15 Most Shockingly Underpaid Footballers

"Ash! Are you listening? ' said a virtually hyperventilating Jonathan. "I'm here in the office and David Dein is saying they aren't going to give you £60k a week. They've agreed £55k and this is their best and final offer. Are you happy with that?" When I heard Jonathan repeat the figure of £55k I nearly swerved off the road. I was so incensed. I was trembling with anger. I couldn't believe what i'd heard." - Ashley Cole, September 2006.

It was this extract from Ashley Cole's autobiography, detailing his failed negotiations with Arsenal over a new contract, that subsequently earned him the nickname 'Cashley' Cole - a situation which was exacerbated by a switch to big-spending Chelsea. It is this example of animalistic greed and selfishness that has blighted the modern game, with multimillionaires tossing their toys out of the pram in order to squeeze every last penny out of their respective employers. The world of modern football has become plagued with whispering agents and poisonous entourages, all determined to grab their slice of pie. Which is why it's all the more refreshing when one comes across examples of those top-class players who don't hold their clubs to ransom, and instead settle for a relatively modest wage. Of course, it's still the bizarre world of modern football - an alternate reality where earning just a four-figure sum on a weekly basis is deemed a pittance. Take a look at 15 top-class footballers that many would expect to be earning a lot more than they are currently on.