Manchester United captain Gary Neville has sensationally claimed that footballers deserve every penny of their massive salaries, which now frequently top £100,000-a-week.
Top-flight footballers are among the highest paid sportsmen on the planet and there are concerns that wages are spiralling out of control.
The average salary in the UK is believed to hover at around the £24,000 mark, while key workers such as a community nurse can expect to earn £1,000 above the national average.
"Others earn billions selling rights and 75,000 come to watch us every week," Neville said in The Sun.
"There's a product there that people love. Fans are crucial but without the player you have nothing."
Players' loyalty or lack of it is a prickly subject among fans, but Neville feels players have every right to choose who they want to play for.
He added: "Architects leave their business, caterers move restaurants - this is life. People want a better wage. Is there too much money in other businesses, like banking?"
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Top-flight footballers are among the highest paid sportsmen on the planet and there are concerns that wages are spiralling out of control.
The average salary in the UK is believed to hover at around the £24,000 mark, while key workers such as a community nurse can expect to earn £1,000 above the national average.
"Others earn billions selling rights and 75,000 come to watch us every week," Neville said in The Sun.
"There's a product there that people love. Fans are crucial but without the player you have nothing."
Players' loyalty or lack of it is a prickly subject among fans, but Neville feels players have every right to choose who they want to play for.
He added: "Architects leave their business, caterers move restaurants - this is life. People want a better wage. Is there too much money in other businesses, like banking?"
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