R.I.P Martin Chivers
Bill Nicholson and Martin Chivers at a Spurs Hall of Fame dinner in early 2004 - picture courtesy of Bruce and Elaine Lewis
Late this afternoon (Wednesday 7th January, 2024) Tottenham Hotspur released the following news of the passing of Martin Chivers:-
Many words finer than this offering will be written about Martin Chivers, who I did have the pleasure of seeing play at his peak, and of meeting him in more recent years in his role as a Spurs hospitality host and ambassador.
All I can say at the moment is that after Bobby Smith and Jimmy Greaves and before Harry Kane, "Big Chiv" was our greatest goalscorer both in terms of number of goals scored and power.
In the early seventies, Martin was a prolific scorer for both Tottenham and England. He scored both our goals in the first leg of our winning UEFA Cup Final against Wolves in 1972, and in our 1971 League Cup win against Aston Villa. Chivers also won a League Cup winners medal in 1973.
I was lucky enough to have seen Martin score a fantastic goal against none other than Gordon Banks when playing for Stoke. Think of Harry Kane's goal when wearing a mask against Arsenal at the Paxton Road End of White Hart Lane. Martin scored from further out towards the left wing with a right-footed curled shot that left Banks helpless.
Martin Chivers has been employed by the club as an ambassador for many years and would often travel across Europe in that role. He is fondly remembered for his deep friendship and companionship of Bill Nicholson inn Bill's latter years, escorting the great man at various events.
It was Bill Nicholson who signed Chivers from Southampton for what was then a record fee. Regarding that goal I described, Martin told me that Bill had given him a rollicking at half-time for under-performing! Hunter Davies' book The Glory Game is a good reference for Spurs 1971-72 season.
Regarding European goals, Martin Chivers held the record until Jermain Defoe matched him and before Harry Kane overtook both, and indeed all before him.
These are the figures regarding our all-time goalscorers:-
1 - Harry Kane - 280
2 - Jimmy Greaves - 266
3 - Bobby Smith - 208
4 - Martin Chivers- 174
5 - Heung-Min Son - 173
6 - Cliff Jones - 159
7 - Jermain Defoe - 143
8 - George Hunt - 138
9 - Len Duquemin - 134
10 - Alan Gilzean - 133
Those who saw him play will remember Martin Chivers as a super, and powerful centre-forward. Those who met him will remember him as a gentlemen. Those who loved him will mourn his loss deeply. I offer my deepest condolences.
