The great British public may not be able to agree on too many things, but here’s one statement you probably won’t find controversial: Footballers are paid too much.

The stories of players who have had too much too soon and made a mess of their lives are too countless to recount and yet the monopoly money being thrown around keeps multiplying.

Angel Di Maria is reputedly getting around £300,000 a week for kicking a ball around at Manchester United after his recent move from Real Madrid.

Having said that, if his debut against QPR on Sunday is anything to go by, the Argentinian will light up the Premier League.

The money may be eye-boggling to the average man on the street, but in terms of shirt sales and United's worldwide appeal you can understand how ultimately it makes commercial sense.

By comparison, the boot money afforded to players in the Ryman League would barely raise an eyebrow.

However, after the early season exploits of Corinthian Casuals have seen them set the pace in Ryman League Division One South, their manager Matt Howard has an interesting question for their rivals: “Why are you paying your players?”

As a last bastion of amateurism, even in the non-league game, Casuals players know they won’t gain financially – although Howard is clear there are other benefits, not least the possibility of a tour to Brazil to mark their links as the forbearers of Corinthians Paulista.

Footballers at the top level move for money – and let’s not pretend the same doesn’t happen in non-League even if the extra can be counted in tenners rather than thousands of pounds.

Yet it’s hard to see the commercial benefit to clubs in Ryman League Division One South that often play in front of less than 100 or 200 fans.

Perhaps, as the season goes on, Casuals will get overtaken by clubs able to throw around a few quid.

If they don’t, there may be a few other clubs who think Howard’s way is the right way.