SAINTS will miss out on receiving a bonus payment of over half a million pounds - a figure which could even rise to over £1m - after their relegation to League One.

Birmingham’s immediate return to the Barclays Premier League means a welcome financial boost to nearly all the remaining clubs in the Coca-Cola Championship.

Having secured promotion in their first season following relegation from the top flight, the Blues' second year of parachute payments will now be shared out among the teams who are not already being handed such sums.

It is believed Blues were set to receive around £11.2million for the 2009/10 season, meaning the money Championship clubs were due to be handed in solidarity payments is to double to somewhere in the region of £1.1million.

The money shared out among the rest of Championship could double if Reading also secure an immediate return via the play-offs.

The teams exempt from receiving money from promoted club’s parachute payments would be the three relegated teams from the Premier League this season plus Derby and Reading, who came down last year and next season will still be in receipt of parachute payments if they remain in the second tier.