Sporting Witness
Sporting Witness
The football wages revolution
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December 2, 2021
9 minutes
Available for over a year
In 1961, England’s top players threatened strike action in order to force the Football League to scrap its limit on wages of 20 pounds a week. Their victory was a turning point for the sport as it ushered in the modern era of football mega-salaries. In 2011, Lucy Williamson spoke to the late Jimmy Armfield, a former star defender for Blackpool and England captain.
PHOTO: The late Jimmy Armfield in the early 1960s (Getty Images)