Guidelines for transfers between two Premiership clubs state that a player cannot register for his former club for at least a year after he has signed for a new one - even on loan. The only exception is when there is prior written consent from the Premier League board.
Under an imaginative scheme, Leeds and Spurs tried to exploit a loophole in this regulation by letting the Yorkshire side keep Robinson's registration until he "officially" arrived at White Hart Lane in the summer.
In theory, if Robinson was not a Spurs player then he could keep playing for Leeds without any infringement of the rules.
But despite its ingenuity, the plan did not impress Premier League officials. Fearing a precedent which could ultimately undermine the competition's integrity, they blocked the transfer. Standard Sport also understands they were concerned that the move broke the spirit - if not the letter - of the laws.
Spurs' new £7m signing, Jermain Defoe, will not be available for tomorrow's FA Cup fourth round tie at home to Manchester City. Although signed ahead of the transfer deadline yesterday, a seven-day registration process, rules him out of the clash.
