David Martin

David Martin was born in Belfast on the 1st February 1914. A centre-forward he played amateur football for the Royal Ulster Rifles, Cliftonville and Belfast Celtic.

Major Frank Buckley, the manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers, signed Martin in 1934. He joined a team that included Billy Wrigglesworth, Tom Galley, Billy Hartill, Stan Cullis, Bryn Jones, Tom Smalley, Dai Richards, Billy Barraclough, Reg Hollingsworth and Charlie Phillips.

In the 1934-35 season Wolves finished in 17th place in the First Division winning only 15 of their 42 games. Billy Hartill was again top scorer with 33 goals. At the end of the season Buckley upset the Wolves' fans by selling Hartill to Everton. A few months later he sold Charlie Phillips to Aston Villa for £9,000. It seemed that Buckley and the Wolves board were more concerned with making a profit than winning the First Division championship.

David Martin now replaced Billy Hartill as centre-forward in the team. He did well that season scoring 17 goals in 25 appearances. However, Wolves continued to struggle and in the 1935-36 season finishing in 15th place, only five points above the relegated teams, Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers.

In 1936 Martin was sold to Nottingham Forest in the Second Division. Although he was unable to get them promoted to the First Division over the next two seasons he had the excellent record of scoring 41 goals in 81 appearances.

Martin joined Notts County in 1938 but his career was interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War. He retired from professional football in 1945. Martin had the outstanding record of 77 goals in 144 games.

David Martin died in 1991.