Clubs strive to hold on to the Premier 'money train'

From the start of next season, goals will no longer be the most popular word in the English game since 'money' has dramatically taken over in abundance.

The FA Premier chief executive, Richard Scudamore has just signed a new £625 million deal for overseas TV rights - more than double the current contract.

Indeed, it will be a disaster for the three relegated teams at the end of the season.

Perhaps, that is why West Ham United spent every pound they had to sign new players and bolster their squad last month.

The bottom team in the 2007-08 Premier League will earn £30 million - more than 13 times what the average Championship or Scottish Premier club will net.

Next season's champions will grab a prize of £50 million.

The new TV deal will automatically mean an influx of more foreign players and club owners. The English league has become the most attractive place to play the game as well as the best environment to run a football business.

Other items of interest for January:

• FA Cup holders Liverpool are eliminated in the third round, going down to Arsenal 1-3 at Anfield.

• FA Cup third round shocks: Bristol City-Coventry 3-1, Nottingham Forest-Charlton 2-0, Sheffield United-Swansea 0-3.

• In round three of the Scottish Cup, non-League side Deveronvale beat Elgin at home 5-4 while Second Division side Morton knock out Premier side Kilmarnock 3-1 at Cappielow Park.

• Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc is named Player of the Month for December in the Scottish Premier League.

• In the Premiership the monthly awards go to Sam Allardyce, manager of Bolton and Cristiano Ronaldo, forward for Manchester United.

• Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo becomes only the third player to win the Premiership monthly award twice in a row, after Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal) in 1997 and Robbie Fowler (Liverpool) in 1995-96.

• England tumble to sixth place, down one slot, in the latest FIFA rankings.

• In FA Cup third round replays Bristol City shock Coventry with a 3-1 victory at the Ricoh Arena and Birmingham claim the surprise of the competition so far by defeating Newcastle 5-1 at the St James's Park.

• Walter Smith quits Scotland's national side to take over at Glasgow Rangers for the second time following the sacking of Paul Le Guen.

Selected trio

• Three Premiership players, Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Cesc Fabregas and Thierry Henry (both of Arsenal) feature in the UEFA Team of 2006.

• Feyenoord are thrown out of the UEFA Cup after crowd disturbances during a group stage match against Nancy. In the first round knock-out phase Feyenoord were due to play Tottenham.

• Chelsea beat Wycombe 4-0 at Stamford Bridge to book their place in the final of the League Cup 5-1 on aggregate.

• Peter Taylor quits as Under-21 England coach to focus solely on his job at Crystal Palace.

• Tottenham are given a bye into the last 16 of the UEFA Cup after Feyenoord, who have appealed against the decision, were ditched due to crowd trouble.

• Former Rangers boss Alex McLeish is appointed new Scotland head coach.

• Bayern Munich's Owen Hargreaves is named Nationwide England Player of the Year.

• Kilmarnock and Hibernian reach the Scottish League Cup final following respective wins over Falkirk (at Hampden Park, 3-0) and St Johnstone (at Tynecastle, 3-1 after extra time).

• The League Cup ultimate showdown will be a London derby after Arsenal joined Chelsea in the following their 5-3 aggregate win over Tottenham.