Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed they will pay tribute to Martin Chivers before the clash against Bournemouth.
Chivers' death, at the age of 80 years old, was confirmed today by the club. He is widely regarded as one of the finest ever players to pull on the Lilywhites' shirt in the north Londoners' history.
Born in Southampton, Chivers moved to White Hart Lane in January 1968 when he was signed by then Spurs manager Bill Nicholson. His £125,000 transfer fee was a club record at the time, but his performances would go on to pay back every penny and then some.
Over the course of 415 appearances, he netted 202 times - only Harry Kane, Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Smith and Son Heung-Min scored more. In a statement confirming his passing,
Tottenham wrote: "It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of our legendary former striker, Martin Chivers. We extend our deepest sympathies to Martin’s family, friends and former team-mates at this incredibly sad time.
"Our players will wear black armbands during this evening’s fixture against AFC Bournemouth. Rest in peace, Martin. One of the all-time greats."
Ex-Spurs star Steve Archibald also said: "Watched the great Martin Chivers before I became a pro. [He] was an amazing watch.
"He was like [a] Rolls Royce, so smooth in his movement, excellent in the air and a great finisher, but on top of all of that he was a really nice guy. Most sincere condolences to all of Martin’s family."
Tottenham stadium announcer Paul Coyte also offered his own tribute to Chivers. He wrote: "I’m absolutely devastated that my great friend and footballing hero Martin Chivers has passed away. He was a giant of a man, the best striker in the world in his day and I will miss him terribly.”
Chivers' finest period as a Tottenham player came when the club sold the iconic Greaves to West Ham United in 1970. Before his arrival, Greaves had formed an incredible partnership with Alan Gilzean.
When the club had to lean on Chivers' skills, the Englishman did not let them down, providing the goals and match-winning contributions Greaves made. The 1970-71 campaign saw him scores 34 goals in 58 games, including a brace in the League Cup final triumph against Aston Villa.
He also hit 21 First Division goals in a campaign which saw the club finish in second position. In the 1971-72 campaign, he then scored 42 times in 62 first team appearances and even scored eight goals in 11 UEFA Cup matches.