Hero’s send off: Tottenham Hotspur’s Jermain Defoe is carried off the field by Jan Vertonghen and Emmanuel Adebayor (Picture: REUTERS)

Jermain Defoe cut an emotional figure as he bid farewell to Tottenham fans after his last appearance at White Hart Lane before he jets off to join Toronto FC.

The England striker, 31, will link up with the Major League Soccer side at the end of the month, and his cameo appearance in the 1-0 victory over Everton marked his last game in front of the home faithful.

Defoe marked the occasion with a lap of honour at the final whistle, to which he received a standing ovation from the fans he served for the best part of a decade.

Defoe first joined Tottenham in 2004, and spent a year at Portsmouth in 2008, before being re-signed by Harry Redknapp for Spurs in 2009.


I’ll miss you: Defoe celebrates with team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor (Picture: PA)

Tottenham Hotspur’s Jermain Defoe applauds fans (Picture: Action Images )

In action: Jermain Defoe (Picture: Getty Images)