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You've Never Had it so Good

The start of the Fifties was a period of austerity as Britain was still recovering from the War. Rationing was still in force, the country was massively in debt and the pound had just been drastically devalued in relation to the dollar.

Undeterred the Labour government had set about a massive reform programme establishing the National Health Service and providing "education for all" whilst also instigating the nationalisation of many of the main industries.

By the end of the decade things had changed dramatically leading to Conservative prime minister Harold Macmillan's famous claim that "you've never had it so good".

Rationing had finally come to an end in 1954, there was full employment, the average wage rose and nearly everyone's standard of living had improved significantly. Car ownership increased by 250% during the decade, more people owned their own houses and people furnished them with televisions (10 million households by 1960), washing machines and other consumer gadgets.

As a result people (especially the young) had more money to spend on leisure activities. Football attendances soared during the forties although they began to wane again during the fifties as alternative forms of entertainment became increasingly popular.

It was against this background of reform and better living standards that the Players union started to challenge the relationship that had existed for years between the players and the clubs.

Jimmy Guthrie had taken over as Chairman of the Players Union in 1947 and - inspired by the ideals of the new Labour Government - set off on a confrontational campaign to completely transform the conditions and position of the players within the national game.

He wanted the Union to establish a structure for the provision of insurance, health-care, legal advice and pensions. He also campaigned for a Provident Fund, a Players Charter, and a direct say for the Union in the running of the game. But his two main targets for reform were the players' wages and contracts.

His campaign received a mixed response from players, many of whom were wary of his left-wing stance. The contrasting opinions of Milburn and Broadis reveal the range of opinion that existed.

Broadis later stated that "At Newcastle the players were second class citizens in the eyes of the directors. I was over the moon to get away from United". In contrast Milburn believed that "we were treated like Kings"

Take the Cash

Compared to the average wage (under £9 a week in 1952 for a man) footballers (at least those at the top of their profession) were relatively well paid. However, few players had sufficient funds to purchase their own property or buy a car and most lived in houses owned by the club and travelled to matches and training on the bus. This put them on a par with most working men.

But, as is always argued, a footballers career is a relatively short one and half a century ago there wasn't the plentiful opportunities that exist today to stay within the game. The Union also argued that with attendances booming the players were not getting a fair share of the money coming in.

One of the most outspoken players of the era was ex-Newcastle star Len Shackleton. Before the Cup Final of 1951 Shack (then playing for Sunderland) tried to persuade the United players not to play in the Cup Final on the basis that the takings would be about £40,000 and that they were "playing for buttons". The players decided not to take his advice, fearing that Seymour would simply play the reserves.

The amount a payer could be paid was limited to a maximum wage; with different limits in effect for the season and the close-season . In the mid fifties only a quarter of all pro players received the maximum.

At Newcastle regular first teamers got the maximum, but others were only paid on a match by match basis and had to negotiate individually for reserve games and payments during the summer.

The PU campaigned unsuccessfully to have the maximum wage abolished, but did manage to double the season maximum from £12 in 1950/51 to £24 in 1959/60.

In addition to their basic wage there were other sources of potential income based on the success of the team; but these "extras" had barely increased since before the war despite the fact that taxes and inflation had increased significantly. Also it was left to the directors of each club to determine what "benefits" should be paid and how they would be distributed amongst their players.

Win bonuses were available but restricted to a £2 limit

There were other bonuses for the FA Cup; when Newcastle won the Cup in 1952 the players received £113 6s in bonuses

"Talent Money" was awarded to clubs based on their success during the season. For example in the 1950/51 season when United won the cup and finished 4th the club received £220 "talent money". The money was shared out amongst the players based on the number of appearences made with the ever-presents getting £20.

International players were paid for each appearance for their Country or League.

After five years service at a club a player qualified for a £750 benefit payment.

Players received a Provident Fund credit (about £80 in 1957) which was used to build up a retirement lump sum in lieu of a pension.

When a player was transferred between clubs he was entitled to a £10 signing-on fee.

When Bobby Cowell had to retire early due to injury he became the first United player to be given a testimonial. The match in April 1956 was attended by 36,000 supporters who paid £4000 to see Newcastle beat an All Stars XI which allowed him to buy his own house and have £1,500 spare.

The only other fifties players lucky enough to be given testimonials were Milburn, McMichael, Harvey and Mitchell.

Slaves to Soccer

In 1955 the Players Union joined the Trades Union Congress. Guthrie attended the National Conference at Blackpool and made a famous speech in which he claimed that professional footballers were little more than slaves. "I stand here as a representative of the last bonded men in Britain. We have had enough of Human Bondage - we seek your assistance to unfetter the chains and set us free!"

Players contracts were based on the "retain-and-transfer" system which was totally weighted in favour of the club. Players lacked security as they were only given one year contracts and the clubs could retain a player as long as they wished. They could also cut players' wages.

United 'keeper Ronnie Simpson was one of the many victims of the system. He had joined the club in February 1951 and helped them to two successive cup final victories. But when he was offered his new contract for the 1954/55 season his weekly wage had been reduced by £2 to £13; Seymour using poor results and the need to increase incentives as an excuse.

At the time Simpson said "I can see that I must sign in accordance with football law, but if I do so on the terms offered, I shall also make a request for transfer". He was so upset he considered leaving football altogether, but eventually patched up his differences and stayed.

A year later and Frank Brennan received even worse treatment; the new contract offered to him gave him a weekly wage of only £8 a week. Frank's case was used by Guthrie as evidence of the inequality of the current system.

The Players Union wanted players to be able to negotiate contracts for an agreed period of time and at a scale of wages acceptable to the player and the club. But despite their campaigning the decade ended with the existing system still in place.

Under The Counter

With their hands tied by League Regulations some of the richer clubs were willing to use "under-the counter" methods of compensating players in a bid to attract and retain them.

Some clubs gave players unofficial signing on fees in excess of the £10 allowed others paid players "programme money"; sourced from surplus cash raised from the sale of the programme and other merchandise.

Jackie Milburn stated very clearly within his "Scrapbook" that Newcastle were "a 'clean' club" and that chairman George Rutherford "would have no hanky panky", but his version of events is contradicted by Len Shackleton who claimed that he was promised and eventually given £500 to join Newcastle.

It became common knowledge that illegal payments were rife throughout the country and the Football Association set up a Commission to investigate . The commission concentrated their enquiries on Sunderland who were believed to be the main "payers" and reported back in April 1957. Sunderland were fined £5,000 and four directors and five players were suspended for life.

The Union , now led by Jimmy Hill, demanded a full-scale enquiry and organised a petition amongst all pro footballers urging all that had received "illegal" payments to sign it. They were gambling that so many players would testify that the FA would have to back down; the gamble worked.

Get a Job

In order to supplement their wages some of the players took part-time jobs, others started their own businesses. The club allowing them to do this as long as it did not interfere with their commitments to the club. However, players had to take care with what they got involved with. Despite denials it was suggested that one of the reasons for Frank Brennan's sudden demise was the fact that he had set up a sports outfitters shop in town. Stan Seymour also had his own established business.

With the increasing exposure of football to the masses via cinema and television a small minority of stars were lucky enough to get endorsements.. Milburn's exploits in the Cup earned him a contract with Quaker Oats and he also advertised his own brand of football boots.

But Jackie Milburn also described how prior to the 1951 FA Cup Final he and the other players "put up trestles in the car park outside the ground and sold them ourselves at two bob each. Those were the days we were hard up but happy"

Foreign Spoils

The restrictions on earnings led to some players taking the unprecedented step of playing abroad.

In 1949 a number of players (including future United manager Charles Mitten) caused a sensation by walking out on their clubs and going to Colombia. Mitten received a £5,000 signing on fee and a £5,000 salary plus a £35 win bonus.

When the Italian Football Association lifted their ban on the signing of foreign players another door opened and in April 1957 Leeds star John Charles was sensationally sold to Juventus for £70,000; doubling the current British record transfer fee. Charles himself received a £10,000 signing on fee and although his basic wage of £18 a week was no better than at Leeds he got a bonus of between £200 and £1000 depending upon the opposition.

Friends in High Places

The Players Union gained some powerful allies. None more so than Sir Stanley Rous who was the Secretary of the Football Association, who in 1955 put forward some radical new ideas for the structure of the English game. Although he emphasised the ideas were his rather than official FA suggestions they were still taken as reflecting the FA's position.

He advocated the formation of a Super League made up of 16 to 18 teams. The teams would have the best managers, trainers and coaches and the players would be paid wages of £25 (ie almost double the maximum wage at the time). He believed the increased wages would act as an incentive for players to work and train harder to get into the top league.

Rous believed that he reduction in games and concentration on "excellence" was vital to help the English national team restore it's place in the World order and for English club teams to succeed in the emerging European competitions

The Union also became more media savvy, Guthrie skilfully exploited the newspapers and the emerging media of television to get his messages across.

A players' Paradise

Despite the ever growing pressure the maximum wage and the retain-and-transfer system were still in place at the end of the 1959/60 season. This was because the League believed that retaining the "status quo" was vital in ensuring "a fair competition"

They believed that if the players got their way it would place an intolerable financial burden on the smaller clubs and would lead to a migration of all the best players towards the "big" clubs.

It is misleading however to assume that it was only the League and the smaller clubs that were against change. Many others within the game expressed concerns over the consequences. Two respected journalists of the day put forward their views.

Roland Allen said in 1960 "while it is agreed that some leading professional players are underpaid, many more are grossly overpaid at £24 weekly, for what they are prepared to put into the game"

John Thompson was concerned that the players campaign was undermining the authority and dignity of the national game. "If they go on now as they are now going they will probably have the players' Paradise of which they dream. Whether any such victory would be for the ultimate good of the game is a point we will not discuss for the time being"