Background
Martin was born at Selston, Nottinghamshire and played his youth football with Sutton Junction F.C., based in Sutton-in-Ashfield.
Martin was born at Selston, Nottinghamshire and played his youth football with Sutton Junction F.C., based in Sutton-in-Ashfield.
He made one appearance for England in 1914, and was later the manager at Mansfield Town. Sunderland He joined Sunderland as a professional in January 1912 and made rapid progress with the club His debut came at Anfield on 5 April 1912 when he scored in a 2–1 defeat by Liverpool.
The following day he was on the scoresheet again in a 4–0 victory over Everton.
The other three goals were scored by George Holley. He contributed three league goals in the championship winning season, including another against Liverpool in a 7–0 victory, in which Charlie Buchan scored five.
The match was played at Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough and England were defeated 3–0. This was the first time that England had been beaten by Ireland on home soil.
His football career was then interrupted by the First World War.
During the war he guested for Nottingham Forest and he took part in two of the victory internationals played at the end of the war but he was unable to break back into the full England side. After the war he played for another three seasons for Sunderland, rarely missing a match before moving to his native county to join Nottingham Forest on a permanent basis. In his Sunderland career he played a total of 230 first team matches with 22 goals.
Nottingham Forest He joined Forest in May 1922 and remained with the club for three seasons (again rarely missing a match) as they struggled at the lower end of the First Division table, finally being relegated in 1925.
Rochdale In 1925 he dropped down to the Third Division North with Rochdale where he continued to play until 1930, although by then his appearances were more infrequent. In 1929 he had been appointed trainer with Rochdale where he remained until 1933.
In December 1933, he was appointed manager at Mansfield Town in succession to Jack Hickling. 1934-1935 saw some improvement in the club"s league position when for the first time Town finished in the top half of the Football League Third Division North table, a creditable 8th place overall.
At the end of the season, his tenure as manager ended when he was surprisingly sacked and replaced by Charlie Bell.
He then joined Swindon Town as a trainer where he remained until the 1950s. Sunderland The Football League champions: 1912-1913 finalist: 1913.