50 years ago today - Martin Chivers' UEFA Cup Final rocket at Molineux
Tue 03 May 2022, 10:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
"What a shot! Pick that one out!"
The famous commentary of David Coleman on BBC's Sportsnight programme said it all.
50 years ago today - 3 May, 1972 - Martin Chivers smashed home one of, if not the best of his 174 goals for the Club on the biggest stage, the first leg of the UEFA Cup Final against Wolves at Molineux.
It really was a bolt from the blue, a thunderbolt to give us a narrow, but crucial, advantage over the two-legged final as, two weeks later, we drew the return at the Lane 1-1 to secure the trophy.
One of the most feared strikers in British and European football at the time - and one of the most feared partnerships, alongside Alan Gilzean - Martin scored eight goals in this historic campaign as we became the first team to lift the UEFA Cup, and the first British team to win two European trophies.
It was a tough first leg at Molineux, Pat Jennings was forced into a number of fine saves and Martin made the difference at the other end. First up, a towering header from Mike England's free-kick to open the scoring on 57 minutes - pictured at the top of the page. As expected, Wolves piled on the pressure and responded on 72 minutes when Jim McCalliog drove home low from 12 yards after a quickly-taken free-kick.
The best was yet to come though. With three minutes remaining, Alan Mullery won possession near the left touchline, Martin picked up the ball, advanced about 10 yards and unleashed a venomous strike that flew past Phil Parkes. It was the goal of a lifetime...
Martin, who turned 76 this week, went on to score 22 goals for us in Europe, and was our record European goalscorer from 1974 until 2013, when Jermain Defoe made it to 23. Harry Kane now tops that list on 44.
