450 Tommy Martin

Biography

Experienced Scotsman Tommy Martin joined City in June 1955 for a £7,000 fee. Manager Bob Brocklebank deployed Martin mostly in the half back line but occasionally used him up front. Martin’s arrival coincided with a terrible run of form in the first half of the 1955/56 season that saw the Tigers marooned at the foot of the Division Two table. He scored his first goal for City on New Years Eve in a 1-1 draw against Plymouth, but an injury during that match meant he missed several weeks and was selected only three more times during the remainder of the season, which ended in relegation – Tommy contributed City’s only goal in an April 1956 1-4 defeat against a Leeds United side managed by ex-Tiger Raich Carter that confirmed City’s relegation and Leeds secured a promotion for Leeds. Martin played only a handful of Division Three North matches in the 1956/57 season and left the club in September 1957.

Thomas “Tommy” Martin was born in Glasgow and began his career with local sides Tollcross YMCA and Shettleston Juniors. He joined Heart of Midlothian in August 1942 while serving in the Royal Air Force during World War Two, scoring seven goals in 17 wartime league matches. When the Scottish Football League resumed in the 1946/47 season Martin remained at Tynecastle for three seasons. He made his senior debut in November 1946 against Greenock Morton and after turning down a move to Airdrie in October 1947 he scored his first senior goals in grand style on Christmas Day 1947, netting a brace against Scottish giants Celtic – alas the match was lost 2-4. By March 1949 Tommy had scored two senior goals in 7 appearances for Hearts.

In March 1949 he joined Stirling Albion, initially on loan then permanently in October 1949 for a club record £3,000 fee, but within a year he had attracted the attention of English Division Two side Doncaster Rovers, who paid £5,000 for Martin in July 1950. He made his senior debut in England against Leeds United in August 1950 and was deployed in four of the five forward berths through the 1950/51 season, scoring twice in November 1950 against Queens Park Rangers and a month later in the return fixture against Leeds United. He maintained his form for the following season and by October 1952 he had scored nine goals in 72 appearances for Doncaster Rovers.

His form at Doncaster encouraged Division Two rivals Nottingham Forest to sign Martin in October 1952, his fee now increased to £15,000, a record for Forest. A first team regular for the remainder of the 1952/53 season, Martin was used more sparingly over the next two seasons and increasingly filled in as a half back as well as a utility forward. When Tommy left Forest in June 1955 he had scored four goals in 50 appearances.

Leaving Hull City in September 1957, Martin joined Highland League side Rothes FC as player-coach while working in a local drapery, leading the Speysiders to the Highland League title in the 1958/59 season. In January 1960 he returned to Scottish Division One side Stirling Albion in a similar player/coaching role.

Martin died at Blantyre, on the southern fringes of Glasgow, in August 1996.

Details

Nationality: Scotland
Date/Place of Birth: 21 December 1924, Glasgow
Hull City First Game: 20 August 1955, Leicester City H (Division Two), 30 years, 242 days old
Hull City Final Game: 19 April 1957, Accrington Stanley H (Division Three North), 32 years, 119 days old

Clubs

Tollcross YMCA, Shettleston Juniors (1941-1942), Heart of Midlothian (1942-1949), Stirling Albion (1949, loan), Stirling Albion (1949-1950), Doncaster Rovers (1950-1952), Nottingham Forest (1952-1955), Hull City (1955-1957), Rothes FC (1957-1960), Stirling Albion (1960)

Hull City Record

Career: 32 apps, 2 goals

Tommy Martin
SeasonLGE
App
LGE
Gls
FAC
App
FAC
Gls
FLC
App
FLC
Gls
EUR
App
EUR
Gls
OTH
App
OTH
Gls
1955/56252
1956/5770
1957/58

2 thoughts on “450 Tommy Martin”

    • Mr Martin managed Burnbrae, an underage amateur team based in Priesthill, Glasgow, purely as a volunteer. I had the great pleasure and privilege of playing in this team for Mr Martin for a number of years. He was the archetypal gentleman. Always understated and calm and could be relied upon for words of wisdom and excellent advice. I remember that he worked for a company called Sterling Safeway Scaffolding and, as I had begun work as an apprentice draughtsman with Sir William Arrol, he gave me a scale rule for me to use in the drawing office. I think of Mr Martin with great affection and admiration quite often. A lovely and gracious human being.

      Reply

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