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WHAT HAPPENED?
Houghton is fighting for parity for women in English football after revealing she was paid an annual salary of just £4,000 at Arsenal. That figure could rise to £9,000 from bonuses and extra work as a part-time coach, representing the vast disparity between women’s and men’s wages at the highest level of English football.
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Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The retired centre-back enjoyed a fine career that saw her earn 121 caps for England and win three WSL titles – two with Arsenal and one with Manchester City. But it was only when she spoke to people with more experience that she began to question her earnings compared to male players, before she embarked on a quest for parity.
WHAT HOUGHTON SAID
“Arsenal was the best club in England and that was their level,” Houghton told The Guardian. “Money was never really a driver for me. It was just about playing for Arsenal and winning trophies, but when you meet people that have got a lot more experience about what you should be earning, that’s when you think: ‘Right, things have to change.’
“When I looked at what [England’s men] were getting for commercial deals that really opened my eyes. The men and women play for the national teams of the same country and yet they’re getting 15 times more than us. How is that fair? I got the bit between my teeth and I was like: ‘OK, we need to do something about that.’
“That’s what I’m probably most proud of in terms of the stuff that we did off the pitch – to change how companies thought of us as athletes and to stop them taking the p***.”
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR HOUGHTON?
Houghton’s efforts helped the Lionesses earn a “biggish” bonus after finishing third at the 2015 World Cup, which she said set the precedent for bonuses to be confirmed before World Cups. The 36-year-old is now combining her work as a pundit with her role as a Man City ambassador, while she also hosts a podcast on women’s football with Ian Wright.
