Plymouth manager Paul Sturrock has warned Championship clubs they are gambling with their futures by investing huge amounts of money in pursuit of the Premiership.

Parachute payments and the influx of mega-rich chairmen has meant the Championship is awash with cash but Sturrock believes financial meltdown is just around the corner for some clubs.

"It is going to be difficult because there has been a transformation in this league," Sturrock told the club's official website. "There are potentially nine teams with parachute payments in this league and obviously the sugar daddies have turned up as well.

"It will end in tears for a lot of these clubs. I never thought a club the size of Southampton would be in such crisis as far as finance is concerned."

But Sturrock believes his club is on a sound financial footing.

"We look after our money here and we are very hopeful we can get service out of our players and them sell them on - that is the way the football club has to be run. It means you have to build teams quite regularly but that is the way it has to be done."