Roberto Soldado pens very gracious farewell letter to Spurs’ fans

Roberto Soldado, the butt of so many jokes during his time at Spurs, is returning to his native Spain with Villareal.

But rather than bemoan his ill-fated stay at White Hart Lane, the luckless striker was extremely grateful and philosophical about his time in North London. The message reads:

Back to La Liga! These two years have difficult for me, but I wouldn't change this experience for nothing in the world.I am sorry for not being able to meet the expetations that Tottenham had put on me. I felt at home from the first day. I can only give many thanks to Tottenham for allowing me represent the best club in England. Thanks for the elegance and treatment received from all the staff, from my teammates and the fans, that didn't stop cheering and supporting me every second I was in the pitch, THANKS. My family and I take with me great friends this huge personal experience. We will always be a Spur family. #COYS

Although littered with grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, they only serve to make the leaving sentiments seem more authentic and heartfelt. Every word and syllable uttered from footballers these days is checked and double-checked by publicists, agents and PR. It's quite refreshing to read such an obviously personal account. There's no doubting that Soldado was a massive and expensive flop for Tottenham, but he'll win many fans and well-wishers with his genial and rather sweet sign-off. Bless his little misfiring heart.