Cut footballers' 'obscene' salaries to £60,000, say public

[mc_squared]

Cut footballers' 'obscene' salaries to £60,000, say public

 

Last updated at 16:08pm on 2nd November 2007 Comments (2)

The public agree with sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe that premiership footballers' salaries should be slashed, a new poll found today.

 

Mr Sutcliffe sparked a row yesterday when he said the pay of footballers such as Chelsea captain John Terry was "obscene".

 

Today's YouGov survey found that most people felt that premiership players should get about £60,000 a year - less than many of them are paid a week.

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'Obscene': People think pay for players such as John Terry (right) should be slashed

 

 

The poll, which was part of a Fabian Society study called The Equality Challenge, found the public thought the gap between lower earners and the highest should be closer to create a fairer Britain.

It follows the revelation that Liverpool star John Arne Riise earns £139,634 a month from the club, after his payslip made its way onto the internet.

 

 

Read more...

• Gap between rich and poor is 'a threat to society'

The figures show a monthly wage of £120,000 with a £250 points bonus, £4,000 appearance money and a Champions League figure of £15,384.62 added on.

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Confidential: The payslip revealed Riise's address and national insurance number

 

 

 

The research found the public's view of a "reasonable, fair salary" ranged from £135,000 for the office of prime minister and £120,000 for the boss of a top company to £22,500 for a bus driver and £14,000 for a worker in a fast-food restaurant.

 

 

 

In his first speech since being appointed sports minister, Manchester United fan and MP for Bradford South Mr Sutcliffe said: "Players' wages are obscene. For John Terry to be on £150,000 a week, the ordinary man in the street can't relate to that."

 

 

Tom Hampson, co-author of today's report, said: "This research shows how the British public feels the gap between the richest and poorest workers should be narrower."

 

The Fabian/ YouGov research showed that the British public felt that the lowest paid workers deserved more money, while there was a distinct indication that although more senior figures deserved to be paid more, their salaries should not be out of touch with the rest of society.

 

 

 

Mr Hampson said: "Our research shows that the public thinks it is reasonable for the PM to be at the top of the earnings league above best-selling authors, managing directors of FTSE-100 companies and especially premiership footballers but that he should not be earning as much as he does now.

"Acknowledging this unfairness in society is a challenge for Gordon Brown."

 

The research also showed the public felt wages for fast-food restaurant and supermarket check-out staff should be higher than they are.

[Black Rose]

Introduce a salary cap and all the top players will flock to another league where there is no such cap.

 

Don't they ever learn?

[busybeeburns]

A typical footballer's professional career will last only 15 years, following that it would be difficult to force into a rewarding career given no qualifications. That should also be taken into account