Biography
Inside right Martin Davin joined the Tigers in November 1930 following relegation to Division Three North the previous May. Davin was immediately introduced to the first team and scored his only goal for the Tigers in his second start, a 4-3 victory over Crewe Alexandra. However Davin lost his place in the first team in the run-up to Christmas and made only three more starts for Bill McCracken’s side in the last five months of the season. He left the club in the July 1931.
Martin Davin was born in Dumbarton to a father who was a riveter in the nearby shipyard. He was raised in Clyde Street, an area that 100 years later was home to a school football pitch. He began playing organisaed football in 1925 for Glasgow League side Vale of Clyde, and within a year he was signed up by Scottish Second Division side Dumbarton. He scored six goals in 35 starts for The Sons during the 1926/27 season, form that attracted attention from English Divsion One side Bury who paid £500 for his services in August 1927. He made his Bury debut against West Ham United in October 1927 and scored his first goal in his second start against Birmingham a week later. Davin was a support player to the first team during his three seasons at Gigg Lane, scoring eight goals in 40 starts, 25 of which came in the 1929/30 season after Bury had been relegated to Division Two. In May 1930 Davin was offered to chance to return to the Division One with Bolton Wanderers, but after only 3 appearances during September 1930 he joined Division Three North side Hull City two months later.
Davin joined Southern League side Yeovil & Petters United in July 1931 and contributed to a title winning 1931/32 season. In October 1932 he was offered a route back to senior football with Scottish side Airdrieonians, after nine months back in Scotland the peripatetic Scot spent the 1933/34 season at London-based Division Three South side Clapton Orient where he made 15 appearances and scored two September 1933 goals against Bristol City and Brighton & Hove Albion. By November 1933 he had drifted out of the Orient first team picture and played a support role during the second half of the 1933/34 season. Davin began the 1934/35 season at Kent League side Ashford Town, a club that had ties with the O’s. By January 1935 he had drifted out of football.
Davin remained in the South East once his playing days ended, he died in Hornchurch, Essex in November 1957.
Details
Nationality: Scotland
Date/Place of Birth: 9 May 1905, Dumbarton
Hull City First Game: 8 November 1930, Rochdale H (Division Three North), 25 years, 183 days old
Hull City Final Game: 27 April 1931, Rotherham United H (Division Three North), 25 years, 353 days old
Clubs
Vale of Clyde (1925-1926), Dumbarton (1926-1927), Bury (1927-1930), Bolton Wanderers (1930), Hull City (1930-1931), Yeovil & Petters United (1931-1932), Airdrieonians (1932-1933), Clapton Orient (1933-1934), Ashford Town (1934-1935)
Hull City Record
Career: 8 apps, 1 goals
Martin Davin| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930/31 | 8 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |