Reading 0 Tottenham 1:STEVE COPPELL spoke to Sam Allardyce last summer and asked him the secret of staying in the Premier League season after season. "Spend, spend, spend," replied the then Newcastle boss and former man in charge at Bolton.

How Coppell wishes he had heeded the advice. Instead, the Reading manager opted to stay faithful to the players that finished eighth last term, a decision which could cost the club their place in the top flight next season as relegation beckons.

"Since the chairman has come here he's built a club that's self-financing and that, ultimately, could be our downfall because I took the calculated risk not to spend as much money last summer and in January," said Coppell. "If it doesn't work, it's my fault."

While Coppell can be forgiven for admitting he would have found it difficult to tear up a squad that had won promotion from the Championship with a record points total before performing so well in the top flight 12 months later. "I didn't want to reward two years of success by telling half the team, 'Thanks a lot, but you're finished now'," Coppell said.

Robbie Keane's 23rd goal of his most productive season yet gave Spurs a deserved lead and a second would have followed in the 24th minute had the outstanding Steed Malbranque not wrongly been ruled offside. Malbranque later hit the side-netting and Darren Bent, who had set up Keane's splendidly converted opener, cannoned a low drive off the near upright.

Those missed chances gave Reading false hope, something which Coppell believes every Premier League manager without an open cheque-book will suffer from in the years to come.