We need five players - Sullivan

Sullivan believes boss Alex McLeish will need five new players

Birmingham City co-owner David Sullivan said he thinks the club will need five new players to survive in the Premier League next season.

Blues were promoted straight back to the top flight after winning 2-1 at Reading on Sunday.

"The bottom line is we will have to buy - I think we'll probably need five players," Sullivan told BBC WM.

"The manager will see what he needs but I think we probably need five. Time will tell."

But Sullivan believes there are more immediate financial concerns than buying new players.

"We've got to put a few million in next week to pay the summer wages because we don't get any money from the Premier League until August and there is a hole in the finances.

We live to fight another day and I hope we do a lot better in the Premier League next year than we did last year

David Sullivan

"And we've got to pay for the work on the main stand, the television and all the other things we've promised."

The Blues co-owner found Sunday's promotion decider a nerve-wracking experience but not as difficult as the first time the club were promoted to the Premier League under his stewardship, when they beat Norwich in the play-off final in Cardiff in 2002.

"That was even worse. That was penalties and extra time, that was even more stressful.

"[Norwich majority shareholder] Delia Smith always said that was the best day of her life. And I thought how can that be the best day of your life? It's a pretty sad life.

"But then Norwich of course are now [in League One] and when you look at Norwich, Southampton and Charlton, three big clubs have gone down, so you know if you get it wrong what can happen to you.

"We live to fight another day and I hope we do a lot better in the Premier League next year than we did last year."