Cott: ‘I’m not guilty’

STEVE COTTERILL hopes Birmingham’s rookie chief executive carries the can for their plunge towards relegation – not him.

Blues boss Cotterill had to be escorted down the tunnel by police when angry fans turned on him following Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat by Barnsley.

CEO Xuandong Ren failed to agree or land any January targets Cotterill wanted – such as Jordan Hugill and Kasey Palmer, who went to West Ham and Derby respectively.

Cotterill said: “The squad is not strong enough, we should have strengthened in the last window.”