View source for Neil Martin

{{short description|Scottish footballer and manager}}
{{other people}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name= Neil Martin
| image =
| fullname = Neil Martin<ref>{{Hugman|13255|access-date=27 February 2017}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1940|10|20|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Tranent]], [[East Lothian]], Scotland
| death_date =
| height = 
| position = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]]
| years1 = 1959–1961  
| years2 = 1961–1963  
| years3 = 1963–1965  
| years4 = 1965–1968  
| years5 = 1967  
| years6 = 1968–1971
| years7 = 1971–1975  
| years8 = 1975–1976  
| years9 = 1976 
| years10= 1976
| years11= 1976–1978
| clubs1 = [[Alloa Athletic F.C.|Alloa Athletic]] 
| clubs2 = [[Queen of the South F.C.|Queen of the South]] 
| clubs3 = [[Hibernian F.C.|Hibernian]] 
| clubs4 = [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] 
| clubs5 = → [[Vancouver Royals]] (loan)
| clubs6 = [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] 
| clubs7 = [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]] 
| clubs8 = [[Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|Brighton & Hove Albion]] 
| clubs9 = [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] 
| clubs10= → [[San Antonio Thunder]] (loan)
| clubs11= [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]]
| caps1 =  48   
| caps2 =  61   
| caps3 =  65   
| caps4 =  86 
| caps5 =  11  
| caps6 =  106   
| caps7 =  119   
| caps8 =  17    
| caps9 =  9
| caps10=  19    
| caps11=  14    
| goals1=  25  
| goals2=  33  
| goals3=  53  
| goals4=  38 
| goals5=  1 
| goals6=  40  
| goals7=  28  
| goals8=  8  
| goals9=  1  
| goals10= 5
| goals11= 5 
| totalcaps = 555
| totalgoals = 237
| nationalyears1 =  1964
| nationalteam1 =   [[Scottish Football League XI]]
| nationalcaps1 =   2
| nationalgoals1 =  1
| nationalyears2 =  1965
| nationalteam2 =   [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]]
| nationalcaps2 =   3  
| nationalgoals2 =  0 
| manageryears1 =   1981–1982
| managerclubs1 =   [[Walsall F.C.|Walsall]] (joint with [[Alan Buckley]])
}}
'''Neil Martin''' (born 20 October 1940) is a Scottish former [[association football|football]] player, who scored 100 league goals in both Scotland and England and won three full international caps for Scotland in the 1960s and 1970s.<ref name=autogenerated1>[http://qosfc.com/legend-1038 Neil Martin profile on "Queens legends" on the official Queen of the South FC website]</ref> Known for his strength, power, bravery and commitment, Martin scored consistently while playing for several clubs. He played for [[Alloa Athletic F.C.|Alloa Athletic]], [[Queen of the South F.C.|Queen of the South]], [[Hibernian F.C.|Hibernian]], [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]], [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]], [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]], [[Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|Brighton & Hove Albion]] and [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]].<ref name=autogenerated1 />

==Domestic career==

===Alloa Athletic===
Neil Martin began his senior football career at Alloa Athletic in Central Scotland. In 1960–61 Neil Martin scored 25 league and cup goals. This helped take Alloa as far as they have ever been on a [[Scottish Cup]] run (to the quarter finals). At that stage they were knocked out by a [[Dunfermline Athletic]] side at the beginning of their golden decade; [[Jock Stein]] would manage the Pars to victory in that season's Scottish Cup and to the next season's last eight of the [[European Cup Winners Cup]].<ref name=autogenerated1 />

Martin's feats attracted suitors and at the end of the season he was on his way South.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

===Queen of the South===
In 1961 Neil Martin followed in the footsteps of [[Ireland national football team (1882–1950)|Irish]] international [[Laurie Cumming]] by joining [[Dumfries]] side Queen of the South after leaving Alloa. For Martin there was a £2,000 transfer fee. [[George Farm]] had been at [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]] since 1948 and was goalkeeper through the tangerines' 1950s golden era (this included winning the [[FA Cup Final 1953|1953 'Matthews' FA Cup Final]] alongside [[Stanley Matthews]] and [[Stan Mortensen]]). In his second season at Queens he was now player manager (Farm went on to make over 100 league appearances for Queen of the South, as player-manager for three of his four years there). Also at the club was [[Jim Patterson (Scottish footballer)|Jim Patterson]] (251 strikes for the club make Jim Patterson the all time goals king of Queens). And arriving shortly before Martin was [[Ernie Hannigan]] (with Martin as his chief accomplice Hannigan would later say, "Going to Queen of the South turned out to be a great move").<ref name=autogenerated1 />

Fast and tricky right winger Hannigan would form an outstanding partnership with Martin. In 1961/62 Queens were promoted back to the top division as division 2 runners up. Martin was on the score sheet 30 times in league and cup. In Martin's second season at [[Palmerston Park]] Queens retained their top-flight status.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

Teammate [[Iain McChesney]] in an interview included, "A big gem" in his description of Neil Martin.<ref>[http://qosfc.com/legend-1034 Iain McChesney interview]</ref>

===Hibernian ===
In 1963 Hibs battling to come out of a slump paid £7,500 for Neil Martin to play for the team he supported as a boy.<ref name=autogeneratedmccartney>"The Queens" by Iain McCartney on Creedon Publications, 2004</ref> Martin's goals helped add impetus to the club. Jock Stein became manager in 1964 and the up turn was instantaneous. Martin scored 29 league and cup goals. Hibs finished fourth in the [[1964–65 in Scottish football|1964–65 league season]] (curiously ahead of both halves of the [[Old Firm]]) and knocked out [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] on the way to the Scottish Cup semi finals (again Dunfermline would prove Martin's nemesis in this competition). Hibs played [[Real Madrid]] in a challenge match at [[Easter Road]] and handed their guests a 2–0 defeat.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

Mercilessly against ex club Alloa he scored four goals in an 11–2 League Cup thrashing. He also hit four in a first division game against his other former side, Queen of the South. Martin was at Hibs in their Fairs Cup first round exit to [[Valencia CF|Valencia]]. Hibs won 2–0 at home, but a defeat by the same margin in Spain meant a play-off, which Hibs lost 3–0.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

===Sunderland===
£45,000 was the latest transfer fee for the seemingly fearless forward to a club with [[Jim Baxter]] on the playing staff. Sunderland kept away from relegation during Neil Martin's time at the club. His effectiveness was reduced by the club being unable to pair him with the right kind of strike partner. Nick Sharkey was maybe his best at Roker Park but departed early in season 1966–67. Sharkey was replaced by the willing but unprolific [[John O'Hare]]. Martin was never paired there with a nippy poacher able to feed off a brawny centre forward. So Martin remained primarily a goalscorer.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

In 1967 Martin was involved in a game that now has some infamy as being a game with alleged referee bribing by Leeds manager Don Revie. After two draws (with Martin scoring in the first game) a second replay went ahead at Boothferry Park in Hull. With scores level yet again and the clocking ticking down the Leeds bench are alleged to have given orders for their next player near the Sunderland penalty area to take a dive. That man was Jimmy Greenhoff who elaborately went over hitting the deck close to the edge of the box. Whistle, penalty, goal – game over.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

After three seasons in the top tier Martin moved again in 1968.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

===Coventry City===
Coventry (where he would be re-united with Ernie Hannigan from their successful partnership at Queen of the South) splashed £90,000 for the battling Scot during a relegation battle. Neil Martin replaced [[Bobby Gould]] and by the season's end had equalled Gould as joint top goal getter for the season with eight. Coventry survived their first season of top-flight football.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

A couple of mobile, smaller strikers benefited from their partnership with Martin, namely [[Ernie Hunt]] and [[John O'Rourke (footballer, born 1945)|John O'Rourke]]. After another relegation battle in 1968–69 things improved significantly. With Martin and O'Rourke up front and youngsters [[Willie Carr]] and [[Dennis Mortimer]] in midfield Coventry achieved a European spot by finishing sixth.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

After scoring against [[Trakia Plovdiv]] before being knocked out of Europe by [[Bayern Munich]], the 30-year-old was on the move again.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

===Nottingham Forest===
Although Neil Martin only contributed one goal in what was left of that season the club stayed up benefiting from the Scot's experienced presence. With injuries starting to niggle Martin, Forest were relegated at the end of the 1971–72 season. Martin's days of top-flight football were over.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

1972–73 season was a disappointment with Forest never threatening a promotion challenge and Martin picking up an injury pre-season against [[Kaiserslautern]] – he would miss three months. Martin hit the net on his come back in a 2–1 victory at [[Sheffield Wednesday]] but the season was undistinguished.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

Under fellow Scot [[Allan Brown (footballer, born 1926)|Allan Brown]] the next season saw some improvement. Martin kept away from injury and acted as foil to [[Duncan McKenzie]] who hit 26 goals as the division's top scorer that season.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

In the FA Cup Martin scored twice in sweeping aside Bristol Rovers in the third round. Martin then played his part as [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] were on the end of a tremendous 4–1 thumping. After seeing off [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]], Forest were away to [[Newcastle United]] in the sixth round. Forest were looking good as they went 3–1 up against a 10 men Newcastle. Newcastle fans invaded the pitch. After the restart the roof fell in on Forest – they lost 4–3. The FA declared a replay at neutral [[Goodison Park]]. After a no score draw Newcastle went through 1–0 when they replayed on [[Merseyside]] again.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

In [[1974–75 Nottingham Forest F.C. season|1974–75]], in good form Martin scored twice winning in 3–2 at Sheffield Wednesday in late September, and so scored 100 league goals in each of Scotland and England. In scoring the 1–0 winner in the FA Cup third round replay at [[Tottenham Hotspur]] in the first game at the club of manager [[Brian Clough]], so Neil Martin has the distinction of scoring the first goal of Clough's reign at Forest.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

===Brighton & Hove Albion===
Neil Martin in his mid 30s joined third division [[Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|Brighton]] scoring a debut goal against [[Rotherham United F.C.|Rotherham United]]. He scored two more at Sheffield Wednesday (yet again) this time in a draw. Despite things seeming to go well at the Seagulls, Brighton signed Sammy Morgan and Martin was reduced to a peripheral figure.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

===Crystal Palace===
In March Neil Martin left one promotion chase for another signing for [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] but only scored once for the Eagles when drawing with [[Halifax Town A.F.C.|Halifax Town]]. The Palace promotion challenged petered out (Brighton also lost out).

===St Patrick's Athletic===
[[Barry Bridges]] signed Martin in 1976 and he stayed at [[Richmond Park (football ground)|Richmond Park]] for two seasons.

===After playing===
After hanging up his boots Neil Martin stayed in the game as a coach and in the early 1980s was installed as joint manager at [[Walsall F.C.|Walsall]] alongside existing manager [[Alan Buckley]]. Initially the duo were successful and had the team challenging for promotion to the Second Division by Christmas of 1981. At the turn of the year, however, Buckley was removed from the coaching staff, with Martin given sole control over team selection. Walsall's form collapsed dramatically after this, and only a last-day draw with [[Doncaster Rovers F.C.|Doncaster Rovers]] prevented relegation to the Fourth Division. After the season ended, Martin left the club, and Buckley was re-instated as manager.

Martin still takes an active interest in football; in March 2007, Martin attended a game involving two of his former clubs, [[Queen of the South F.C.|Queen of the South]] against [[Hibernian F.C.|Hibs]] in a [[Scottish Cup]] quarter final at [[Palmerston Park]].<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Martin has also returned to Coventry City FC on Former Player Celebration days in recent years.

==International career==
Martin played once for [[Scotland national under-23 football team|Scotland at U-23 level]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fitbastats.com/scotlandu23/player.php?playerid=108 |title=Neil Martin |work=fitbastats.com |access-date=13 October 2012}}</ref> and twice for the [[Scottish Football League XI]], scoring at [[Roker Park]] in a 2–2 draw against [[the Football League]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.londonhearts.com/SFL/players/neilmartin.html|title=Neil Martin|work=Londonhearts.com|publisher=London Hearts Supporters' Club|access-date=12 December 2011}}</ref> At the end of the 1964–65 season Scotland played two away [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] qualifiers. Martin made his debut partnering a scoring [[Denis Law]] in a 1–1 draw in [[Poland]], and again paired with Law in a 2–1 victory in Finland.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

Martin won his third and yet again unbeaten final cap after his move to Sunderland (all three caps were awarded in 1965). Martin partnered [[Alan Gilzean]] in the 1–0 victory over [[Italy national football team|Italy]] at [[Hampden Park]] with a late winner from [[John Greig]].<ref name=autogenerated1 />
He also had 4 children, one of them was called Yvonne and had two children Callum and Scarlett, another called Craig who had one child called Lily and Martin's other children have yet to have children.
{| class="wikitable"
! # !! Date !! Opponent !! Result !! Competition
|-
|1 || 23 May 1965 || {{fb|POL}} || Poland 1–1 Scotland || FIFA World Cup qualifier
|-
|2 || 27 May 1965 || {{fb|FIN}} || Finland 1–2 Scotland || FIFA World Cup qualifier
|-
|3 || 9 November 1965 || {{fb|ITA}} || Scotland 1–0 Italy || FIFA World Cup qualifier
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{SFA profile}}
*{{NeilBrownPlayers|player/neilmartin}}

{{Coventry City F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{Walsall F.C. managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Neil}}
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Tranent]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Scottish men's footballers]]
[[Category:Scotland men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Alloa Athletic F.C. players]]
[[Category:Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players]]
[[Category:Coventry City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Crystal Palace F.C. players]]
[[Category:Hibernian F.C. players]]
[[Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. players]]
[[Category:Queen of the South F.C. players]]
[[Category:St Patrick's Athletic F.C. players]]
[[Category:Sunderland A.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League players]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:League of Ireland players]]
[[Category:Scottish football managers]]
[[Category:Walsall F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League representative players]]
[[Category:Footballers from East Lothian]]
[[Category:Scotland men's under-23 international footballers]]
[[Category:Scottish expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Vancouver Royals players]]
[[Category:San Antonio Thunder players]]
[[Category:United Soccer Association players]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:Scottish expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Scottish expatriate sportspeople in Canada]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's association footballers in the Republic of Ireland]]