Harry Redknapp denies responsibility for Birmingham's potential points deduction

"I don't think any of the signings were mine," says former Birmingham manager

Thursday 21 March 2019 10:19, UK

Harry Redknapp has denied responsibility for Birmingham City's overspending, which could see the club deducted 12 points.

Birmingham signed 14 players during Redknapp's 13-match spell in charge, which saw him save the club from relegation to League One on the final day of the 2016-17 season - only to be sacked a month into the following campaign.

The transfer spend contributed to losses of £37.5m in the 12-month period before the end of June 2018, which could see the club punished this week after Birmingham bosses faced an EFL disciplinary commission for breaking profit and sustainability results.

A decision is expected before their game at West Bromwich Albion a week on Friday, live on Sky Sports, with a potential 12-point deduction seeing them fall to only two points above the relegation zone.

"It's surely down to the people who run the club, like the chief executive and the chairman, or whoever, to know if we've got any money to spend," Redknapp told The Daily Telegraph.

"I didn't know anything about Financial Fair Play. I was never warned by anyone at the football club that there was going to be a problem with that.

"There were three lads from Brentford that came in [Jota, Harlee Dean and Maxime Colin] - they were all good players but they weren't on my shopping list.

"I'd never even see any of them play, they were brought in by other people above my head.

"We bought in Isaac Vassell for £1m [from Luton Town], and he will be worth massive money in my opinion. He was an absolute bargain, but I can't even take credit for that because he was nothing to do with me, to be truthful.

"I don't think any of the signings were mine. I was taking John Ruddy on a free transfer from Norwich and instead they brought in David Stockdale from Brighton. The director of football [Jeff Vetere] wasn't brought in by me either."