THE Baby Bentley culture is the latest buzz phrase in English football.

It was given headline prominence by West Ham boss Alan Curbishley on New Year's Day after seeing last season's FA Cup finalists mauled 6-0 by Reading.

The new boss's savage criticism of the Hammers' so-called brat pack, who jam their Chadwell Heath training ground with cars costing upwards of six figures, won nationwide approval.

You could almost hear the applause for his frustrated and angry rant echoing around the country.

Extortionate wage packets for the 21st century footballer have brought a fresh wave of accusations and abuse crashing down on the players.

A lot of it no doubt is fuelled by envy and there will be an even bigger target for critics to take aim at after the é128m deal that David Bekham signed yesterday.

But it has been a long, hard fight for the players to reach such elevated wage status as the Professional Footballers' Association, celebrating its centenary year this week, know only too well.

Rebels

In Manchester Town Hall's great room, rebels of the early 1900s such as United's Billy Meredith and Charlie Roberts were lauded for standing up for players' rights.

Former England international George Eastham flew in from South Africa for the occasion.

He was at the centre of a test case in 1963, funded and driven by the PFA, that was to be the start of player power and lead ultimately to today's unbelievable salaries.

"I earned in a career what they are getting in a week these days," mused 70-year-old Eastham, who couldn't quite get to grips with how his fight had led to such spiralling pay cheques in the game.

Footballers are getting bad press but Gary Neville passionately defends his fellow pros.

He is United's PFA rep and a staunch believer in fighting for the just causes, earning himself the nickname Red Nev.

The 31-year-old England defender fully appreciates the battles and sacrifices his counterparts like Meredith, Eastham and Jimmy Hill went through to win players their rights and better money.

But Neville believes the flak his colleagues have faced as a result is not fully justified.

As the PFA enters its second century, Neville says the union is facing a new battle. "One of the biggest roles the PFA is the perception of how its members are seen. The public image," he said.

"The media have made us almost like film stars. I think that is a positive but players are not just on the back pages any more but also the front. There are benefits to that but also problems for the individuals involved.

"There are dangers. There are players who have problems with drink, gambling and other addictions. That has probably happened throughout time but nowadays you can't get away with it.

Frenzy

"You can't privately get through these things. It is a very public game.

"It is a frenzy at times but you know that that is all part of being a footballer and we get rewarded for that. The rewards are incredible.

"We would play for nothing because we are doing something we love but the fact is we are getting paid an incredible amount of money.

"I like to think that 99.9 per cent of footballers are grounded. They're genuinely good lads. They are good people who mean well. People say we need to be role models but I believe that most of the time we are.

"Players make mistakes at times, including myself, but that doesn't mean we are bad people. We do try to do a lot of good work.

"We do a lot of good work outside football but that is not seen. We don't really want it to be seen. It is not reported because it is not interesting enough.

"There is no drama or glamour, it is just really good work that a lot of players undertake.

"It doesn't necessarily have to be reported but as long as people respect that it is going on. People around the Manchester area know that United do a lot of good work and City as well.

"It is never going to get the publicity and it doesn't really need to as long as people know it is going on."

Neville hit back at the Baby Bentley criticism levelled at the game's most handsomely paid players.

"When you lose a match there is a reaction. Players who win matches drive Bentleys. Players who don't win matches drive Bentleys and it changes from week to week," he added.

"You can't just say one week they are driving Bentleys and that's why they have lost the match.

"I think the pride of a players is still there and matter what car they have, what house they have.

"I have earned an incredible amount of money through football. I don't apologise for that, it is just the situation that I am in. I have a nice house and a nice car but I give 100 per cent every time I go out on to the pitch.

"I know I would have done exactly the same if I had been a footballer 40 years ago."

What do you think? Have your say.

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