Main content

The football wages revolution

How England's top players fought for their salary cap to be lifted in 1961.

In 1961, England鈥檚 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)

Available now

9 minutes

Last on

Sun 5 Dec 2021 19:50GMT
大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only

More episodes

Previous

Zenyatta

Next

The Tibetan football team

See all episodes from Sporting Witness

Broadcasts

  • Thu 2 Dec 2021 10:50GMT
    大象传媒 World Service
  • Fri 3 Dec 2021 00:50GMT
    大象传媒 World Service
  • Sat 4 Dec 2021 18:50GMT
    大象传媒 World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Sun 5 Dec 2021 19:50GMT
    大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only

Olympic history

Olympic history

The inside and personal story of the key moments from sporting history

Sporting Witness Films

Sporting Witness Films

Watch sporting heroes tell their stories of astonishing achievement

Podcast

  • Sporting Witness

    Personal stories of amazing moments from sporting history told by people who were there