The root of all evil separating the Sky 4 from the nearly clubs is Mr Murdoch.
The money that these 4 clubs receive from the Premier League and UEFA basically means that Spurs, Villa, Everton & Newcastle cannot compete on the same level financially and cannot therefore attract players with huge transfer and wage demands. City could have only hoped to have reached this second tier even with Thaskin's money and those 'second tier' clubs would never bridge the gap to the Sky 4 who would have stayed there largely due to the 4 places that we are allowed in the Champions League.
Spurs bridged the gap on the field due to a demise in Liverpool's performance, however, they still weren't in the same market for players that Liverpool could demand.
City having the money has done one huge thing. We are now expected to finish in one of the Champions League places from now to eternity and this leaves 3 places for 4 teams. Liverpool have renewed belief with Dalglish back at the helm and have appeared to have rescued their footballing, but as yet not financial slide. In the next 4 years I am expecting City and Chelsea to be there or thereabouts. The rag brand and advertising that they can generate will enable them to compete but only if Slur remains manager. This leaves Liverpool and Arsenal (who won't do anything as long as Wenger insists in having a team where none of the players have been round the block) with Spurs desperately trying to hold onto their coat tails.
City are the exception and have blown the teams governed by Sky money apart. Blackburn managed to get to the top for a short while, but the amount of money and calibre of player needed to achieve this then, compared with now pales into insignificance. The biggest question remaining for Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs is can they continue to chase the dream or will they suffer financial meltdown and 'do a Leeds'