BLACKBURN Rovers banked a cool £23.6 million after they finished sixth in the Premiership last season.

With each place in the Premier League worth an estimated £500,000, Rovers banked £7 million for finishing in sixth position, and then a further £16 million on top as their share of the TV money.

That meant they finished 10th in the overall earnings table, which doesn't take into account gate receipts or merchandise income, but Arsenal, who finished top with £52.7 million, made more than double Rovers' figure, underlining the gulf between the clubs in the Champions League and the rest.

Almost half of the Gunners income has come from the Champions League and victory over Barcelona in the final next week would bring in a further £2m.

Champions Chelsea banked £47.5 million, while Liverpool pocketed £43.2m and Manchester United came fourth with £39.8 million.

Spurs, the highest-placed club not involved in the Champions League, earned £26.2m, less than half the sum Arsenal pulled in.

Henk Potts, a football finance analyst with Barclays stockbrokers, said: "The Champions League is the cash cow of modern football and it is so important to the leading clubs to be part of it.

"It is not just the TV and prize money, though that is very lucrative in itself, but it is vital in terms of a club's profile, merchandising and desirability for sponsors."

Earnings of Premier League clubs in 2005/06 (prize money and TV cash but not gate receipts or merchandise income).

Arsenal £52.7m
Chelsea £47.5m
Liverpool £43.2m
Man Utd £39.8m
Tottenham £26.2m
West Ham £24.4m
Middlesbrough £24.3m
Newcastle £24.0m
Bolton £23.7m
Blackburn £23.6m
Wigan £22.9m
Everton £22.4m
Charlton £21.0m
Man City £20.6m
Fulham £20.3m
Aston Villa £19.6m
Birmingham £19.4m
Portsmouth £18.0m
West Brom £16.9m
Sunderland £16.1m