Martin Chivers was one of Tottenham's biggest successes, yet his journey with the club was far from straightforward. Bill Nicholson's decision to splurge £125,000 on a 30-year-old striker with a history of goal-scoring form for Southampton seemed reckless at the time, but proved shrewd business as Chivers went on to score over a century of goals in just under five years. He was no traditional centre-forward, however, possessing game intelligence and physical strength that belied his unassuming stature.
When he arrived at White Hart Lane, fans were expecting another Bobby Smith-like player who could blast open defences, allowing Jimmy Greaves and Alan Gilzean to capitalise on the counter-attacks. Instead, Chivers formed an almost telepathic partnership with Gilzean, with the latter often providing crucial guidance on where to stand. His own goalscoring record was impressive, but he also showed glimpses of his intelligence by recognizing when to drop deep and create space for his teammates.
One of the most striking aspects of Chivers' game was his physical presence, which seemed to grow in stature as the season progressed. According to teammate Alan Gilzean, it was Chivers who led from the front, showcasing a majesty on the pitch that intimidated opponents and inspired his own team. That sense of leadership was evident during his goal-scoring exploits in the 1971 League Cup final against Aston Villa.
Chivers' relationship with Bill Nicholson was complex, with the manager's "tough love" approach initially falling flat. However, as time passed, both men developed a deeper understanding, and they even walked out together on Nicholson's second testimonial in 2001. Chivers went on to achieve great success in Switzerland with Servette, winning a league title and being named the best foreign player.
Behind the scenes, however, Chivers struggled with the pressures of fame. He took tranquillisers before matches and had a superstition about not wearing his No 9 shirt in certain situations. The stress of international football was also too much for him, as he was eventually discarded from the England squad following their embarrassing qualifying draw against Poland.
After retiring in 1982, Chivers remained close to Tottenham, becoming an ambassador and compere at various functions. His friendly demeanour and infectious enthusiasm made him a fan favourite, and his legacy lives on today.
When he arrived at White Hart Lane, fans were expecting another Bobby Smith-like player who could blast open defences, allowing Jimmy Greaves and Alan Gilzean to capitalise on the counter-attacks. Instead, Chivers formed an almost telepathic partnership with Gilzean, with the latter often providing crucial guidance on where to stand. His own goalscoring record was impressive, but he also showed glimpses of his intelligence by recognizing when to drop deep and create space for his teammates.
One of the most striking aspects of Chivers' game was his physical presence, which seemed to grow in stature as the season progressed. According to teammate Alan Gilzean, it was Chivers who led from the front, showcasing a majesty on the pitch that intimidated opponents and inspired his own team. That sense of leadership was evident during his goal-scoring exploits in the 1971 League Cup final against Aston Villa.
Chivers' relationship with Bill Nicholson was complex, with the manager's "tough love" approach initially falling flat. However, as time passed, both men developed a deeper understanding, and they even walked out together on Nicholson's second testimonial in 2001. Chivers went on to achieve great success in Switzerland with Servette, winning a league title and being named the best foreign player.
Behind the scenes, however, Chivers struggled with the pressures of fame. He took tranquillisers before matches and had a superstition about not wearing his No 9 shirt in certain situations. The stress of international football was also too much for him, as he was eventually discarded from the England squad following their embarrassing qualifying draw against Poland.
After retiring in 1982, Chivers remained close to Tottenham, becoming an ambassador and compere at various functions. His friendly demeanour and infectious enthusiasm made him a fan favourite, and his legacy lives on today.
! I'm literally dyin' over how underrated Martin Chivers was 
! Like, he came to Tottenham as this older striker but managed to score over 100 goals in just under 5 yrs? Mind blown 
! And his partnership with Gilzean was SO iconic 
! I love how he didn't just rely on scoring goals, he showed intelligence and physical strength too 
! The fact that he struggled with fame and pressures of international football is crazy though 
. But what I love most is how he still stays close to Tottenham even after retiring 
! He's still a fan fave and his legacy lives on! TBH, he's the ultimate underdog story 
anyway, i think its great how Chivers has remained close to the club even after retiring & is still celebrated as an icon today 
his rise from being seen as a 30-yr-old striker to becoming one of spurs' biggest successes is just mind-blowing! i mean, £125k back in the day was a wild amount of cash, but bill nicholson must've had faith in chivers because he ended up scoring like crazy and forming that incredible partnership with alan gilzean 
it's crazy to think about how much pressure he must've been under as well, taking tranquillisers before matches and all that... but the guy just handled it so well 
. ppl forget that chivers wasn't just a goal-scorer, he was like the complete package - game intelligence, physical strength... the whole deal 
. and his partnership with gilzean was like magic 
. anyway, gotta give it up for the man - his legacy lives on & all that 
Martin Chivers' story is wild 
. I mean, who would've thought that splashing out £125k on a 30-yr-old striker would pay off in such a huge way? 
. And let's be real, his partnership with Alan Gilzean was pure magic 
.
I feel bad for him that he struggled with international football, but at least he went on to achieve so much in Switzerland 
. Anyway, it's awesome to see his legacy living on through Tottenham 
. Who needs a traditional centre-forward when you've got a 30-year-old striker with a history of goal-scoring form who's basically just winging it on the pitch? 
. And can we talk about the stress of international football? I mean, taking tranquillisers before matches and having superstitious habits? That sounds like my life 
. Anyway, it's great that Chivers remained close to Tottenham after retiring – he's basically the ultimate example of how even the most unlikely person can become a fan favourite 
. What's crazy is that people think £125k was a lot of money to spend on him, but he ended up scoring like a ton of goals! He wasn't exactly the fastest guy on the pitch either, but he had this cool game sense and physical strength that worked well for him. I wish I could play football like that 
I swear i've never seen anything like it before! Anyway, back to Martin Chivers... i always thought his partnership with Gilzean was so cool, like they were two peas in a pod 
. He's definitely an underappreciated legend in my book 
, but he definitely paid off in the end. What's wild is how unassuming Chivers was, physically speaking – I mean, who'd have thought that guy would be leading from the front like that? 
!
here are some fun ones:
! He wasn't your typical centre-forward either, had game intelligence and strength that surprised people. And that partnership with Gilzean was pure magic 
! And his legacy lives on, which is all we need to see 
I mean, can u believe he scored over 100 goals in just 5 yrs? 
I love how he'd drop deep and create space for his teammates, it's like he knew exactly what to do 
He's still a legend in my eyes, and I'm so grateful for his impact on the game 
Long live Martin Chivers, a true Tottenham hero 
️
Like, who needs to be the biggest guy when you can outsmart them? 
. But what's crazy is how he struggled with fame and all that pressure 
. You'd think it'd be cool being a Spurs legend, but apparently, it takes a toll on you too 
The way Bill Nicholson snatched him up for £125k was pure genius, IMO. Chivers wasn't your average striker, tho - he had that special game sense & physical presence that just worked 
. And, omg, who knew he'd lead from the front & intimidate opponents? 