IT was one those moments when reality sinks in and gives you a shock. I had just read that the average household weekly income was £500.

This, I thought, might be a bit optimistic. Average figures are always distorted by the few at the top who earn vast amounts of money and leave Mr Average thinking he’s getting less than everybody else. Even so, £500 was a figure I could get my head round.

Then I tuned in the car radio and listened to a discussion about the football transfer market. It was suggested that Arsene Wenger was leaving any signings as late as possible because of the club’s wage bill.

If he signed a player on wages of £100,000 a week now, the club would have to pay out £600,000 before he even kicked a ball in anger.

Some clubs would be paying even more, with new players being paid up to £150,000 a week.

Now hang on. I know these figures have been bandied around before, but this time they suddenly hit home.

A bloke being paid £150,000 a week – whether he works or not?

A bloke being paid £150,000 a week – for sunbathing in the Bahamas?

A bloke being paid enough in one week to buy a semi detached house big enough for a family of four?

A bloke being paid in one week what it would take the average family six years to earn by actually working, doing proper jobs.