Biography

Gateshead-born wing half Martin joined the Tigers in January 1907 from local junior side Gateshead Rodley. Over the course of four and a half seasons he was occasionally called upon to serve the first team, and was captain of the City 2nd XI. Between January and April 1908 Frank enjoyed a run of nineteen consecutive first team starts, commencing with his only senior goal against Barnsley. When 1908/09 season commenced Martin was replaced at wing half by City stalwart Davy Gordon and Frank returned to the reserve side for most of the remainder of his City career.
Frank joined Grimsby Town in August 1911 fo an £85 fee and enjoyed far more first team action, making over 150 starts for the Mariners. When World War One commenced in 1914 the Football League initially continued but was suspended in April 1915 when resentment grew against professional players, who were perceived to be making little contribution to the war effort. In January 1915, perhaps in response this resentment, Martin joined several Grimsby team-mates, including club captain Sid Wheelhouse, in the ‘Football Battalion’ of the British Army’s Middlesex Regiment. This battalion attracted professional footballers from several clubs and played representative matches as well as performing regular Army duties. In April 1916 during active service in Northern France, Martin was shot in the jaw and a year later he was discharged and awarded a Silver War Medal. His close colleague Wheelhouse lost his live in September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme.
Martin returned to football after the war, playing a few games for Grimsby and spending 1921-22 season at former League side Aberdare Athletic. A stonemason by trade, Frank lived in Grimsby and Cleethorpes after his playing career ended and died in July 1967.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 3 January 1887, Gateshead
Hull City First Game: 21 September 1907, Burnley H (Division Two), 20 years, 261 days old
Hull City Final Game: 24 April 1911, Stockport County A (Division Two), 24 years, 111 days old
Clubs
Gateshead Rodley, Hull City (1907-1911), Grimsby Town (1911-1921), Aberdare Athletic (1921-1922)
Hull City Record
Career: 32 apps, 1 goals
Frank MartinSeason | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1906/07 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1907/08 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1908/09 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1909/10 | 4 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1910/11 | 5 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |