Spurs finally clinch £8.1m Richards

The final stumbling block was removed by the Saints chairman when he agreed to drop his ?illegal approach? complaint to the Premier League about the manner of Tottenham?s bid for the centre-half. But despite deciding not to pursue his complaint, Lowe was still angry and today criticised both Tottenham and the player.

He branded the move a ?slap in the face to our fans? and described negotiations with Spurs as ?vexatious and tortuous?.

Lowe accused Richards of having his ?heart and mind elsewhere? as the six-week transfer saga dragged on. He said: ?I?ve done my best to keep the player over the last few weeks ? but it has become increasingly clear that, despite the support of the dressing room and our magnificent new stadium, Dean?s heart and mind are elsewhere.

?This is a great disappointment to me, and I suspect it will be a slap in the face to our fans who have voted Dean player of the year and raised him to icon status.? Spurs had to double their original offer to get Richards.

However, they would have had to have paid £10m if the former Wolves and Bradford defender had not forfeited his right to 20 per cent of any transfer.

Agent John Smith, of First Artists Corporation, was also involved in the deal and he paid tribute to the behind-the-scenes work. Smith said: ?All credit must go to Dave Richards over this move.

?He was keen to keep two members of the Premier League family happy and he worked long and hard.

?We are delighted that it is now all completed.?