The financial gap between Scottish and English football is widening, according to research published by PKF.
The firm's annual survey of football club finance directors found that Scottish football cannot match income generated by many of the clubs in the English Premier League.
The researchers attribute the divide to the fact that Scottish clubs make less money from TV and associated sponsorship revenues than clubs south of the border.
Scottish clubs fear that the financial strain could get worse over the coming year, according to the survey by accountants and business advisers PKF.
Nearly two thirds (63%) of Clydesdale Bank Premier League clubs say their main concerns over the next 12 months are a potential fall in TV income and the level of players' salaries.
Broadcasting revenue rose by just 25% in the past year for Scottish top flight clubs, compared to a 46% rise for English Premier League clubs.
The outlook is more positive in other areas according to the survey, titled 'Between Silverware and Insolvency'.
Ticket sales are the biggest source of income, and 25% of clubs saw an increase in revenue from ticket sales in the last year.
And the study found that Scottish clubs are in better financial shape this year, despite fears about the future.
Only 13% of SPL clubs reported feeling under pressure from their bank, down from 20% last year.
And the number of SPL clubs who believe they will use their full available bank facility has dropped from 60% to 38% in the past year.
However the situation for lower divisions in Scottish football looks less positive.
Between 40 and 50% of lower league clubs saw no increase in sponsorship, and 43% of Irn Bru Scottish League Division One clubs said they had felt under pressure from their bank in the last year.
Charles Barnett, PKF partner and author of the report, said: "What this survey shows is that Scottish football is in better shape overall than previous years but that the distance between the EPL and the SPL is widening.
"Even the poorest performing EPL teams make more money than their SPL counterparts and this situation means that it is becoming increasingly difficult for Scottish teams to make an impact in Europe.
"The pressure of rising wages for players is also likely to have a much greater impact on Scottish teams where income from greater sponsorship and higher ticket sales is less likely to occur.
"Whilst the financial pressures seem to have eased somewhat in the last year it is clear that Scottish football, particularly the lower down the divisions you go, remains in a fairly precarious state."
The study was based on 59 interviews with finance directors of football clubs.
