Tottenham hired plane to ensure Adebayor return

Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas has revealed that the club hired a plane in order to ensure that Emmanuel Adebayor returned from the Africa Cup of Nations in time for Saturday's match against Newcastle.

Goal.com revealed Villas-Boas' unhappiness with the Togo forward on Saturday morning, after he returned to England too late to train with Spurs before the match at White Hart Lane.

Adebayor had been expected to land back in London in time to join up with the squad's session on Thursday but did not arrive until Friday night.

Clint Dempsey was preferred as the lone striker but Adebayor made his first Tottenham appearance since January 12 as a second-half substitute.

"Yes [we sent a plane to get him]," Villas-Boas told reporters. "He helped the team get the result so it is good to get him back."