Ryan Giggs has reflected on how money in football has changed since he started playing.
“A lot of players now, before they’ve established themselves, get a lot of money, which I never got,” said Giggs. “I was on good money, don’t get me wrong, but I was playing in the first team and I was on £30. I was on an apprenticeship wage. Then my next contract was like £200 with expenses and gradually contracts would get better the older you got. That was how I grew up. Now, before you’re proven, you’ve got the money – a four or five-year contract – which is the way football’s gone. Some players can handle it, some player’s don’t. I’ve been at the club during its most successful era and been here a long time. It’s going to be hard to beat. I’m not going to say it will never ever be done, but it will be tough.”