Dave Martin (footballer, born 1985) explained

Dave Martin
Fullname:David John Martin[1]
Birth Date:3 June 1985
Birth Place:Erith, England
Currentclub:Burgess Hill Town
Position:Left winger
Youthclubs1:Brighton & Hove Albion
Years1:2004–2005
Years2:2005–2007
Years3:2007–2008
Years4:2008–2010
Years5:2010
Years6:2010–2012
Years7:2011
Years8:2011
Years9:2012–2013
Years10:2013–2015
Years11:2013–2014
Years12:2014
Years13:2015
Years14:2015–2016
Years15:2016–2017
Years16:2017
Years17:2017–2018
Years18:2018–2019
Years19:2018–2019
Years20:2019–2021
Years21:2021–2022
Years22:2022–2023
Years23:2023
Years24:2023–2024
Years25:2024–
Clubs1:Slade Green
Clubs2:Dartford
Clubs3:Crystal Palace
Clubs4:Millwall
Clubs5:Derby County (loan)
Clubs6:Derby County
Clubs7:Notts County (loan)
Clubs8:Walsall (loan)
Clubs9:Southend United
Clubs10:Luton Town
Clubs11:Dartford (loan)
Clubs12:Bristol Rovers (loan)
Clubs13:Stevenage
Clubs14:Whitehawk
Clubs15:Bromley
Clubs16:Margate (loan)
Clubs17:Margate
Clubs18:Eastbourne Borough
Clubs19:Margate (loan)
Clubs20:Whitehawk
Clubs21:Hastings United
Clubs22:Phoenix Sports Club
Clubs23:Burgess Hill Town
Clubs24:Holmesdale
Clubs25:Erith & Belvedere
Caps1:66
Goals1:14
Caps2:68
Goals2:14
Caps3:14
Goals3:0
Caps4:78
Goals4:9
Caps5:11
Goals5:1
Caps6:2
Goals6:0
Caps7:10
Goals7:0
Caps8:4
Goals8:0
Caps9:31
Goals9:4
Caps10:23
Goals10:3
Caps11:9
Goals11:0
Caps12:15
Goals12:0
Caps13:10
Goals13:1
Caps14:43
Goals14:6
Caps15:29
Goals15:1
Caps16:7
Goals16:0
Caps17:1
Goals17:0
Caps18:21
Goals18:2
Caps19:10
Goals19:1
Caps20:30
Goals20:3
Caps21:25
Goals21:3
Caps22:26
Goals22:5
Caps23:9
Goals23:1
Caps24:11
Goals24:0
Caps25:0
Goals25:0
Club-Update:22 January 2024

David John Martin (born 3 June 1985) is an English footballer who plays as a left winger for Erith & Belvedere.

Football career

Early career

Martin was spotted at the age of 10 by Brighton & Hove Albion before moving to South East London based Slade Green and then Dartford. Martin's time at Dartford proved productive, scoring 14 goals in 68 appearances and attracting the attention of Championship club Crystal Palace, who he joined for £25,000 in January 2007.[2] Martin made his debut for Crystal Palace as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Southend United at Roots Hall in February 2007, but only spent a year at Selhurst Park, where a thigh strain and managerial changes meant he was restricted to just 14 appearances—primarily as substitute—before making the switch to Millwall for an initial fee of £50,000, rising to £100,000 depending on appearances.[3]

Millwall

Martin made his Millwall debut in the 2–0 defeat away to Nottingham Forest on 9 February 2008, before scoring a goal in each of his next two games: a 2–1 victory over Southend United and a 3–0 win over Port Vale and finishing the season with 11 appearances and two goals. Martin's first full season at Millwall saw him become a fixture of Kenny Jackett's first team, missing only three games (all through suspension) as Millwall reached the League One Playoff Final at Wembley Stadium, where they lost 3–2 to Scunthorpe United. His form attracted interest from Championship side Cardiff City, but Martin remained at Millwall for the 2009–10 season and played 21 times in the league, scoring three goals. As he was entering the final year of his contract, Millwall offered Martin a new deal, which was rejected, prompting Jackett to state "We haven't been able to get Dave to sign a new contract this year, so unfortunately halfway through the season we have to take what we can because we would lose him for nothing in the summer. From our point of view there is an offer of a contract on the table for the player. It obviously hasn't been accepted and he isn't going to sign it, so the next thing is after that if there is a bid then reluctantly we will take it."[4] An offer from Championship side Derby County, who he had impressed when playing against in both ties of the clubs FA Cup third-round meeting, followed, with Derby boss Nigel Clough attempting to sign Martin in a £150,000 deal at the end of the January transfer window. Although the deal fell through, Clough intimated a desire to make a fresh approach for Martin with the reopening of the emergency loan window on 9 February.[5]

Derby County

Martin signed for Derby on loan until the end of the 2009–10 season on 9 February 2010, with a view to a permanent move on expiration of his Millwall contract.[6] He went straight into the squad for Derby's league game against Newcastle United and came on as a late sub in their 3–0 win. Martin made one start and a further eight substitute appearances before the close of the season and Clough confirmed in an interview after a defeat at Bristol City that Martin would sign for the club permanently in the summer.[7] He scored his first goal for the club on the final day of the season with the second goal in a 2–0 win over Cardiff City and formally completed his move to The Rams on 1 June 2010, signing a two-year deal.[8] However, Martin failed to break into the Derby first team and after just two substitute appearances in his first six months he moved to League One side Notts County on a month's loan.[9] His loan spell, however was cut short due to an abductor strain injury.[10] He played three times for Notts, twice in the league and once in the FA Cup.[10] He rejoined Notts on a two-month loan on 24 February 2011.[11] Martin returned to Derby on 24 April 2011, after making 11 appearances for Notts.[12] On 13 September 2011, Martin joined League One side Walsall on a one-month loan.[13] He made five appearances for The Saddlers, which included a red card in his last game against Preston North End.[14]

Southend United

On 4 January 2012, Martin was sold to Southend United for an undisclosed fee, signing an 18-month contract.[15] His contract was terminated on 25 January 2013, after he struggled to get into the Southend first-team during the 2012–13 season. He left having made 35 appearances and scoring four goals in the process.[16]

Luton Town

Following his release from Southend, Martin trained with Conference Premier side Luton Town. After impressing manager Paul Buckle he signed an 18-month contract with the club on 29 January 2013.[17] Buckle left the club shortly afterwards, but his replacement John Still continued to utilise Martin in the squad. Martin signed a one-year contract extension until May 2015 following strong performances towards the end of the 2012–13 season.[18]

Injuries and poor form at the beginning of the 2013–14 season led to Martin falling out of first-team contention at Luton. On 18 November 2013, he signed for fellow Conference Premier side Dartford on loan, where he made nine league appearances.[19] Martin was placed on the transfer list by Luton at the end of the campaign.[20]

Martin joined Conference Premier side Bristol Rovers on a five-month loan in August 2014.[21]

Non-League

Following his release by Stevenage he signed for National League South side Whitehawk in July 2015 and then joined Bromley for the 2016–17 season.

Martin re-joined Whitehawk in 2019–20 and was appointed player-coach for the 2020–21 season. He was released by Whitehawk in January 2021.[22] In August 2021 Martin signed for Isthmian League South East Division side Hastings United.[23]

The 2022/23 season saw Dave sign for Phoenix Sports Club in the Southern Counties East Football League and was brought in by Steve O'Boyle manager of Phoenix Sports Club to try and help gain the club promotion after recently being relegated from the Isthmian South-East Division.

In March 2023, Martin returned to the Isthmian Leagues when he signed for Burgess Hill Town.[24]

In January 2024, he joined Erith & Belvedere having started the season with SCEFL Premier Division club Holmesdale.[25]

Career statistics

ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Crystal Palace2006–07Championship50000050
2007–08Championship900010100
Total1400010150
Millwall2007–08League One112000000112
2008–09League One44440104[26] 0534
2009–10League One20340101[27] 0263
Total759802050909
Derby County (loan)2009–10Championship1110000111
Derby County2010–11Championship20000020
2011–12Championship00000000
Total1310000131
Notts County (loan)2010–11League One100100000110
Walsall (loan)2011–12League One4000001050
Southend United2011–12League Two173000000173
2012–13League Two141200020181
Total314200020354
Luton Town2012–13Conference Premier1630000163
2013–14[28] Conference Premier70200090
Total2332000253
Dartford (loan)2013–14Conference Premier90002[29] 0110
Bristol Rovers (loan)2014–15Conference Premier1500000150
Career total194171303010022017

Honours

Millwall
Luton Town

Notes and References

  1. Book: Barry J. . Hugman . The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10 . 2009 . Mainstream Publishing . 978-1-84596-474-0.
  2. News: Palace sign Dartford star Martin. BBC Sport. 23 January 2007. 23 January 2007.
  3. News: Millwall swoop ign up Martin. BBC Sport. 31 January 2008. 1 February 2008.
  4. Web site: Jackett appears resigned to losing winger to Rams . NewsShopper.co.uk . 4 February 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120313231915/http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/millwall/4890711.Jackett_appears_resigned_to_losing_winger_to_Rams/ . 13 March 2012 .
  5. Web site: Clough hopes for Martin deal. Sky Sports. 2 February 2010 .
  6. Web site: Rams Swoop to Sign Martin . Derby County F.C. . 9 February 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100421085118/http://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10270~1959564%2C00.html . 21 April 2010 .
  7. Web site: Sportscene 24 April 2010 (20 mins in). BBC iPlayer. 24 April 2010 .
  8. Web site: Martin makes permanent Rams move . Derby County F.C. . 1 June 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120915040841/http://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10270~2062906%2C00.html . 15 September 2012 .
  9. Web site: Derby County winger David Martin moves to Notts on loan. BBC Sport. 21 January 2011.
  10. Web site: Martin returned to Rams. Sky Sports. 21 February 2011.
  11. Web site: Martin Staying on at Notts County . Derby County F.C. . 24 February 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110227022728/http://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10270~2300997%2C00.html . 27 February 2011 .
  12. Web site: Martin Returns From Notts Loan . Derby County F.C. . 26 April 2011 .
  13. Web site: Martin Makes Saddlers Switch . Derby County F.C. . 13 September 2011 .
  14. Web site: Martin Back From Saddlers Loan . Derby County F.C. . 20 October 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111021075832/http://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10270~2487857%2C00.html . 21 October 2011 .
  15. Web site: Blues Capture Winger Martin . Southend United F.C. . 4 January 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120109041736/http://www.southendunited.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10444~2566265%2C00.html . 9 January 2012 .
  16. Web site: David Martin leaves Southend United. The Echo. 25 January 2013.
  17. News: Buckle lands winger Martin. Luton Town F.C.. 29 January 2013.
  18. News: Martin agrees new Hatters deal. Luton Today. Johnston Publishing Ltd. 11 June 2013. 25 June 2013. 10 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150610225304/http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/luton-town/martin-agrees-new-hatters-deal-1-5181020. dead.
  19. News: Dartford sign winger Dave Martin on loan from Skrill Premier rivals Luton Town. Dartford Messenger . KM Group. 18 November 2013. 19 November 2013.
  20. News: Shaw, Charles and Viana exit Town while Martin and Taiwo both listed. Luton Today. Johnston Publishing Ltd. 9 May 2014. 19 May 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150713085827/http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/luton-town/shaw-charles-and-viana-exit-town-while-martin-and-taiwo-both-listed-1-6050580. 13 July 2015. dead.
  21. News: Dave Martin: Luton winger signs for Bristol Rovers. BBC Sport. 15 August 2014. 19 October 2014.
  22. Web site: Home . whitehawkfc.com.
  23. Web site: Dave's a done deal!. Hastings United Football Club. Billy Wood. 13 August 2021.
  24. Web site: Two In, One Out, As Changes Continue. bhtfc.co.uk. 7 March 2023. 10 March 2023.
  25. 1748407029276758428. NEW SIGNINGS We are delighted to welcome three new additions to the Deres. We welcome Macey Malyon from Erith Town, Obed Yeboah from Tonbridge Angels, and David Martin from Holmesdale #UptheDeres #OneClub. EBTheDeres. Erith & Belvedere F.C.. 19 January 2024. 22 January 2024.
  26. 1 appearance in Football League Trophy, 3 appearances in Football League One play-offs
  27. Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  28. Web site: Games played by Dave Martin in 2013/2014. Soccerway. 19 November 2013.
  29. Appearance(s) in FA Trophy