Keith, I don't think that is true. At the time of John Charles and Denis Law, and even at the time of David Platt and others, I don't think there were many foreign players in the British leagues. Chinaglia doesn't count, he grew up in Wales. Can you think of any from the 60s and early 70s.

Money is the key. Charles and Law were paid more in Italy than they would have been in England, Wales or Scotland. Now its the other way round.