024, Paul was named as a competitor on Strictly Come Dancing 2024, competing alongside Tom Dean MBE, JB Gill, Montell Douglas and Sam Quek MBE.
In 2019, Paul was praised for his candid discussion on ITVs Harry’s Heroes: The Full English, as he opened up about overcoming addiction. An amazing sports speaker, Paul ensures the whole audience feel a part of his journey in professional football and enjoys engaging with the crowd and putting his punditry work to use during talks about the game. Offering his insightful views and opinions, Paul is sure to spark up debate and guarantee an interesting evening for guests.
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"From J&Bs Ltd Plumbing & Heating Supplier Trade Evening to the Pre-World Cup Sporting Lunch, we have had the pleasure of booking Paul Merson for a plethora of events. Including football clubs and corporate galas, the after dinner speaker is famed for his football career and following media roles."
How to hire Paul Merson
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Paul Merson for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
FEEDBACK FROM VIRTUAL EVENTS & WEBINARS:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Paul attended many virtual events, booked as an exciting guest speaker. Read the feedback he has received below.
"Paul was really good and we had a good mix of funny stories and his own troubles he has gone through with a really good balance and questions from a lot of the audience. Please pass on my huge thanks to Paul. I have seen him before and genuinely think he is a great guy both in terms of his playing career (being an Arsenal fan), his tv work but also his story in terms of the honesty he shows with his own demons. We could have talked for hours to be honest and I’m sure we would get him back again for an in-person event when restrictions are lifted, we enjoyed his presence that much." - Craig, DUAL Oliva
FEEDBACK FROM IN-PERSON EVENTS:
Paul is regularly booked to engage audiences at in-person events, read his latest feedback below.
"A big thank you to Paul for yesterday. Not only was he an absolute pleasure to spend the day with but he spoke so openly and frankly about his own experiences which meant a lot to our service users and staff - me included. He will continue to make a huge difference to lots of people, and I hope that benefits him as much as it hopefully does everyone else." - Kristina, Communications Lead, Corporate Affairs, Navigo
"It was very enjoyable. Paul was very engaging with some funny stories shared. All attendees enjoyed their time with Light Source and our guests." - Paul, Project Delivery Manager, Light Source
"He was a great guest- really engaged with the players and they had a great time" - Harriet, Communications Officer, The Salvation Army
"Paul Merson was a great guest speaker for our event. He had loads of great stories from his career and had the audience laughing throughout. He also stuck around at the end to answer questions and take photos with fans." - James, Aleteryx
“The event was a success and Paul was very good with no issues. All was on time and Paul was happy to stay slightly later to finish off the photos etc. Everything from yourself was fine also.” - Jonny Walker, Legacy Leisure
- 2024 - Contestant on "Strictly Come Dancing"
- 2019 - Contestant on "Celebs on the Farm"
- 2019 - Appeared on ITV Documentary 'Harry's Heroes: The Full English'
- 2003 - First Division winning captain with Portsmouth
- 1997 - Joined Middlesborough for a then-record fee for a non-premiership player in England
- 1994 - Won the European Cup Winners Cup
- 1993 - Won the FA Cup and League Cup
- 1991 - Won the Football League First Divison for a second time
