Premiership Big Four top the money table

ENGLAND’S top four clubs in the Premier League are in a financial league of their own and earned at least £14 million more than fifth-place Tottenham from television cash and prize money in the 2006-07 season.

Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and to a lesser extent Arsenal all cashed in on making it to the knockout rounds of the Champions League.

Even with £2.2 billion flooding into the Premier League from a new television deal, which will mean every club in the top flight benefiting by at least an extra £12 million, the Champions League will still separate the ‘have-lots’ from the ‘have-less’.

Tom Cannon, dean of Buckingham University Business School and an expert in sport business, told PA Sport: “The percentage difference might reduce, because there’s so much money going into the Premier League, but the absolute difference won’t reduce – in fact it might increase.

“A reasonable run in the Champions League is worth about £30m and a comparable run in the UEFA Cup run is probably worth £5m.”

The Glazer family, United’s American owners, will be delighted to see the club re-establish themselves as top of the money league with a total of £62.92m and that figure does not include gate money from Old Trafford, merchandise sales or income from club sponsorship deals.

Chelsea also broke the £60m mark. Liverpool’s run to the Champions League final will see them bring in at least £54.7m, along with a further £2m should they beat AC Milan in next week’s final in Athens.

Arsenal’s failure to reach the quarter-finals of Europe’s top club competition cost them several millions – but their total figure of £44.14m was still £14m more than north London rivals Spurs, who had a total of £30.55m and with UEFA Cup earnings more than £11m less than the Gunners’ from Europe.

Watford were the Premiership’s lowest earners, bringing in £17.98m.