THE Premier League is set to hand Championship clubs, including Ipswich Town, a cash windfall of more than half-a-million pounds each.Town will benefit from a grant totalling around £12million from the top flight, shared between all 24 Championship clubs, as they look to bridge the gap between the first and second tiers of English football.

By Derek Davis

THE Premier League is set to hand Championship clubs, including Ipswich Town, a cash windfall of more than half-a-million pounds each.

Town will benefit from a grant totalling around £12million from the top flight, shared between all 24 Championship clubs, as they look to bridge the gap between the first and second tiers of English football.

The hand-out from the Premier League is not as much as first hoped for. A £50m share-out was originally discussed but chairmen whittled the amount down after months of haggling.

FA chairman Brian Barwick first revealed in February that talks were taking place about trying to bridge the gap.

The Evening Star now understands that the Premier League will look to ratify the move when they meet on Friday week and the Football League will discuss accepting the offer when they get together in Portugal a week later.

It would mean the Blues pocketing around £600,000 as Jim Magilton's men look to compete with the three clubs recently relegated from the Premiership who each have an £11m parachute payment.

Two of last season's promoted clubs, Sheffield United and Watford, came down along with Charlton and will be instant favourites to go straight back up.

If West Brom win next Monday's play-off final against Derby, they will go up with Sunderland and Birmingham City and that will mean the three teams relegated last year, returning to the Premiership at the first time of asking boosted by a £6m helping hand.