November 5th 2024.
Steph Houghton had a successful three-year stint at Arsenal before joining Manchester City. As a former captain of the England national team, Houghton recently opened up about the meager salary she received during her time at Arsenal. Despite being recognized as one of the top defenders in the world and winning multiple titles with the Gunners, Houghton's salary was only £4,000 per year, with the potential for an extra £5,000 through bonuses and part-time coaching and ambassador work.
In an interview with the Guardian, Houghton explained that she shared these figures to shed light on the progress that has been made in women's football. At the time, Arsenal was considered the best club in England and that was the salary they deemed appropriate for their players. However, as Houghton's career progressed and she gained more experience, she realized that something needed to change in terms of pay equality.
Money was never a driving factor for Houghton, her main focus was on playing for Arsenal and winning trophies. However, as she met people with more experience, she began to see the disparities between men and women's salaries in the sport. This motivated her to fight for better pay conditions for herself and her fellow Lionesses. Houghton, who retired earlier this year, was a key figure in the battle for equality and spoke passionately about the need for parity with male players.
During her 14-year international career, Houghton represented England 121 times and was part of a group that fought for better pay from the FA. She revealed that at the time, the FA only passed on 2% of the money they made to the players. This was a stark contrast to the commercial deals that the men's team received, which opened Houghton's eyes to the glaring inequality.
The fight for equal pay was a long and ongoing battle, with Houghton and her teammates pushing for better pay and conditions, even during major tournaments such as the World Cup. She recalled the moment when they successfully negotiated for a significant bonus for the 2015 World Cup, where England finished third. This bonus was a life-changing moment for many of the players, who were finally able to afford things like deposits on houses.
Houghton is proud of the progress that has been made in women's football and the changes that have been brought about in terms of pay and recognition for female athletes. She hopes that the precedent set by the Lionesses will continue to inspire future generations of women in the sport.
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