Alvin Martin
Alvin Edward Martin ( born July 29, 1958 in Bootle, Merseyside, England ) is an English former football player and coach. Martin played for 20 years as a central defender for West Ham United and stood in 1986 at England's World Cup squad.
Club career
Martin played during his school years at Everton, as they only offered him after completing his school career in 1974 a training contract as a semi-professional, he left Liverpool, and finally arrived in London at West Ham United under, giving it a young player pro contract ( " apprentice professional" ) offered. In 1975, he was with the youth team of West Ham in the final of the FA Youth Cup, but it lost to the team from Ipswich Town to Return game with 1:5. After he had received a professional contract in 1976 for the men's area, he made his debut on 18 March 1978 by a 1:4 defeat against Aston Villa. A month later, he scored on his for new face against Leeds United his first competitive goal and was also in the remaining matchdays of the season 1977/78 in stem formation, but the descent into the Second Division was not able to avert the team.
In the second division the following season 1978/79 Alvin Martin Tommy Taylor displaced from the root formation and established himself on the side of Billy Bonds at center-back of the hammer. 1980 won the ball aerially strong and reliable defender with West Ham as second division the FA Cup final in front of 100,000 fans in London's Wembley Stadium against city rivals Arsenal. The following year, succeeded as second division champions return to the First Division and after the retirement of bonds Martin took over the captaincy in 1984. From then on he made with Tony Gale is one of the best Innverteidigerduos in the history of West Ham United. In the 1985/86 season, the club was a long time in the race for the championship, but in the end had to settle behind Liverpool and Everton, but nevertheless meant the best result of the season in club history with space 3. This season, the defender also managed the rare feat to score in his hat trick on April 21, 1986 against Newcastle United against three different goalkeepers. After the -budgetary goalkeeper Martin Thomas had violated Martin also met once each for the fielder Chris Hedworth and Peter Beardsley, who had taken the place in the goal during the game.
In the following years Martin had increased to struggle with injury problems, until 1988 /89 when the club finished in the relegation zone again, he could participate regularly again. When trying to implement immediately the re-emergence, Martin also included 34 -year-old still on stem formation before kept him in the promotion season in 1990/91 in December, an injury to the Achilles tendon for 16 months from the board. From now gerückten on the coach chair Billy Bonds Martin has already received the transfer release, when he returned in April 1992 in the team and in the vain attempt to avoid the direct re descent, nor completed seven missions. Due to his achievements in those games he was given a new one-year contract. Despite further injury problems, which led to several months of forced breaks, he continued his career at West Ham still continued until 1996. On May 5, 1996, Martin played on the final day of the Premier League season 1995/96 the last time for West Ham United, a total he scored 34 goals for the Hammers in exactly 600 official matches.
He continued his career after a short time at the London fourth division Leyton Orient away and was there under Pat Holland in the early phase of the 1996/97 season as team captain to the permanent employees. After his release, he played under the successor Tommy Taylor, also because of persistent injury problems are no longer relevant in the further planning and ultimately finished his career in 1997.
National
Martin was in 1981 under the former West Ham coach Ron Greenwood 22 -year-old in a friendly against Brazil made his debut in the English national team. In 1982, he missed the World Championships participation due to injury, under Greenwoods successor Bobby Robson he belonged in the following seasons mostly in the squad and took part with the English selection at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. After he did not play in the group stage, he moved in the 3-0 second round win over Paraguay in the starting grid. In the quarter- final against the Argentine superstar Diego Maradona Robson sat back on Terry Fenwick in defense. Maradona was also, the first with the "Hand of God " the 1-0 lead and got a short time with his solo run from the centerline fooled the full English defensive and later met for preliminary decision 2-0.
Martin's international career ended three months after the World Cup with a friendly against Sweden. Persistent injury problems have ensured at West Ham for limited periods of use, prevented by 17 international matches other nominations.
Coaching career and other activities
After his playing career, Martin took over in the summer of 1997 relegated to the third division club Southend United, was in the following two years but not able to stop the decline. After descending into the Viertklassigkeit in 1998, Martin finally gave in spring 1999 from the coaching job, as there was Southend in the fourth division in Abstiegsnot.
Martin devoted himself then with his wife to the operation of an office furniture business and has since commented on various radio and television programs as an expert football events. His two sons, Joe and David Martin are also professional footballers.
Achievements
- English Cup Winners: 1979/80
- Champion Second Division: 1980/81