Arsenal do the double

With barely enough time to change after clinching their Premiership and FA Cup Double, Arsenal's stars hurried back from Manchester to celebrate at a London nightclub.

Sylvain Wiltord, Freddie Ljungberg and David Seaman, who had taken part in last night's 1-0 defeat of United, were among the players who partied into the early hours at China White near Regent Street. Whoever was buying the drinks could afford it. On top of their handsome wages the players will earn £70,000 each in bonuses accumulated over the season.

And it wasn't just at China White that the champagne corks were popping. Arsenal's directors are today celebrating the prospect of the riches the Double will bring.

Winning the Premiership will bring Arsenal around £2 million in prize money and their appearance in the Champions League next season also guarantees massive revenues. Arsenal last year received £15.6 million in fees from Uefa and another £7.2 million in gate receipts from Champions League matches. The players will receive £1,000 a point for the Champions League, which though not much compared to their annual salaries, could mean an extra £10,000 each if they at least equal last year's quarter-final placing.

There was more good news for fans when Patrick Vieira told the Evening Standard he had decided to stay at the club. But however popular Arsenal become on the back of their Double win they have no prospect of increasing gate receipts at Highbury, where there is a seven-year waiting list for tickets. Bigger attendances will have to wait until their new stadium is built.

However, as their fan base spreads, lucrative sponsorship deals will continue to pour in. Only last month the club signed a two-year deal with mobile communications company O2 worth at least £10 million. Last night the Gunners repeated their 1998 League and Cup Double when Wiltord swept the winner past goalkeeper Fabien Barthez.

Victory was all the sweeter for being achieved at the home of rivals Manchester United, champions for the last three seasons. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: "You wanted there to be a shift of power and now I firmly believe there has been one. To win at Old Trafford and bring the Premiership trophy to Highbury is a fantastic achievement."

At Highbury, car horns blasted out and thousands poured on to the streets. Traffic stopped as motorists leant out of car windows to shake hands and talk to other motorists. Arsenal will lift the trophy after Saturday's game against Everton at Highbury.

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