Chelsea 1st Premier League club to be accredited by Living Wage Foundation

We all know how much money footballers make, but there's far more to a club than just the playing staff and those directly involved in games. Clubs, especially big ones like Chelsea, are huge, sprawling things, and require a gargantuan support staff. Said staff is some way removed from the glamour and the pay of the first team, but the Blues have taken a big step forward in making sure they're treated more fairly nevertheless.

Earlier today, Chelsea FC announced that they have become the first Premier League club* to sign up to the Living Wage Foundation's initiative, which aims to ensure that the minimum wage paid to employees allows them to meet their basic needs. That's a significant step above the national minimum wage of £6.50 per hour: From January, Chelsea employees will make £9.15 per hour if they work in London and £7.85 per hour outside it.

*They say they're the first professional club, but I'm fairly sure League Two's Luton Town have also done so.

Taking care of their people is something to be proud of, and I think Bruce Buck says it best.

As a responsible employer we are proud of this significant achievement for the club.

We believe the move to the Living Wage underlines our commitment to ensuring that all our employees receive a fair rate of pay for their hard work and dedication. Quite simply it is the right thing to do.

Source: ChelseaFC.com.

Nice work on this one, Chelsea.