Chaos at Portsmouth as Redknapp forgets to close the transfer window

HARRY REDKNAPP has taken the blame for last night's unexpected flurry of transfer activity at Fratton Park, admitting that he 'completely forgot' to close the transfer window.

Opportunistic agents passing by the stadium noticed the window was slightly ajar, and prised it open fully which led to a number of big-money moves streaming in and out of the club while the Portsmouth manager slept unaware.

Several top players including David James and Jamie Ashdown were stolen from Fratton Park, with little-known replacements being brought in on extravagant wage packages. Redknapp, with an even redder face than usual, sheepishly admitted to reporters this morning that he had not checked the window was properly closed before going to bed.

"Peter Storrie told me to make sure I slammed the transfer window shut, but I must have been distracted by the dinner and film night I was having with Jamie and Louise," said a distraught Redknapp, who arrived at training this morning to find half his squad missing and insulting replacements such as Nadir Belhadj in their place.

"Louise cooked a lovely risotto and I've had a big pile of videos of promising African youngsters on my desk for weeks – they're not going to watch themselves.

"I can only assume that in my excitement I forgot to shut the window properly, and we're not insured unless we can prove it was locked tight at midnight."

Redknapp's gaffe has soured the transfer window for Portsmouth fans who were already calling it the most boring in the club's history. While many were happy to see Peter Crouch's arrival from Liverpool, there was universal disappointment in the club's choice of a plain single-glazed steel and PVC window.

In contrast, local rivals Southampton opted for an ornate stained glass design for their transfer window, which commemorated Matt Le Tissier's wondergoal against Blackburn in 1994/95 and Jason Dodd's clearance against Coventry from the same season.