FORMER Spurs and England striker Martin Chivers has died at the age of 80.
“Big Chiv” was a popular figure in his eight years at White Hart Lane, winning the League Cup twice and playing a key role as Spurs became the first winners of the Uefa Cup in 1972.
His partnerships with Jimmy Greaves and Alan Gilzean made him a huge fan favourite and he remained a popular figure long after hanging up his full-time boots in 1980.
Born in Southampton, Chivers made his bow with the Saints at just 17, scoring 30 goals in 39 games as the club were promoted to the first division in 1966.
Two years later, he moved to Tottenham, for a then-British record £125,000.
Spurs boss Bill Nicholson was looking for a line leader to take the club forward, although he arrived with Jimmy Greaves and Alan Gilzean in front of him in the pecking order.
Greaves’ move to West Ham, with Martin Peters coming the other way, saw Chivers take over the leadership mantle.
In his eight seasons at White Hart Lane he scored 174 goals in 367 games, making him the club’s fourth highest scorer behind only Harry Kane, Greaves and Bobby Smith.
For much of that time Chivers endured a love-hate relationship with Nicholson, although their mutual respect lasted until the manager’s death in 2004.
Chivers’ finest moment in a Spurs shirt came in the inaugural Uefa Cup Final in 1972, when Tottenham faced Wolves in a two-legged final.
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He had put Spurs in front in the first leg at Molineux with a trademark header but it was his second, coming off the left touchline and exploding a ripper from 35 yards into the net that proved crucial, with a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane sealing the trophy.
Chivers’ England career saw him score 13 goals in just 24 games over three years for Sir Alf Ramsey but he was among the players who was effectively blamed for the 1-1 Wembley draw with Poland that cost the Three Lions a place at the 1974 World Cup.
Nicholson’s replacement, Terry Neill, decided he could do without the striker at the end of the 1975-76 season, selling him to Swiss side Servette Geneva for £80,000 – before himself leaving to join Arsenal.
Chivers then played on for another four seasons as a professional, including spells at Norwich and Brighton.
But he was always a Spurs man, employed as a club ambassador for many years and was on duty only last month when Thomas Frank’s team played Slavia Prague in the Champions League.