The former Newcastle and England skipper has no problem with the Barclays Premier League's superstars picking up six-figure weekly pay packets, although he does have concerns over the wage demands of some of their less gifted counterparts.

Shearer's comments come in the wake of sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe's attack on Chelsea and England captain John Terry's "obscene" earnings as he rounded on the modern game's financial excesses.

But the 37-year-old told PA Sport: "Players are entertaining the public and I see other entertainers getting a lot more money than footballers do.

"If you are very, very good at your job, you should be well rewarded. I have not got a problem with that.

"There are a lot of average players who get big money as well, which is the sticky point, but I have not got a problem at all with top players earning top money.

"Good luck to them, so they should."

Sutcliffe's remarks sparked an angry response from Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor, and provoked a national debate.

Shearer himself was handsomely rewarded during his playing days, particularly during his 10-year spell with his home-town club, but the sheet metal worker's son has never forgotten his roots in the game.

He spent his formative years at Southampton as an apprentice, making his senior debut as a 17-year-old - and scoring a hat-trick against Arsenal - while at the same time doing his fair share of boot-cleaning and dressing room sweeping.

Speaking as he launched his new DVD, Alan Shearer's Ultimate Football DVD, he said: "They (young players) are not allowed to do that now because of legislation for whatever reason, and I think that's a shame.

"It was tough when I was doing it, but when you look back now, it gives you great respect and an insight into how things are done.

"It wasn't nice at the time, but looking back, it was very, very good for us. It kept your feet on the ground."

Shearer freely admits the money which has flooded into the game in recent years has changed it beyond recognition - he believes, with certain reservations, for the better.

He said: "It's just on another level. It was 1988 when I made my debut, and when you look at everything now - the stadia, the players, the pace of the game, diet, professionalism - everything is just at another level now.

"And so it should be because of the finances in the game, both for players and for clubs.

"It is all for the better, it is just a great spectacle."

*Alan Shearer's Ultimate Football DVD is available from 19 November 2007.