I have been a Manchester City fan since 1970. I chose to support them as all my friends were either Leeds United or Manchester United fans and Manchester City was an attractive football alternative that was having a bit of success at the time, winning the league and the FA Cup in consecutive years. However, just as I formed my loyalty to them, their success petered out and, apart from a couple of cup races, they remained relatively unsuccessful until 2011. However, you know what it is: once you’ve chosen your team, you It’s up to you: stick with them through thick and thin. After all, that’s what supporting a soccer team is all about; you make your choice and, for better or for worse, you remain loyal to them no matter what.

However, imagine if I had been prepared to switch my support between different teams over the years based on their performance, rather than just sticking with Manchester City. If for example I had switched to a mix of Liverpool and Leeds Utd in the 70s, Liverpool and Everton or Arsenal in the 80s and Manchester Utd and Arsenal in the 90s and noughties before returning to Manchester City, he would have enjoyed many more successes as a result. Between them, they were first or second in the league every year during that span, and they also won numerous cups along the way.

And it would have been very possible to choose those clubs based on their results, along with a bit of football. U.S. In fact, experts have only failed to predict all the best teams in a couple of the last 40 years or more, most recently when Leicester surprised everyone by winning the league in 2016. In virtually every other season, the three or more The top four teams have been easily identifiable by those with the experience and knowledge to choose them.

Now being a football fan is a totally emotional decision, so we tend to be loyal to one club in particular. So why do many of us behave like football fans when it comes to choosing fund managers to take care of our investments? That shouldn’t be an emotional decision at all, yet all too often we stop moving our money when the results aren’t going the way they should and there are better alternatives available.

Now, I understand that everyone can go through a lean period and sometimes it’s better to give your headline the benefit of the doubt for a while. Clearly, that’s not always the case, as the recent fall from grace of the investment world’s only darling, Neil Woodford, is a timely reminder.

So when it comes to your money, surely the key is to make informed, unemotional, evidence-backed decisions about change, and on a regular basis. Of course, not all of us have the time or experience to do this, which is why many of us chose a consultant to do it for us.

Choosing an advisor wisely is clearly important, as they will, of course, charge for this service, but it’s not just about cost; It is a good value for money. Look for an advisor with a dedicated investment department, with a full-time daily focus on the investment performance of your panel funds. Ask them to provide you with testimonials from satisfied clients along with the number and score of verified reviews they have received from clients, and ask them about the performance of their recent investments. They should also be prepared to back up their claims of investing success with hard facts that clearly demonstrate that they are followers of the latest winners and that they are not blindly loyal or just plain lazy.

And picking winners works whether you’re a fan of active or passive funds, so this type of support can work whatever your investment philosophy. See the following link for more information https://www.ellisbates.com/individuals/investments/

Of course, being a Manchester City fan now is a lot more fun than 30 years ago, but one thing I’ve learned in the last 50 years is that I can’t and won’t take their recent success for granted and I know it. it won’t last forever. I’m enjoying it while doing it!

Ellis Bates’ financial advisers are independent financial advisors with offices throughout the UK. They Specialized in active investment management of over £ 1bn in assets on behalf of clients, who have given them a 4.9 / 5.00 score with Trustist.