Charles Sale, writing in Friday’s Daily Mail, believes the gender pay gap at the FA, which currently stands at 23.2 per cent is not something they should be worried about because it’s less than the 31 per cent at the Lawn Tennis Association.

Calling the racism that Eni Aluko suffered part of the FA’s ‘recent troubles,’ Sale then goes on to write ‘But at least the gender pay gap should not be adding to them.’

It seems, in the mind of this well respected Daily Male journalist, women being paid almost a quarter less than men is not a problem because others pay them even less.

Sale also points out that football is a ‘male dominated sport’ as if this somehow excuses the disparity between how women and men are remunerated.

I’m not quite sure how you can put this combination of words together for a brief article and think that they form an acceptable argument.

Sale is basically saying ‘But don’t worry ladies, the FA think you’re worth 75% of the value they place on men despite you not really belonging in football. Run along and be happy it’s not 69%.’

For the record, 23% is also larger than the amount of space on a double-page that the Daily Mail gave to Phil Neville’s first match in charge of the England Women’s team which thumped France on Thursday night.