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Should there be a cap on footballers' wages?

12 August 2010

August sees another season of professional football kick off across the UK, to the delight of millions of supporters and the chagrin of those who are not.

As the financial rewards for successful teams increase, so does the amounts paid by clubs to secure the services of the best players to lead them to victory.

Players’ wages have reached record breaking levels this season, with one club willing to offer £200,000 per week to a new signing in their pursuit of glory. Some have labelled this as ‘obscene’ while others feel it’s just a sign of the times, but what do you think?

  • Are footballers paid too much? Should there be a cap on a footballers wage? Would bringing wages down benefit football and its impact on society as a whole, not just in the development of younger players, but in reducing the negative publicity footballers receive?
  • Do you disagree? Should a footballer be paid whatever salary their employer wishes? Should footballers be no different to other highly paid entertainers such as musicians or actors?

What is your view on this? Have your say, and debate the issue here on PCS comment, a selection of the comments will be published in View, the monthly magazine for PCS members.

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  1. Hypocrite?

    2 September 2010

    Going slightly off-line I know, but what really annoys me is when the right wing media refers to our 'gold plated' pay and pensions as if we are made for life when we retire - yea sure we are, not. Going further off-line, BA cabin crew came in for a lot of very unfair criticism earlier this year, and as usual the media attempted to draw attention to the so-called "perks" of the job in an effort to undermine the BA cabin crews campaign. After 5 years service I believe BA cabin crew get about £17,000 a year - wow! I have been told that a trainee cabin crew member gets only about £11,000, which is disgusting. I only say all this just to try and show why people get annoyed at footballers pay. Still, as Dan quite rightly points out, don't go and watch them, I certainly don't.

    Lin Black
    Hypocrite?

    1 September 2010

    Totally agree with Lin. When I am objecting to my earnings being capped at £20,000 per week, then you can justifiably call me a hypocrite. When I am objecting to the lowest paid civil servants being capped, some earning £12k per annum, then you can call me a realist.

    maryjane connelly
    Hypocrite?

    1 September 2010

    Yes, I suppose I am. I am in my 60's and have worked all my life. I am currently coming to the end of well over 20 years at DVLA. I am an AO and my gross pay is £18,000 a YEAR, and I take home just over a £1000 a month to live on. Retirement makes me nervous as the government want to do away with winter fuel payments for the elderly, and they also want to to do away with bus passes for the elderly. Even a Championship or 1st division footballer probably gets more in a week than I do in a year!

    Lin Black
    Hypocrites!

    31 August 2010

    How can we ask for a cap on wages for one group of people at the same time as we are fighting against the same thing for ourselves? The whole thing smacks of double standards. Footballers even have their own union the PFA. On balance, yes they probably do get too much but let the market decide

    Alex L
    What you can do about footballers' wages

    23 August 2010

    And I say "you" because I don't include me in this; I do not and never have watched football - I find it mind-numbingly boring. However, to all those who are saying that it is the boards of football clubs, HMRC, the club owners or even the footballers themselves who should address this issue, wake up. It is either not in the interest of some of these people to lower footballers wages, make entrance cheaper, or they don't care. But you do have the solution in your own hands, as I alluded to previously. If people don't buy enough of something - say Triumph motorcars or Betamax video recorders - the firms that make them go out of business. If enough people don't buy tickets for a west-end show, it closes. If people don't use a particular shop or pub, it goes bankrupt. And if enough people don't go through the gate of lower-league football clubs, they go into administration. You have to break the cycle somewhere of high wages, huge ticket prices and enormous satellite television fees. Stop going to live games. Cancel your Sky sports subscription. Boycott any publication affiliated to these activities. Don't buy football strips and accessories. Bankrupt the beggars! Then maybe they'll listen to you, the fans. But not before.

    Dan Tanzey
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