24 Apr 2009Fans believe players earn too much

Football Finance News | Football Referees, Players, Managers and Media | Football Supporters News

A Football Fans Census study on behalf of Virgin Money has revealed that fans believe that footballers are overpaid.

Research of 4,000 football fans from Virgin Money found that two in five fans believe that players are on crazy wages and that players at the club they support should see their pay reduced.

Meanwhile, 41 per cent of respondents supported the idea that there should be a league-wide wage cap, as there currently is in League Two and the Blue Square Premier.

In these divisions, clubs are only allowed a wage bill that is 60 per cent of their annual turnover.

Grant Bather of Virgin Money said: "As supporters struggle to make ends meet, the earnings of the players they watch every week become harder to bear.

"Fans genuinely feel they pay the wages of their club's footballers so it's no surprise to us that they are calling for wage cuts."

Among the world's top earners are AC Milan's Kaka, Chelsea captain John Terry and Fernando Torres of Liverpool, all of whom easily earn more than £100,000 a week.

© Copyright