The world of football has undergone a quantum leap for the worse, proceeding to degenerate to a point where some current realities of the beloved game border on obscene. Players are getting paid in excess of 150 000 pounds sterling a week, football clubs are operating with transfer sums that could sort out a Third World African nation’s budget for a decade to come.

And if fans were complaining that with the arrival of Roman Abramovich and the transformation of Chelsea, matters got "slightly" out of hand, then with the new galacticos era at Real Madrid and, more notably, the recent metamorphosis of Manchester City into the world’s richest club, the beautiful game has gone well and truly insane. Football has long lost its charm as a working class sport, its very heart and soul.

Football heritage, history and tradition matter little nowadays. Supporters from a younger generation have heard little of legendary clubs like Nottingham Forest or Preston North
End, and why would they? The money drive is relentless, all-important, heritage is overrated.

In their quest for success at all cost, to eclipse their illustrious Salford neighbours, Manchester City have started a mind-boggling shopping spree that can be rivalled only by Real Madrid.

Still, they managed to save some money. Signing Gareth Barry from Aston Villa for a fee of 12 million pounds on June 1. For the curious, that’s less than the 15 million pounds bid Liverpool tabled last season and less than the 14 million pounds Man City reportedly spent on Craig Bellamy.

Grossly unsatisfied, the surge goes on. The club secured the services of Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn on a four-year deal on June 22. The 27-year-old was under contract with Blackburn until 2012 but had a buy-out clause in his contract for 18 million pounds sterling, a contract which was coined with the help of Hughes himself and facilitated the transfer to City in turn. The Paraguay striker previously had a successful spell under Hughes, who bought the highly-rated forward from German giants Bayern Munich to Ewood Park.

Santa Cruz repaid the trust by netting 23 goals in 43 appearances in what was hailed by Rovers’ fans as a tremendous debut season.

For those old-fashioned supporters who love the game, the banter, the pint, the match-going rituals, as well as the raw, sweaty, smelly passion of football on the terraces, a minuscule amount of sense was restored, albeit temporarily, when it was revealed that, shockingly, money can’t buy everything. Manchester City made an outrageous bid for Kaka, trying to lure him from AC Milan for the barnyard amount of 100 million pounds sterling, which came attached, of course, to weekly wages difficult to comprehend. Kaka snubbed them, but sanity’s reign was short-lived as the Brazilian went on to join Real Madrid, setting a world record transfer fee, if only for a week.

City are now relentlessly pursuingskipper John Terry. There is no longer a need for covertness, no longer a necessity to tiptoe and advance tactically. This a straightforward surge for England’s skipper. "Terry wants to" and "Terry should" join City because "he wants a new challenge" was the simple, overt and smacking of arrogance message from Mark Hughes.

Should the club manage to sign the player, City – who captured Carlos Tevez, a player targeted by Chelsea earlier – will have administered another devastating blow to the Londoners, even if Chelsea will pocket a cool 30 million pounds or more from the transfer.

Alex Ferguson enjoyed being at the helm of the world’s richest club for more than a decade. All that effort and painstakingly achieved accomplishment, however, was ruthlessly taken away in one swipe when Abramovich stepped on the scene, and United were suddenly relegated to the second richest team in the land. If he found that hard to swallow, then what is happening next door at City, will certainly have Ferguson in stitches– and not in an amusing way.   

Less than 24 hours after securing Carlos Tevez for 25.5 million pounds sterling, City are inches from landing Arsenal’s Emmanuel Adebayor, which means they will have no less than nine senior strikers in their ranks. Reportedly, City have offered 20 million pounds, though Arsenal is holding out for 25 million pounds. The Guardian said City will pay Adebayor 150 000 pounds sterling a week, while The Times of London’s forecast was even higher – 170 000 pounds a week.

Ever seen an interview on telly with a player who's earning in excess of 50,000 pounds sterling a week, and then says: "Well the reason I am not playing particularly well, is because I am going through a difficult spell, I am not really enjoying my game at the moment..."

Not really enjoying my game at the moment? For a 50 000 a week? I would be frigging ecstatic.

Feeling nostalgic for the good old days when players were paid a few bob and then went down the pub for a pint with the lads after the match? Consider rugby then.