Having played three matches for the under-21s while at Rangers, Spencer's prominence at Chelsea saw him gain the first of 14 caps for the Scotland national team in November 1994, appearing as a substitute in a 1–1 draw with Russia at Hampden Park in Scotland's successful campaign to qualify for the 1996 European Championship. He played in all three matches at the finals, starting in the defeat to England and coming off the bench in the draw against the Netherlands and the win over Switzerland. As his club career fluctuated he also featured less on the international scene, making one appearance at the outset of the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, and claiming his last cap in a friendly against Wales in May 1997.