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Extra-Time money for promoted Blackburn?

Rovers success may put the financial squeeze on PC retailer

Last night's promotion of Blackburn Rovers to the Premiership is something of a mixed blessing for club sponsors Time Computers.

Blackburn secured the second place in Division One, and automatic promotion, by beating Preston North End 1-0 away from home.

For PC manufacturer and retailer Time however the promotion might mean an unwelcome call of its cash reserves at a time when it announcing redundancies and closing stores.

We understand sponsorship of first division clubs costs around £250,000 a season rising to £500,000 in the case of better-supported clubs, such as Blackburn.

This figure skyrockets when a team reaches the top flight. Ipswich, which after promotion only last season has booked its place in Europe next year, has just signed a £7 million three-year deal with new technology firm TXU Energi.

Time has completed the first year of a four year deal with Blackburn, and whilst the club won't comment on this and we can't get hold of Time, Rovers has surely signed a performance-related sponsorship deal.

In the unlikely event of Blackburn going close to its 1995 triumph we have images of Time boss Tahir Mohsan cheering on the opposition.

Talking of which we hear that sponsorship talks between Time and Burnley (arch-rivals to Blackburn) broke down when Burnley refused to allow a tacky version of Time's green logo on its famous claret and blue shirt.

Our enquiries to Burnley on this were met with indignation. Burnley, one of the few league clubs without a shirt sponsor, is looking to sign a deal but this "has to be right for the club". Quite. ®

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