Chris Armstrong

Tottenham Hotspur After interest from FA Cup holders Everton, Armstrong joined Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £4.5 million in June 1995, replacing Bayern Munich-bound Jürgen Klinsmann. With the funds coming from a new kit deal and the sales of Klinsmann, Gica Popescu and Ilie Dumitrescu, this made him both Tottenham's most expensive signing,

Armstrong made his Spurs debut on 19 August in a 1–1 draw at Manchester City, and scored his first goals in the form of a brace on 20 September in a 4–0 win over Chester City in the second round of the League Cup. He totalled 22 goals (15 league) in his first season, including the winner in the North London derby against Arsenal on 18 November at White Hart Lane. At the start of the season, he was criticised by tabloids for a slow start, and was seen as an inadequate replacement for Klinsmann and inferior to Arsenal's new striker Dennis Bergkamp. However, he built up a prolific partnership with Teddy Sheringham; Armstrong's two goals in a 4–1 win over Manchester United on 1 January 1996 brought their combined total to 23 goals.

On 28 December 1998, Armstrong scored a late hat-trick in a 4–1 home win over Everton, and when he was substituted at the end of the game his teammate David Ginola got in his way to bow down to him. He scored five times in their League Cup run that season, including two in a 3–1 win over Manchester United in the quarter-finals, but was unused in the final at Wembley Stadium which Spurs won over Leicester City.

Armstrong's 2000–01 season was disrupted by frequent groin injuries. Two ankle operations meant he missed the entirety of the following season.

Final years On 28 August 2002, Armstrong signed for Bolton Wanderers in a deal that would see him earn a low wage until his first-team debut, estimated at two months away due to fitness. His only appearance came on 2 October, in a 1–0 home defeat to Bury in the second round of the League Cup, lasting just 53 minutes before being substituted for Henrik Pedersen.

Armstrong returned to Wrexham aged 32 on 4 July 2003, signing a three-year deal ahead of their return to the Second Division.

International career Towards the start of his professional career, Armstrong was tracked by Wales, and was called up by Nigeria ahead of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, but turned them down in hope of representing England.

He received a call up to the England squad by Kevin Keegan to play Poland in March 1999, but was ultimately never capped for the senior side.

Personal life In July 2016, Armstrong was arrested for possession of cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy after a raid in West Kensington. He pleaded guilty to possession of Class A and Class B drugs at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court and was fined £375. He denied having a drug problem.

In July 2021, Armstrong caused £2,000 of criminal damage and assaulted staff at a Tesco in Chelsea, London. The staff had refused to open for him to buy cigarettes. He admitted to the offences at Westminster Magistrates' Court the following January. In March, he received an 18-month community order and treatment for his drug and alcohol problems, as well as court costs of £180.

Career statistics Source:

Honours Crystal Palace Football League First Division: 1993–94

Tottenham Hotspur Football League Cup: 1998–99

Individual PFA Team of the Year: 1993–94 First Division