David Edward Martin (born 22 January 1986) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. He is currently a player-coach for Ipswich Town.

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...
David Martin
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Martin with West Ham United in 2019
Personal information
Full name David Edward Martin[1]
Date of birth (1986-01-22) 22 January 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth Romford, London, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Ipswich Town (player-coach)
Youth career
Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United
Wimbledon
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 Wimbledon 2 (0)
2004–2006 Milton Keynes Dons 15 (0)
2006–2010 Liverpool 0 (0)
2007Accrington Stanley (loan) 10 (0)
2008–2009Leicester City (loan) 25 (0)
2009Tranmere Rovers (loan) 3 (0)
2009–2010Leeds United (loan) 0 (0)
2010Derby County (loan) 2 (0)
2010–2017 Milton Keynes Dons 274 (0)
2017–2019 Millwall 11 (0)
2019–2022 West Ham United 5 (0)
2022–2023 Milton Keynes Dons 0 (0)
2023–2024 Southend United 9 (0)
2024– Ipswich Town 0 (0)
International career
2001–2002 England U16 3 (0)
2002–2003 England U17 3 (0)
2004 England U18 1 (0)
2004–2005 England U19 11 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 05:32, 9 July 2024 (UTC)
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He has also played for Wimbledon, Liverpool, Accrington Stanley, Leicester City, Tranmere Rovers, Leeds United, Derby County, Milton Keynes Dons, Millwall, West Ham United, Southend United and at youth international level for England U16, England U17, England U18 and England U19.

Club career

Youth career

Born in Romford in the London Borough of Havering, the eldest son of former West Ham and Leyton Orient player Alvin Martin, David started his career as a youth-team player with Tottenham Hotspur, where he originally played as defender, later switching to a goalkeeper.[3]

Wimbledon and Milton Keynes Dons

Martin moved to Wimbledon of the First Division aged 17 in 2003, shortly before the club relocated to Milton Keynes in September of the same year. Martin was handed his professional debut by manager Stuart Murdoch on 19 April 2004, a 2–0 loss away to Burnley, whilst the club were still playing as Wimbledon. After they were officially reformed as Milton Keynes Dons in June 2004, Martin went on to make 25 first team appearances for the Dons, primarily as a backup for Paul Rachubka and later Matt Baker.

Liverpool

After a successful trial period,[4] Martin signed for Liverpool on 12 January 2006. He was an unused substitute in Liverpool's League Cup game against Reading on 25 October 2006.[3] In his first season playing for Liverpool Reserves he kept eight clean sheets out of 13 starts, and became a regular starter in the reserve team. And when Charles Itandje was injured he was an unused substitute in a number of first team matches.[5]

Accrington Stanley loan

On 23 February 2007, Martin signed for Football League Two club, Accrington Stanley on loan for a month.[6] However, he was injured within five minutes of his debut, without even touching the ball, against Lincoln City, damaging his ankle which ruled him out for the rest of his loan spell and he returned to Liverpool.[7] After regaining his fitness he returned to Accrington on loan for the rest of the season,[8] making his comeback in a 1–0 win over Torquay United,[9] and helping the club avoid relegation to the Conference National.[10]

Return to Liverpool

On 6 November 2007, Martin was on the bench when Liverpool beat Turkish club, Beşiktaş 8–0 at Anfield in their UEFA Champions League group match.[11] He was a member of the Liverpool reserve team which was Premier Reserve League Northern champions and Premier League National champions in the 2007–08 season.[12] In May 2008 he signed a new contract with Liverpool until June 2010.[3]

Leicester City loan

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Martin with Leicester City.

On 4 August 2008, Martin joined League One team Leicester City on a six-month loan,[13] making his debut in a 1–0 home win over Stockport on 12 August.[14] In December, Martin's loan deal at Leicester was extended until the end of the season.[15] He revealed on 30 January 2009 that he wanted a permanent move to Leicester, having made 13 clean sheets in 26 appearances for the club.[16] Martin made a total of 25 league appearances as Leicester secured their promotion as league champions, but was unable to secure a permanent deal with the club.

Return to Liverpool again

Rafael Benitez named Martin in Liverpool's 28-man squad for the 2009–10 Champions League group stage.[17]

Tranmere Rovers loan

On 16 October 2009, Martin joined Tranmere Rovers on loan for a month.[18] He competed for the number one jersey with Luke Daniels and played three league games for Tranmere before returning to Liverpool. Martin was an unused substitute against Southampton.

Leeds United loan

On 26 November, Martin joined Leeds United on loan until 28 December to provide cover for the injured Shane Higgs and provide competition with Casper Ankergren and Alan Martin. Liverpool decided to not allow him to be available for Leeds' FA Cup games. Martin was named on the bench against Oldham Athletic, meaning he replaced Alan Martin as Leeds' sub goalkeeper whilst Higgs was injured.

He made his debut for Leeds in the Football League Trophy Northern Section semi-final at Elland Road against Accrington Stanley.[19] On 24 December he extended his loan by a further month, until 30 January, and Liverpool also gave him permission to play for Leeds against Manchester United in the FA Cup. The loan extension was largely to do with Higgs suffering a further setback in his recovery from injury. Martin's loan deal was extended again on Transfer on deadline day (1 February) until 10 February 2010 after which he returned to Liverpool.

Derby County loan

On 12 March 2010, Martin joined Derby County on a month's loan as cover for the injured Stephen Bywater and to play in the match against Doncaster Rovers on 13 March after reserve goalkeeper, Saul Deeney, received a red card during the same match against Reading on 10 March. He kept his place for a 2–2 draw with Middlesbrough but the return of Bywater, combined with the allowance of only five loan players in the match day squad when Derby had six, saw Martin uninvolved with the first team for the remainder of his month at the club. He returned to Liverpool on 12 April 2010.

Milton Keynes Dons (second spell)

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Martin in 2011

Martin signed for former club Milton Keynes Dons on 12 May 2010 and was new manager Karl Robinson's first signing at the club.[20] He joined on 1 July 2010. On 3 May 2016, Martin was named the club's Player of the Year for the 2015–16 season.[21]

On 20 April 2017, after nine seasons and 339 appearances for the club, Martin announced that he would be leaving MK Dons at the end of the 2016–17 season.[22]

Millwall

Martin signed for newly promoted Championship side Millwall on 1 September 2017.[23] At the end of the 2017–18 season, his contract was automatically extended by Millwall.[24] On 17 March 2019, Martin apologised on Twitter following making a 95th minute error in Millwall's FA Cup quarter-final tie against Brighton & Hove Albion to allow Solly March to equalise for Brighton and take the game into extra time. Millwall eventually lost on penalties.[25]

West Ham United

On 3 June 2019, Martin signed a two-year contract with Premier League side West Ham United, to provide cover for first choice keepers Łukasz Fabiański and Roberto.[26] Martin made his West Ham and Premier League debut on 30 November 2019 after Fabiański picked up an injury and Roberto was dropped due to poor form, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 away win against Chelsea;[27] a performance which Martin later described as the best day of his life.[28] At the end of the 2020–21 season, Martin signed a one-year contract extension, seeing him undertake a player-coach role for the 2021–22 season.[29] In May 2022, West Ham announced that Martin would be leaving the club at the end of his contract in June 2022.[30]

Milton Keynes Dons (third spell)

Martin signed again for former club Milton Keynes Dons on 23 September 2022, agreeing to a player-coach contract.[31] He reunited with Dean Lewington, whom he played alongside for both Wimbledon and Milton Keynes Dons in 2004, and subsequent years for the latter club.[32]

Following the conclusion of the 2022–23 season, Martin was one of nine players released by Milton Keynes Dons following their relegation to EFL League Two.[33]

Southend United

Martin joined Southend United on non-contract terms at the start of the 2023–24 season in a goalkeeping coach role. On 19 September 2023, he was registered as a player to provide cover for the injured goalkeeper Collin Andeng-Ndi.[34] He made his first appearance for the club in a 2–0 victory over Maidenhead United the same day.[35]

Ipswich Town

Having played nine games for Southend, in July 2024 Martin joined newly promoted Premier League team Ipswich Town in a player-coach capacity.[36]

International career

Martin played for the England under-17 at the UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship in 2003.[37] He played for the England under-19 team at the UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship in 2005, when England were runners-up to France Under 20s in the final held at Windsor Park, Belfast Northern Ireland.[38] He has also been capped once by the England under-20 team.[3]

Personal life

Martin is the son of former West Ham United player Alvin Martin. His brother Joe is also a footballer.

Career statistics

As of match played 16 December 2023[39]
More information Club, Season ...
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Wimbledon 2003–04 Division 1 20000020
Milton Keynes Dons 2004–05 League One 150301010200
2005–06 League One 0000003030
Total 150301040230
Liverpool 2005–06 Premier League 0000000000
2006–07 Premier League 0000000000
2007–08 Premier League 0000000000
2008–09 Premier League 0000000000
2009–10 Premier League 0000000000
Total 0000000000
Accrington Stanley (loan) 2006–07 League Two 100000000100
Leicester City (loan) 2008–09 League One 250302000300
Tranmere Rovers (loan) 2009–10 League One 3000000030
Leeds United (loan) 2009–10 League One 0000001010
Derby County (loan) 2009–10 Championship 20000020
Milton Keynes Dons 2010–11 League One 430203030510
2011–12 League One 460403030560
2012–13 League One 310702010410
2013–14 League One 400300000430
2014–15 League One 390304010470
2015–16 Championship 3502010380
2016–17 League One 400200000420
Total 2740230140803180
Millwall 2017–18 Championship 10300040
2018–19 Championship 1001000110
Total 1104000150
West Ham United 2019–20 Premier League 50000050
2020–21 Premier League 00000000
2021–22 Premier League 0000000000
Total 50000050
Milton Keynes Dons 2022–23 League One 00000000
Southend United 2023–24 National League 90000090
Career total 35603301601304180
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Honours

Liverpool Reserves

Leicester City

Milton Keynes Dons

Individual

References

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