THEY may have their problems both on and off the pitch, but when it comes to paying their bills, York City are in the champions league.

The struggling Third Division football club is in administration and its long-term future is by no means secure.

But despite all its problems, the club can take heart in the fact that it has beaten Premier League high-flyers Arsenal in the prompt-payment stakes.

The result is revealed by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in its Private Sector Payment Performance League Tables.

The tables are based on an analysis of company reports by the Credit Management Research Centre at Leeds University Business School.

The research, which is now in its fourth year, studies the payment performance of more than 3,000 limited companies, covering manufacturing, service, retail, finance and construction.

It reveals that York City FC is top of the prompt payment league, settling bills in an average of ten days, while Premier League side Arsenal rank fifth in the league, taking an average of 25 days.

The FSB's area policy unit chairman, Tony Cherry, said: "It is sad that York City FC, which recognise the importance of prompt payment to suppliers, should be facing such hardship and be penalised in this way.

"In these terms alone, it is a club which deserves better local support."

The FSB's tables show that the average length of time it takes a company to pay its suppliers is 46 days - the same figure as the past three years despite growing concern over the effect late payments have on small enterprises

Nineteen companies took more than 200 days to pay, compared to 14 last year and the number of companies with one-day payment records has fallen from 25 to 21.

Only one third of companies paid bills within 30 days.