Footballers Relishing from 1500% Salary Increase

Premier League footballers in the United Kingdom have seen their salaries increase 1500 per cent since the creation of the League 20 years ago.

This is according to research by think tank the High Pay Centre and is also well above the 186 per cent increase that the average UK worker has enjoyed.

The report found that 70 per cent of a club’s turnover is now taken up by players’ wages, herbal compared to only 48 per cent in 1997.

Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney is amongst the highest paid footballers in the country and reportedly earned £8 million from his last contract.

The player also earns lucrative sums from contracts with Nike and Electronic Arts.

Rooney was recently joined at United by Robin Van Persie who is reportedly earning £200, cheap 000 a week at his new club.

Dave Boyle, author of the Report on Footballers’ Wages, said: “Over the last 30 years we have seen massive increases in players’ salaries, accompanying this we have witnessed many fans priced out of the market, levels of debt that would be unsustainable in any other business and a national team that is continually out-performed by teams from much poorer football countries.”

And it is arguable that it is the fans that are paying for the wage increase, as the cheapest tickets for the top games have gone up by over 1000 per cent since 1989.