Pre-Season Interview with Nigel Martyn (Part 1)

Nigel Martyn played over 500 competitive matches in English football. He most prominently played seven seasons each for Crystal Palace and Leeds United, and also won 23 England caps. An ankle injury forced him to retire in 2006, following three seasons for Everton. He is now a part time goalkeeping coach at Bradford City.

The top stopper started at amateur side St Blazey before beginning his professional career with Bristol Rovers in 1987. Being transferred to Crystal Palace for a fee of £1 million in 1989, he became the first goalkeeper to attract a million-pound transfer fee in English football. It was at Crystal Palace that Nigel first gained international recognition with a call up to the full England side. 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 on 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 the summer of 2003, Leeds were approached by Everton with an offer to sign Martyn. The then Leeds manager, Terry Venables, had favored the young Paul Robinson over the experienced Martyn. 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 ever finish in the Premier League of 4th. Many Everton 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.

On June 8, 2006, Martyn announced his retirement from football due to an ankle injury. His last game was in the January of that year and spent the final months of the season side lined and having to have operations. David Moyes said that he would miss his key goalkeeper Martyn as he was his “greatest ever signing”.

As a young boy growing up I was a huge fan of Martyn, many times watching Match of the Day on a Saturday evening with my brother (young local goalkeeper at the time) we often commented about the quality of the top stopper. Being Southampton fans we saw Martyn play a few times at the then home of the Saints the Dell, Martyn was a fine keeper who we both looked up to, never did we see him have a bad game, “why is he not playing for England? my brother use to say”

Selsport gloves which Martyn loved, “Once i had my 1st pair of roll finger gloves I never turned back, David Seaman hated roll finger gloves, i loved my Selsport Wrappa’s.

When Mark at Selsport said I should do a one on one interview with Nigel Martyn I could not wait to get on the phone to him, the chance to talk to one of my childhood heroes, a keeper who I looked up to, a keeper who had a fine career. With pre-season nearing there was so much to chat about.

After a few minutes on the phone and my nerves well settled, I realised not only was he a top goalkeeper he was a top man too.

Nigel with it now being pre-season I would like to chat about your pre-seasons as a keeper?

Pre –season was a hard time as a player, go ahead Martin fire the questions

In his days at Leeds United.

Pre-Season’s

During your years as a goalkeeper how did you find pre-season? Were you one that dreaded going back to the training ground?

Not dreading it, but I was very nervous. Even right up to the end of my playing days, I was nervous about pre-season, you know it’s going to be hard work! But it has to be done, there are no doubts that is stands you in good stead for the long hard season ahead.

As a keeper at a pro club did you have to do the fitness work i.e. running etc with the squad?

It changed for me as the years went by, when I first started with Bristol Rovers I did all the running, and when we did any ball work I went in goal. At Leeds and Everton there was an element of running and ball drill work. It was good to work with the ball and the running helped with my overall fitness.

As a keeper you were seen as a very consistent, one who made few mistakes

I think that’s right I was not necessarily the one who was going to grab the headlines, but speaking to players and ex -managers since and what they always say is that I was consistent. I never wanted to make mistakes but I also tried to organise the defence so they never made mistakes either, if the defence has confidence in you as a keeper it gives them confidence, and it was something I worked on a lot. As a keeper you can see what’s going on, seeing the players drifting off there man I would try and correct them, I was not a keeper who was going to make the headlines, but I did make sure I was always on my game.

International Days

Martyn making his first England Squad.

I was involved in the squad a while before I got my 1^st cap, in the end I got 23 caps. I first got into the squad at the end of 1990. I made my debut in Moscow in 1992. I do have some good memories, though at times it was a little frustrating, I am not sure how many squads I made probably about 70-80 and to only play 23 times which was a little frustrating, David Seaman was in top form at the time.

Making a great save in one if his 23 England Caps.

How did it all end

I had a really bad ankle injury, my last game was 30^th January 2006, I never played again and the rest of the season I was back at home convalescing, trying to get over operations. I was so lucky to have 19 seasons and its your whole life when you’re a pro footballer. With being a pro it takes over everything, lock stock and barrel. So its a big wrench when it finishes I was frustrated to finish because of injury and it was not how I wanted to finish.

For Part 2 please click here