Nigel Martyn

Antony Nigel Martyn (born 11 August 1966) is an English retired professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper from 1987 until 2006.

Nigel Martyn
Personal information
Full name Antony Nigel Martyn
Date of birth (1966-08-11) 11 August 1966[1]
Place of birth St Austell, England
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
0000–1987 St Blazey
1987–1989 Bristol Rovers 101 (0)
1989–1996 Crystal Palace 272 (0)
1996–2003 Leeds United 207 (0)
2003–2006 Everton 86 (0)
Total 666 (0)
National team
1988–1989 England U21 11 (0)
1989–1994 England B 6 (0)
1992–2002 England 23 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Having started his career with Bristol Rovers he moved to Crystal Palace where he became the first £1m goalkeeper in British football and was a member of the Palace side that lost the 1990 Cup Final and won the Full Members Cup in 1991. Subsequently, Martyn spent six seasons at Leeds United. An ankle injury forced him to retire in 2006, following three seasons at Everton. He won 23 England caps between 1992 and 2002 and was a member of the national squad at four major tournaments.

Club career

Early career

Martyn started his career as a midfielder until invited to play as a goalkeeper for his brother's works team when he was 17. He started by playing amateur football for Cornish sides Heavy Transport FC, Bugle and St Blazey while working in a plastics factory and for a coal merchant,[2] before beginning his professional career with Bristol Rovers in 1987 after apparently having been "spotted" by Rovers' tea lady whilst she was on holiday.[3]

Crystal Palace

Martyn was transferred to Crystal Palace for a fee of £1 million in 1989, becoming the first goalkeeper to attract a million-pound transfer fee in English football.[4] He remained at Palace for seven seasons, appearing 349 times for his club, including the 1990 FA Cup Final (where Palace were beaten by Manchester United in a replay), and the 1991 Zenith Data Systems Cup final (where Palace beat Everton). In 1996, he signed with Leeds United, setting another record fee for a goalkeeper of £2.25m.

In 2005, Palace supporters voted Martyn into their Centenary XI.

Leeds United

Martyn was signed by boss Howard Wilkinson in the summer of 1996/97, along with another high-profile capture in the form of Britain's most expensive teenager, Lee Bowyer.[5] Martyn's form for United, both at home and on the continent in European competition was outstanding – most notably in a man-of-the-match display at the Olympic Stadium v AS Roma in the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup campaign, when Leeds reached the semi-finals. Martyn was also a huge part of the squad that eliminated illustrious clubs such as Barcelona, Lazio and Deportivo La Coruna in the following season's UEFA Champions League campaign, leading them to the last four.

In total, Martyn played as Leeds' first-choice goalkeeper for six seasons and his consistency was such that years later at a supporters' dinner, the Cornishman was named officially as United's greatest ever goalkeeper, beating off competition from the likes of Gary Sprake and John Lukic – men who both won championship medals at Elland Road.

However, it was a disagreement with new Leeds manager Terry Venables,[6] combined with the increasingly good form of youngster Paul Robinson, that kept him from playing any games in Leeds' 2002–03 season and after a string of unused substitute appearances, Martyn was told he could find new employers.[7]

On 10 April 2006, he was voted as part of Leeds United's greatest team being the only player from after the Revie era to be part of the team.[8] He is still well regarded by the Leeds United fans and was involved in the "Back the Bid Leeds" campaign for Leeds to be one of the host cities in England's World Cup 2018 bid.

Everton

In the middle of 2003, Leeds were approached by Chelsea and Everton with offers to sign Martyn. Both clubs were offering the out-of-favour goalkeeper a backup post: at Chelsea, he would understudy Carlo Cudicini; at Everton, the first-choice was Richard Wright. Martyn chose to move to Everton, and six games into the season, an injury to Wright gave him his Everton debut. His performances for the first team during Wright's recovery were such that Martyn remained Everton's first-choice goalkeeper even after Wright returned from injury.

Martyn was one of Everton's best performers in the 2004–05 season when they achieved their best Premier League finish of fourth. Many fans believed that Martyn almost single-handedly stopped them from slipping down the table after Thomas Gravesen's departure. He produced some of the best form of his career, despite being 38 years of age, to the delight of the Everton fans, with whom he remains a favourite. In his final season at Everton he was picking up many injuries and missed the remainder of the season. His final appearance for Everton was his 100th game for the club against Chelsea in an FA Cup tie at Goodison Park which ended 1–1, making numerous excellent saves. It was a fitting end to Martyn's Everton career, and he is considered by many as the club's best goalkeeper since Neville Southall, so much so that he was nicknamed "Big Nige" a play on "Big Nev" which was Southall's nickname.[9]

On 8 June 2006, Martyn announced his retirement from football due to a stress fracture in his ankle that had sidelined him since January and failed to heal properly.[10] David Moyes said that he would miss Martyn as he was his "greatest ever signing".

International career

Martyn made his debut for the England national side against the Commonwealth of Independent States in Moscow in 1992, becoming one of the few Cornishmen to play for England. He earned 23 caps for his national side, spending the peak of his career as second-choice goalkeeper behind David Seaman.

Martyn replaced the injured Seaman for England's final UEFA Euro 2000 group match against Romania, a 3–2 defeat.[11] He also started in goal for a 2–2 draw with Greece at Old Trafford that qualified England for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.[12] In Sven-Göran Eriksson's first game in charge of England against Spain in February 2001, Martyn came on as a substitute for David James and saved a Javi Moreno penalty in a 3–0 win.[13]

Martyn was selected for the England squad at both the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, remaining second choice behind Arsenal's David Seaman at both tournaments.

Coaching career

Martyn spent time as goalkeeping coach at Bradford City,[14] a role he started in March 2007 as a favour for former Leeds United teammate David Wetherall, who was then caretaker manager at Bradford.[15]

Personal life

Martyn was born in St Austell, Cornwall.

While still in Cornwall he was also a cricketer, and played with Cornwall Schoolboys as a wicket-keeper, as well as Fowey Cricket Club.[2] Since his retirement from professional football, he has returned to cricket, playing regularly for a Leeds team called Leeds Modernians in the Airedale & Wharfedale Senior Cricket League.[16]

Career statistics

Club
Source: Nigel Martyn at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bristol Rovers 1987–88 Third Division 39040202[lower-alpha 1]0470
1988–89 Third Division 46020208[lower-alpha 2]0580
1989–90 Third Division 160—201[lower-alpha 1]0190
Total 101060601101240
Crystal Palace 1989–90 First Division 25070—5[lower-alpha 3]0370
1990–91 First Division 38030506[lower-alpha 3]0520
1991–92 First Division 38010803[lower-alpha 3]0500
1992–93 Premier League 4201080—510
1993–94 First Division 46010402[lower-alpha 4]0530
1994–95 Premier League 3707070—510
1995–96 First Division 46020403[lower-alpha 5]0550
Total 27202203601903490
Leeds United 1996–97 Premier League 3704030—440
1997–98 Premier League 3704040—450
1998–99 Premier League 34050104[lower-alpha 6]0440
1999–2000 Premier League 380302012[lower-alpha 6]0550
2000–01 Premier League 230100012[lower-alpha 7]0360
2001–02 Premier League 38010208[lower-alpha 6]0490
2002–03 Premier League 000000—00
Total 20701801203602730
Everton 2003–04 Premier League 3403030—400
2004–05 Premier League 3201000—330
2005–06 Premier League 20020104[lower-alpha 8]0270
Total 8606040401000
Career total 66605205807008460
  1. Appearance(s) in Associate Members' Cup
  2. Four appearances in Associate Members' Cup, four in Third Division play-offs
  3. Appearance(s) in Full Members' Cup
  4. Appearances in Anglo-Italian Cup
  5. Appearances in First Division play-offs
  6. Appearances in UEFA Cup
  7. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  8. Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, two in UEFA Cup

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
England 199220
199310
199720
199830
199940
200020
200150
200240
Total230

References
  1. "Nigel Martyn". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  2. Jay, Mike; Byrne, Stephen (1994). Pirates in Profile: A Who's Who of Bristol Rovers Players. Bristol: Potten, Baber & Murray. ISBN 0-9524835-0-5.
  3. Chris Charles (21 September 2007). "Holloway column". BBC Sport. The Bristol Rovers tea lady discovered Nigel Martyn?
  4. Fordyce, Tom (17 September 2002). "Goalkeepers – crazy but crucial". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
  5. "£2.6m Bowyer Signs for Leeds". The Independent. 4 July 1996. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  6. Alan Smith (19 March 2005). "The Alan Smith interview: Life is so sweet for Everton's veteran". The Telegraph.co.uk. Telegraph Media Group. (registration required)
  7. "Martyn Free To Leave Leeds". The Telegraph. 1 August 2003. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  8. "The Greatest Leeds United Team Unveiled". Leeds United F.C. 11 April 2006. Archived from the original on 14 April 2006. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  9. "How Everton's Masters Team Would Look in 2020". 14 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  10. "Keeper Martyn forced to quit game". BBC Sport. 8 June 2006. Archived from the original on 29 March 2007. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  11. "Late penalty breaks English hearts". BBC Sport. 20 June 2000. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  12. "England reach World Cup finals". BBC Sport. 6 October 2001. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  13. "Sven's England off to winning start". BBC Sport. 28 February 2001. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  14. Parker, Simon (4 February 2008). "Loach 'star-struck' by Martyn". Telegraph & Argus. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  15. Parker, Simon (9 March 2007). "Martyn offers a helping hand". Telegraph & Argus. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  16. "Player Statistics - Player Nigel Martyn". Leeds Modernians Cricket Club – via Play-Cricket.com.
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