Chris Martin (footballer, born 1990)

Christopher Joseph Martin (born 21 July 1990) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Chris Martin
Martin, hands on hips, after conceding in a 1–1 draw with Bury at Vale Park.
Personal information
Full name Christopher Joseph Martin[1]
Date of birth (1990-07-21) 21 July 1990[2]
Place of birth Mansfield, England[3]
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Nottingham Forest
2005–2007 Port Vale
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2012 Port Vale 74 (0)
2007 → Kidsgrove Athletic (loan)
2012–2013 Ilkeston
2013–2015 Mickleover Sports
2015–2016 Leek Town
2016–2017 Kidsgrove Athletic
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Having come through the club's youth set-up, he turned professional at Port Vale in 2007 after spending time on loan at non-league Kidsgrove Athletic. He spent 2007–08 and 2008–09 as Joe Anyon's deputy, before he won the #1 jersey in summer 2010, having established himself as the club's first choice keeper in the 2009–10 campaign. However, he was released after he spent most of the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons on the bench behind new signing Stuart Tomlinson. In August 2012, he dropped down three tiers to join Ilkeston. The following year he dropped down another division to play for Mickleover Sports . He helped Mickleover to win the Northern Premier League Division One South title in 2014–15. He joined Leek Town in June 2015, and then Kidsgrove Athletic in December 2016. He was sworn in as a policeman in September 2017.

Playing career

Port Vale

Born in, and growing up in Mansfield, Martin attended Frederick Gent School.[4] He joined the Port Vale youth system after leaving his home town club Nottingham Forest in 2005. He joined Northern Premier League First Division outfit Kidsgrove Athletic on loan in March 2007 at the age of 16.[5] His Vale debut came against Swindon Town at the County Ground on 19 April 2008; where Port Vale were beaten 6–0.[6] Manager Lee Sinnott refused to blame Martin for the heavy defeat.[7]

After Joe Anyon broke his leg in March 2009, Martin was given his first run in the first team, playing the last ten games of the 2008–09 season.[8] Anyon failed to recover for the start of the 2009–10 season. New manager Micky Adams looked to sign Stuart Tomlinson in order to have an experienced option in goal, but the cash-strapped club could not afford to offer Tomlinson a permanent deal. However Martin did not disappoint, an assured display against Rochdale[9] was followed by a solid performance in the League Cup at Bramall Lane, where Vale defeated Championship side Sheffield United 2–1. Adams commented: "We knew our keeper would have to have a great night, and what a night he's had."[10] However, he was transfer listed in late September, along with the entire Port Vale squad, after Adams saw his team slip to a third consecutive defeat.[11] He remained the first choice keeper however, his shot-stopping ability, overall competence and reliability making him the star player of the first half of the campaign.[12] In January 2010 he kept three clean sheets in a row, the first time Vale had done so in over three years.[13] His record of conceding just 25 goals in 26 League Two matches by February led the club to promise him a new contract,[14] and led to public praise from teammate Adam Yates.[15] After a run of 38 consecutive games he was rested in February 2010, as manager Adams wished to see Joe Anyon in competitive action.[16] Martin regained his place the next month after Anyon made two costly errors in his seven games.[17] The teenager picked up the Young Player of the Year award for his 47 appearances.[18] He was offered a new contract by the club at the end of the season, whilst Anyon was released.[19] Martin signed the two-year contract,[20] which came with an increase in wages.[21]

In May 2010, Stuart Tomlinson was announced as his competition for the 2010–11 season.[22] Tomlinson said he was looking forward to working with Martin and goalkeeping coach Mark Grew.[23] Martin stated he hoped to be more communicative with his defenders throughout the season.[24] Tomlinson received the nod from Adams, and Martin had to wait until February 2011 for first team football, at which point Tomlinson was out with a hip injury and Jim Gannon was manager.[25] Martin was dropped after conceding a comical own goal in a 3–1 defeat to Stevenage,[26] but won a recall the following match as Tomlinson left the field due to a recurrence of his hip injury.[27] The pair continued to battle for a starting place, though Tomlinson supported Martin after he committed another blunder in a 2–1 loss at home to Oxford United on 12 March.[28] Over the course of the season he was restricted to just fourteen league appearances by Tomlinson's consistency.[29]

He started the 2011–12 season on the bench for league games, with Tomlinson preferred by Micky Adams, who had returned to the club as manager. Neither Tomlinson or Martin could nail down their first team place though; Tomlinson conceded twelve goals in his first seven games of the season, whilst Martin conceded ten times in his first five games.[30] Assistant manager Mark Grew told the media that "they've both been disappointing".[31] Martin made only his fourth league appearance of the season on 7 January, as injury ruled Tomlinson out of the trip to Southend United.[32] Tomlinson won back his first team spot after returning to fitness, and Martin was not offered a new contract at the end of the season.[33] By a quirk of fate, his last game for the club mirrored his debut almost exactly, as Swindon recorded a 5–0 victory at the County Ground on 28 April.[34]

Non-league

He was invited to train at AFC Telford United in July 2012,[35] and had erroneously been reported as having signed a contract with the club.[36] The next month he signed with Ilkeston of the Northern Premier League Premier Division.[37] The club finished 12th in 2012–13. He signed with Mickleover Sports for the 2013–14 campaign, and helped the club to the play-off final, where they were beaten by Belper Town. He was named in the division's Team of the Year as Mickleover won promotion as champions in 2014–15.[38] He signed with Leek Town in June 2015.[39] Leek finished eighth in the Northern Premier League Division One South in the 2015–16 campaign. He joined divisional rivals Kidsgrove Athletic in December 2016 after losing his first team place at Leek to Ben Chapman.[40] The "Grove" finished 12th in the Northern Premier League in the 2016–17 season.

Later life

Martin was sworn in as a police officer by Derbyshire Constabulary in September 2017.[41]

Statistics
Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Port Vale2007–08[42]League One2000000020
2008–09[43]League Two11000001[lower-alpha 1]0120
2009–10[44]League Two39030302[lower-alpha 1]0470
2010–11[45]League Two14000002[lower-alpha 1]0160
2011–12[46]League Two8010101[lower-alpha 1]0110
Total[lower-alpha 2] 740404060880
  1. Appearance/s in the EFL Trophy.
  2. Statistics for Kidsgrove Athletic, Ilkeston, Mickleover Sports and Leek Town not recorded.

Honours
Individual
Mickleover Sports

References
  1. "Chris Martin". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. "Name: Chris Martin". port-vale.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  3. Chris Martin at Soccerbase
  4. "1 - CHRIS MARTIN". Port Vale F.C. 11 July 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  5. "Conkie replaced by Vale youngster". Non-League Daily. 12 March 2007. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  6. "Martin unfazed by debut drubbing". BBC Sport. 21 April 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  7. "'Positive' Lee's Been Swin-dled". Sunday Mercury. 20 April 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  8. "Martin grasps opportunity at Vale". BBC Sport. 30 March 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  9. Shaw, Steve (10 August 2009). "Port Vale: Match statistics". The Sentinel. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  10. "Sheff Utd 1 - 2 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 11 August 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  11. "Adams puts Vale squad up for sale". BBC Sport. 27 September 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
  12. "Port Vale: Season review". The Sentinel. 2 January 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  13. "Port Vale keeper Chris Martin pleased with clean sheets". BBC Sport. 2 February 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  14. Shaw, Steve (5 February 2010). "Port Vale: Martin to be rewarded for superb season". The Sentinel. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  15. "Adam Yates praises Port Vale goalkeeper Chris Martin". BBC Sport. 17 February 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  16. Shaw, Steve (25 February 2010). "Port Vale: Martin is future of club, says Adams". The Sentinel. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
  17. "Port Vale goalkeeper Chris Martin likes healthy rivalry". BBC Sport. 2 April 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  18. "Griffith Scoops Player of the Year". port-vale.co.uk. 12 May 2010. Archived from the original on 14 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  19. "Goalkeeper Joe Anyon released by Port Vale". BBC Sport. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  20. "Port Vale deals for Griffith, McCombe, Martin & Taylor". BBC Sport. 13 May 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  21. Shaw, Steve (13 May 2010). "Port Vale: Fab four sign up". The Sentinel. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  22. "Goalkeeper Stuart Tomlinson joins Port Vale". BBC Sport. 29 May 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  23. "Port Vale: Goalkeeper Stuart Tomlinson joins Vale". The Sentinel. 29 May 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  24. "Port Vale: Chris Martin ready for keeper battle". The Sentinel. 10 July 2010. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  25. "Starting spot pleases Port Vale goalkeeper Chris Martin". BBC Sport. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  26. "Port Vale 1 - 3 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  27. "Match analysis: Aldershot 1, Port Vale 2". The Sentinel. 28 February 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  28. "Stuart Tomlinson says Chris Martin will bounce back". BBC Sport. 13 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  29. Steve Shaw. "Port Vale: Martin determined to regain number one spot". The Sentinel. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  30. "Port Vale: Tommo confident he can regain his best form". The Sentinel. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  31. "Mark Grew disappointed by form of Port Vale goalkeepers". BBC Sport. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  32. "Southend 3 - 0 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 7 January 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  33. "Contracts latest". port-vale.co.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  34. "Swindon swept aside Port Vale to seal the League Two title". BBC Sport. 28 April 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  35. "Telford interested in ex-Port Vale keeper Chris Martin". BBC Sport. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  36. "AFC Telford to seal double swoop". Shropshire Star. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  37. "Adams feels let down by Ryder". The Sentinel. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  38. "Evo-Stik NPL Division One South awards given out". Burton Mail. 28 April 2015. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  39. Hannah, Jim (5 June 2015). "Leek Town sign former Port Vale keeper Chris Martin". The Sentinel. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  40. "MARTIN MOVES TO KIDSGROVE - News - Leek Town". www.pitchero.com. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  41. "Derbyshire Constabulary - Former Port Vale 'keeper laces up boots in new policing career". derbyshire.police.uk. 4 September 2017. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  42. "Games played by Chris Martin in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  43. "Games played by Chris Martin in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  44. "Games played by Chris Martin in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  45. "Games played by Chris Martin in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  46. "Games played by Chris Martin in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
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