E-business, telecoms, management, financial and other software companies continue to dominate the league table, accounting for 43 places.

If the same four clubs continue to dominate the league, it cannot be good for the game.

But consumer goods and services companies, which have also been badly affected by the credit crisis and rising raw material costs, still dominate the league table.

They feared that bigger clubs would dominate the league as a consequence of being able to pay higher salaries.

Over the following decade, these changes helped to equalise the clubs, minimising the ability for the richer clubs to dominate the league.