FORMER Hong Kong First Division striker John Spencer is being tipped to reach the top of his profession by his highly-respected Chelsea teammate, Gavin Peacock. Spencer, whose goals helped Chelsea reach the final of the English FA Cup against Manchester United last Saturday, arrives in Hong Kong tomorrow with his Chelsea teammates to prepare for Sunday's exhibition match against the Hong Kong League XI at the Hong Kong Stadium. And Peacock believes Spencer, already a Scotland Under 21 international, can become one of the leading strikers in British football. Speaking from England last night, Peacock said: ''We're all looking forward to coming to Hong Kong, especially John, who obviously knows the scene very well over there. ''We've had a very enjoyable season up front together for Chelsea and little Spenny is a great player to play alongside. ''He's very quick and reads the situations so well. He's still young at 23 and is still learning and I believe he is going to be one of the best strikers in the game here. ''He's done very well for us and I'm sure the people in Hong Kong will be looking forward to seeing him play again.'' Glasgow-born Spencer was on the books of Glasgow Rangers as a teenager and the manager at the time, Graeme Souness, allowed him to spend the 1989-90 season on loan to the Lai Sun club in Hong Kong. Spencer, 19 at the time, finished the season with 22 goals, only two behind the leading scorer, Dale Tempest, then with South China. Determined to make the grade back in Britain, Spencer returned to Rangers but found his route to the first team blocked by the likes of Ally McCoist, Mark Hateley and Mo Johnston, the latter, like Spencer, a Roman Catholic playing for the traditionally Protestant Rangers club. After only 13 league appearances and two goals in the following two seasons, Spencer moved to Chelsea for the 1992-93 season and is now a regular for the famous Stamford Bridge club, alongside Peacock. Looking back to Saturday's FA Cup final against Manchester United, which Chelsea lost 4-0, former Newcastle United striker Peacock said: ''We felt the result did not reflect the play - maybe 2-0 would have been easier to accept. ''In fact if my shot had gone in instead of hitting the crossbar in the first half, I feel we would have gone on to win the match because we were on top and playing good football. ''But we have to look forward and a lot of positive things have come out of the season. We are in Europe next season and the name of Chelsea Football Club is back on the map.'' Peacock, 26, had the distinction of scoring both Chelsea goals in two 1-0 victories over Manchester United in the English Premiership, although they could not prevent the Old Trafford club from retaining the championship. ''Manchester United are the best - there is no doubt about that,'' he added. ''And I think they can go on to dominate English football for a few years because they have such a strong squad.'' Sunday's match is to mark the 80th anniversary of the Hong Kong Football Association and the FA will put out a strong League XI side. Peacock, in fact, may well find himself up against a former Gillingham teammate in Tim O'Shea, who has had another fine season with Eastern as they have won the league, Challenge Shield and FA Cup for the second successive season. The Hong Kong League XI have a training session at Happy Valley this afternoon.