The Spurs manager revealed the club would be taking disciplinary action against defender and club captain Ledley King who was arrested outside a nightclub after a late-night drinking session and an alleged assault last weekend.

He also said Tottenham intended to ban their players from nightclubs as he declared war on the boozers.

And he urged young footballers not to listen to former Tottenham midfielder Paul Gascoigne who has said players should be allowed to relax with a drink.

Redknapp would not specify what punishment King would face but it is thought he will be fined two weeks wages. The manager will also meet with club officials and players next week in a bid to crack down on the drinking reputation at White Hart Lane.

Redknapp said: "Ledley made a mistake and we all make mistakes in life and he has to make sure he learns from it.

"He let himself down. He's got to make sure it never happens again.

"He's sad about it because he is a real good person. He regrets what he has done. He cringes when he sees the pictures.

"Players used to drink more than they do now but in those days it wasn't in the public eye. Now their lives are in a goldfish bowl and they can't afford to step out of line."

Redknapp had already said he intends to institute an alcohol ban in the light of the King incident and now he is determined to rid the club of its 'bright lights' image.

Redknapp said: "When I first came here people said to me the players are always out in nightclubs. Why do you want that reputation as a group? It's not right.

"There is nothing worse than having feedback that your players are out in this nightlclub in Romford or Ilford. You don't want that. You want players who are going to be dedicated to being top players."

Redknapp would like to see a campaign led by the Professional Footballers Association aimed at cutting back on alcohol in football and the nation.

Denouncing Gascoigne, he inferred, would be a good place to start.

Redknapp said: "I love Gazza. I worry about him. But when Gazza comes on and says footballers need to have a drink you have to say 'Look what it has done to Gazza'.

"I don't see why you have to get on the booze. It's all right saying they have to let their hair down. Why? It's a tough life when you're only getting 40 grand a week.

"There is too much drinking. You go to football and at Wembley all you see is people with a six pack of lager at 11 o'clock in the morning drinking beer out of a bottle. I don't understand it.

"A campaign would have an effect. Footballers are such high profile, they can set a fantastic example to these kids.

"The game has changed. We give them every advantage. Everything in the canteen is prepared special. They have dieticians. What is the good in doing all that and then going out drinking lager. You might as well eat fish and chips every day."

Redknapp believes it is a problem predominantly with British players.

He said: "Do you think Paolo Maldini at 41 is going out on a Saturday night and drinking with lager coming out of his ears and falling over. I don't see it somehow.

"We have to educate the kids in the academies that drinking is not part of being a professional footballer."

King trained this morning for the first time since the nightclub incident and will face Manchester City at White Hart Lane tomorrow in a crucial encounter if either side is to qualify for the Europa League next season.

Redknapp added: "I don't want to see what happened to Ledley last week happen again. I can't sit and do nothing about it.

"I don't want to pick up the papers on Sunday morning and see one of my players drunk and disorderly.

"We're going to put some strong measures down and we need to do it. If you can't trust them to behave themselves you have to do something about it."

Tottenham have Assou-Ekotto Benoit and Didier Zokora fit for tomorrow's match but Aaron Lennon has failed to recover from a groin injury while midfielder Wilson Palacios remains in Honduras after the murder of his brother.

Redknapp, who earlier in the season had viewed Europe as a distraction, is now eager to qualify.

He said: "It's important, both for ourselves and Manchester City.

"We've got it all to play for. To take it to the last game would be terrific for us."