George Martin (Scottish footballer) explained

George Martin
Fullname:George Scott Martin
Height:[1]
Position:Inside forward
Birth Date:1899 7, df=y
Birth Place:Bothwell, Scotland
Death Place:Luton, England
Years1:
Clubs1:Cadzow St Anne's
Years2:1920–1922
Clubs2:Hamilton Academical
Caps2:23
Goals2:7
Years3:1922
Clubs3:Bo'ness (loan)
Caps3:13
Goals3:11
Years4:1922
Clubs4:Bo'ness (loan)
Caps4:7
Goals4:8
Years5:1922–1928
Clubs5:Hull City
Caps5:204
Goals5:55
Years6:1928–1932
Clubs6:Everton
Caps6:85
Goals6:31
Years7:1932
Clubs7:Middlesbrough
Years8:1933–1937
Clubs8:Luton Town
Caps8:98
Goals8:27
Manageryears1:1944–1947
Managerclubs1:Luton Town
Manageryears2:1947–1950
Manageryears3:1950–1953
Managerclubs3:Aston Villa
Manageryears4:1965–1966
Managerclubs4:Luton Town

George Scott Martin (14 July 1899 – 11 December 1972) was a Scottish football player and manager whose position was inside forward. He played over 200 times for Hull City, won an English Football League winner's medal with Everton in 1928, and served Luton Town as a player and manager.

Playing career

Martin started his career in Scotland with Hamilton Academical before moving south to join Hull City,[2] [3] where he made 218 total appearances and scored 58 goals.[4] [5]

He was signed by Everton in the latter stages of the 1927–28 season and made ten appearances in their ultimately successful title run in to earn his only major honour in the game, the Football League Championship. Martin's time at Goodison Park was mixed however as he spent the majority of his time as a fringe player during the club's relegation in 1930 and promotion again in 1931, before finally making just two appearances in Everton's 1932 title-winning side, which was not sufficient to earn a medal.[6]

Martin left Everton for a short spell at Middlesbrough and then finished his playing career at Luton Town (105 total appearances, 29 goals)[5] before moving into management.

Managerial career

Martin became a coach at Luton Town in August 1939, and was appointed manager on 4 December 1944. After guiding Luton through their first post-war season, he was appointed as Newcastle United's first manager since the end of World War II in May 1947. One of his decisions at the club was surprisingly to sell prolific goalscorer and fans' favourite Len Shackleton to Sunderland for £13,000. This concerned some supporters and Martin was at first criticised for making this move.[7] However the protests were short-lived as Newcastle gained promotion without Shackleton and other popular players were introduced – these included the club's current second highest all-time goal-scorer, Jackie Milburn.

George Martin resigned from Newcastle in 1950 after establishing them as a top six side in the First Division and took over at struggling Aston Villa. Martin was succeeded by Eric Houghton.

He later returned to Luton for a short-lived spell in 1965; he left a year later.

References

Notes and References

  1. News: The lure of promotion. Hull City . Athletic News . Manchester . 13 August 1923 . 6.
  2. https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltonacademicalmemorybank/players/martin-george-1920 Martin, George (1920)
  3. A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players. John Litster. Scottish Football Historian magazine. October 2012.
  4. https://www.oncloudseven.com/148-george-martin/ 148 George Martin
  5. https://www.vintagefootballers.com/product/martin-george-image-1-luton-town-1935/ Martin George Image 1 Luton Town 1935
  6. https://www.evertonencyclopedia.com/players/273/george-martin/ Martin, George
  7. http://www.toon1892.com/detail_manager.php?id=5 Manager Profile: George Martin