Martin Burleigh

Martin Stewart Burleigh (born 2 February 1951) is an English former professional footballer who made 222 appearances in the Football League playing as a goalkeeper for Newcastle United, Darlington, Carlisle United and Hartlepool United.[2]

Martin Burleigh
Personal information
Full name Martin Stewart Burleigh[1]
Date of birth (1951-02-02) 2 February 1951[2]
Place of birth Willington, County Durham, England
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
196?–1968 Willington
1968–1974 Newcastle United 11 (0)
1974–1975 Darlington 30 (0)
1975–1977 Carlisle United 26 (0)
1977–1979 Darlington 71 (0)
1979–1982 Hartlepool United 84 (0)
1982–1983 Bishop Auckland
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Burleigh was born in Willington, County Durham,[2] and played for the local club, Willington A.F.C., before turning professional with Newcastle United in 1968. Burleigh was an International youth cup winner in 1969 Newcastle defeating Arsenal in the final of the tournament which was held in Rotterdam having already won the Northern Intermediate league and cup double that same season. He played with a Newcastle first XI in Barrie Thomas's testimonial match on 26 November 1968. He made his first-team debut on 26 December 1970, in a 3–0 defeat away to Leeds United in the First Division. Despite conceding three goals on his debut Burleigh gained praise from Leeds manager Don Revie "I thought he had a fine game he had no chance with the goals some of the saves he made showed he has a fine future ahead of him". He was on the substitute's bench for United's 1970/71 European campaign. Burleigh had to wait over a year before making another first team appearance his home debut on 8 January 1972 in a 4–2 victory over Coventry City. An injury to undisputed first-choice goalkeeper Iam McFaul in February 1973 allowed Burleigh a run of games in the first team,[3][4] but the run ended when he broke a finger,[5] after a clash with Mick Channon in a 1–1 draw away to Southampton and he played only twice more playing his final game for Newcastle on 11 May 1974 against Tottenham Hotspur at St James Park. He fell into dispute with boss Joe Harvey and walked out on the club in August 1974 when he considered joining the RAF. In six years with the club he made just 15 first-team appearances in all competitions.[4]

Signing for Darlington for a fee of £8,000 in October 1974 he spent the 1974–75 season with the then Fourth Division club before moving on to Carlisle United, newly relegated to the Second Division, in June 1975.[2] Although a transfer request was accepted in November that same year,[6] Burleigh remained with Carlisle until 1977. He then returned to Darlington for a further two-year spell,[2] in the first of which he was the club's player of the season.[7] He finished his professional career with three seasons at Fourth Division Hartlepool United, for whom he made 96 appearances in all competitions,[1] before moving into non-league football with Bishop Auckland in 1982.[2] and then Spennymoor United in 1983 and Langley Park in 1984.

He went on to work as a painter and decorator in Ferryhill, County Durham.[3]

References
  1. "Player stats: MS Burleigh". PoolStats. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  2. "Martin Burleigh". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Players Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  3. Struthers, Greg (17 April 2005). "Caught in time". Sunday Times. London. p. Sport 26.
  4. "Player Details: Martin Burleigh". Toon1892. Kenneth H Scott. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  5. "Hill to look for sponsors". The Guardian. 17 April 1973. p. 27.
  6. "Millwall sell to survive". The Guardian. 13 November 1975. p. 19.
  7. Amos, Mike (8 February 2005). "West set for big stage". The Northern Echo. Darlington. p. 22 – via Newsbank.
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