Let Harry buy his way out of trouble, says Woodgate

Jonathan Woodgate today called for Harry Redknapp to be given the transfer funds to haul Tottenham clear of relegation danger.

Following yesterday's controversial 2-0 defeat by bottom-of-the-table West Brom, Spurs are above the drop zone on goal difference alone and stand-in skipper Woodgate believes Redknapp must be allowed to buy his way out of trouble.

Redknapp wants at least one new striker - he has already had a £6million offer for West Ham's Craig Bellamy rejected - and is keen to sign Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing, who is a former team-mate of Woodgate on Teesside.

Chairman Daniel Levy said at the club's recent Annual General Meeting he expected little transfer activity next month but boss Redknapp is desperate to add to his squad.

Asked if it was important for Spurs to recruit players in January, Woodgate said: "Of course it is. We are in a relegation battle and we have to keep improving. Every team have to buy players.

"If you look at this time last season, Spurs signed players [Woodgate and Alan Hutton joined for a combined £17m] and we must keep on buying.

"We need as many top-quality players as we can get. Stewart Downing is a Middlesbrough player, so I can't say much about his future. But he is an England international and anyone who plays for England is a good player."

Like Redknapp, Woodgate was furious with the performance of referee Steve Tanner at The Hawthorns.

Tanner sent off Benoit Assou-Ekotto for a bad tackle in the first half and Spurs believed he missed a clear push on Michael Dawson just before Roman Bednar headed in West Brom's first goal. Substitute Craig Beattie sealed victory in stoppage time with a breakaway effort.

Woodgate said: "We are playing in the Premier League, which is the biggest League in the world. You expect [bad decisions] in a Sunday league but not in the Premier League.

"If we [the players] make mistakes, we are punished but if the officials do, what happens to them? Nothing. Everyone could see it was a push on Dawson. Something has to be done."

Redknapp could be punished by the Football Association following his remarks about Tanner, whom he described as "not good enough".

He added: "When I walked into the referees' room before the game and saw who was reffing the game, I knew what was coming. He is just a poor referee.

"I saw him when I was a manager in the Championship and I thought to myself then 'Where has he come from?' I never walk in after game and complain about a referee but this guy is scary."

Much has been made of Spurs' undefeated record in games against Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United this season. But four of their last five games have been against teams - West Ham, Newcastle, Fulham and West Brom - they would hope to beat and Spurs have collected only four points from those fixtures, scoring just three times.

Redknapp has built a reputation as a master of the transfer market. The most important test of those skills awaits over the next 34 days.