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Martin Chivers
Martin Harcourt Chivers (27 April 1945 – 7 January 2026) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. He began his career with his hometown club Southampton where he had a successful six years and in 1968 was bought by Tottenham Hotspur for a club and league record sum of £125,000. With Spurs he went on to win the Football League Cup twice and the UEFA Cup in the 1971–72 season.
At the age of 31 Chivers moved to Swiss club Servette and there also won silverware, first with the Coppa delle Alpi, then the Swiss League Cup in 1977 and finally the Swiss Cup in 1977–78. Returning to England in 1978, Chivers had spells with Norwich City, Brighton & Hove Albion and finished his playing career with Barnet.
From 1971 to 1973, he played for the England national team, scoring thirteen goals in 24 appearances, but did not represent his country at a major tournament.
Chivers attended Taunton's Grammar School, Southampton, and wrote to his local club, Southampton for a trial. He spent a brief period in the club's nursery side, CPC Sports, and signed as a professional footballer in September 1962, making his debut against Charlton Athletic on 8 September 1962 (aged 17). His first goal came in a 4–1 defeat by Newcastle United on 6 April 1963 in his third first-team appearance. This goal meant that his name is also in the record books as the first substitute to score for the Saints.
In the 1963–64 season, Chivers became a regular starter and was the club's joint leading goalscorer (with Terry Paine) with 21 goals, as Southampton finished a disappointing fifth in the Second Division. The following season, he was again a virtual ever-present, making 39 appearances with 17 goals as the Saints improved to fourth place.
In the 1965–66 season, Chivers played an integral role as the club finally gained promotion to the top flight (as runners-up), scoring 30 goals from 39 games, generally from crosses provided by Terry Paine and John Sydenham. All his goals were scored from the first 29 games, and he failed to find the net after the end of February.
Once in the First Division, Chivers played second fiddle to the Welsh striker, Ron Davies, scoring 14 and 13 goals respectively in the next two seasons. Chivers became unsettled at The Dell and was soon being chased by many of the top clubs. Saints' manager Ted Bates was prepared to allow Chivers to leave, as he had a more than adequate replacement coming up through the ranks in Mick Channon. He scored a total of 106 goals in 190 appearances for the Saints.
In January 1968, Tottenham Hotspur manager Bill Nicholson signed Chivers for a club record fee of £125,000, which also made him the country's most expensive player at that time. The deal involved 24-year-old Frank Saul moving from White Hart Lane to The Dell. Chivers scored on his Spurs debut against Sheffield Wednesday in January 1968.
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Martin Chivers
Martin Harcourt Chivers (27 April 1945 – 7 January 2026) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. He began his career with his hometown club Southampton where he had a successful six years and in 1968 was bought by Tottenham Hotspur for a club and league record sum of £125,000. With Spurs he went on to win the Football League Cup twice and the UEFA Cup in the 1971–72 season.
At the age of 31 Chivers moved to Swiss club Servette and there also won silverware, first with the Coppa delle Alpi, then the Swiss League Cup in 1977 and finally the Swiss Cup in 1977–78. Returning to England in 1978, Chivers had spells with Norwich City, Brighton & Hove Albion and finished his playing career with Barnet.
From 1971 to 1973, he played for the England national team, scoring thirteen goals in 24 appearances, but did not represent his country at a major tournament.
Chivers attended Taunton's Grammar School, Southampton, and wrote to his local club, Southampton for a trial. He spent a brief period in the club's nursery side, CPC Sports, and signed as a professional footballer in September 1962, making his debut against Charlton Athletic on 8 September 1962 (aged 17). His first goal came in a 4–1 defeat by Newcastle United on 6 April 1963 in his third first-team appearance. This goal meant that his name is also in the record books as the first substitute to score for the Saints.
In the 1963–64 season, Chivers became a regular starter and was the club's joint leading goalscorer (with Terry Paine) with 21 goals, as Southampton finished a disappointing fifth in the Second Division. The following season, he was again a virtual ever-present, making 39 appearances with 17 goals as the Saints improved to fourth place.
In the 1965–66 season, Chivers played an integral role as the club finally gained promotion to the top flight (as runners-up), scoring 30 goals from 39 games, generally from crosses provided by Terry Paine and John Sydenham. All his goals were scored from the first 29 games, and he failed to find the net after the end of February.
Once in the First Division, Chivers played second fiddle to the Welsh striker, Ron Davies, scoring 14 and 13 goals respectively in the next two seasons. Chivers became unsettled at The Dell and was soon being chased by many of the top clubs. Saints' manager Ted Bates was prepared to allow Chivers to leave, as he had a more than adequate replacement coming up through the ranks in Mick Channon. He scored a total of 106 goals in 190 appearances for the Saints.
In January 1968, Tottenham Hotspur manager Bill Nicholson signed Chivers for a club record fee of £125,000, which also made him the country's most expensive player at that time. The deal involved 24-year-old Frank Saul moving from White Hart Lane to The Dell. Chivers scored on his Spurs debut against Sheffield Wednesday in January 1968.