Con Martin facts for kids
.jpg)
Martin in 1956
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 20 March 1923 | ||
| Place of birth | Rush, Dublin, Ireland | ||
| Date of death | 24 February 2013 (aged 89) | ||
| Playing position | Centre-half, goalkeeper, utility player | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1941 | Dublin county team (Gaelic football) | ||
| 1941–1946 | Drumcondra | 76 | (7) |
| 1946–1947 | Glentoran | 11 | (1) |
| 1947–1948 | Leeds United | 47 | (1) |
| 1948–1956 | Aston Villa | 194 | (1) |
| 1956–1959 | Waterford | (12) | |
| 1959–1960 | Dundalk | ||
| National team | |||
| 1946 | League of Ireland XI | ||
| 1946–1956 | Ireland (FAI) | 30 | (6) |
| 1946–1950 | Ireland (IFA) | 6 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1959–60 | Dundalk | ||
| 1965 | Shelbourne | ||
| 1960s | Cork Hibernians (assistant) | ||
|
|||
Cornelius Joseph Martin (born March 20, 1923 – died February 24, 2013) was a famous Irish football player. He started his sports journey playing Gaelic football for the Dublin county team. Later, he switched to soccer and had a very successful career. He played for big clubs like Drumcondra, Glentoran, Leeds United, and Aston Villa.
Con Martin was known as a "dual international" player. This means he played for and even captained two different Ireland national teams. These were the FAI XI and the IFA XI. In 1949, he was part of the FAI XI team that beat England 2–0 in a famous match. This was a big deal because it was one of the first times a team from outside the UK beat England on their home ground.
People often called Con Martin "Mr. Versatility" because he could play almost any position on the soccer field. He mostly played as a centre-half, which is a defensive midfield role. But his skills from Gaelic football made him a great goalkeeper too. He even played his first international game as a goalkeeper. Later, he played almost a whole season in goal for Aston Villa.
Contents
Gaelic Football Star
Con Martin loved playing Gaelic football when he was young. He played for the St Maurs GAA club in Rush, County Dublin. At just 18, he was chosen to play for the senior Dublin county team. On November 9, 1941, he helped Dublin win the Leinster title. He played in the midfield during the final game against Carlow.
However, at the same time, he was also playing soccer for Drumcondra. The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) had a rule against playing "foreign sports" like soccer. When they found out, they removed Martin from the team and kept his winner's medal. He finally received his medal in 1971, after the ban was lifted. Con Martin is one of several famous Dublin players who successfully played both Gaelic football and soccer.
Club Soccer Career
Starting Out
Con Martin learned about soccer while he was serving in the Irish Air Corps. After that, he signed with Drumcondra. It was at this club that people first saw how versatile he was. He helped Drumcondra win the FAI Cup by playing in many different defensive positions. In March 1946, he played for a League of Ireland XI team. After this, Glentoran signed him and helped him leave the Air Corps. He played 22 games for Glentoran and scored one goal. While at Glentoran, he made his first international appearances for both the FAI XI (as a goalkeeper) and the IFA XI (as a defender).
Playing for Leeds United
In 1946, Manchester United was looking for a new goalkeeper. Another Irish player, Johnny Carey, suggested Con Martin to their manager, Matt Busby. But Martin decided not to join Manchester United. Instead, he chose to join Leeds United as an outfield player.
He joined Leeds in December 1946 for £8,000. Under manager Major Frank Buckley, he played 47 games in the English League. He also played two more games in the FA Cup. At Leeds, Martin played many roles, including left-back, centre-half, left-half, and inside-forward. He scored his only goal for Leeds on December 6, 1947. This was in a league game against West Ham United.
Time at Aston Villa
In September 1948, Aston Villa signed Con Martin for £10,000. He immediately became their main centre-half. During his first season, he also played a few games as a right-back. He hardly missed any games in the 1949–50 season. He was a regular defender for most of the 1950–51 season until an injury kept him out for two months.
Martin started the 1951–52 season as a left-back. But when their goalkeeper Joe Rutherford got injured, Martin stepped in to play in goal. He played 26 league games and one FA Cup game as a goalkeeper for Villa. After that, he went back to playing centre-half. Between 1948 and 1956, Martin played 213 games for Aston Villa. He scored only one goal for Villa. It was a penalty in a 4–1 win against Charlton Athletic in April 1950.
Later Years in Ireland
In July 1956, Con Martin left Aston Villa. He signed with Waterford United. In December 1959, he became the player-manager for Dundalk.
Irish International Player
When Con Martin started playing international football in 1946, there were two different Ireland teams. These teams were chosen by two different football associations. Both associations claimed to represent the whole island of Ireland. Because of this, many famous Irish players from that time, including Martin, played for both teams.
Playing for the FAI XI
Between 1946 and 1956, Con Martin played 30 games for the FAI XI. He also scored 6 goals. His first game was in June 1946 during a trip to Spain and Portugal. In the first game against Portugal, the goalkeeper got injured. Martin, who was a defender, went into goal. He didn't let in any more goals, and the team lost 3–1.
Because of this, Martin played in goal again against Spain. The Spanish media called him the Yellow Canary because of his jersey. He played amazingly and kept a clean sheet, meaning Spain didn't score. Ireland won 1–0, which was a big surprise. He played his third game for the FAI XI against England in September 1946. Even though they played well, the FAI XI lost 1–0.
His best year for the FAI XI was 1949. He scored five of his six goals that year. On September 21, he was part of the FAI XI team that beat England 2–0 at Goodison Park. This was a historic win. Martin scored the first goal from a penalty kick. He also scored two goals against Finland in a World Cup qualifier. He even captained the FAI XI in a game against Belgium in May 1950.
Playing for the IFA XI
Con Martin also played 6 games for the IFA XI between 1946 and 1950. His first game for the IFA XI was a 0–0 draw against Scotland in November 1946. This draw helped the team finish second in the 1947 British Home Championship. Martin also helped the IFA XI get good results, like a 2–0 win against Scotland in 1947. They also had a 2–2 draw with England at Goodison Park in 1947.
Martin's last game for the IFA XI was a 0–0 draw with Wales in March 1950. This game was also a qualifier for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. Martin was one of four players who played for two different associations in the same FIFA World Cup tournament. This situation led to FIFA stepping in. As a result, Martin was one of the last players to play for both Ireland teams.
Footballing Family
Con Martin started a family tradition of playing football. His son, Mick Martin, played for big clubs like Manchester United and Newcastle United in the 1970s. Mick also played for the Republic of Ireland. Another son, Con Martin Jr., played for several clubs in the League of Ireland.
Con Martin's daughter, Mary, married Gerry Garvan, who also played in the League of Ireland. Con Martin Sr. later worked as an insurance broker. He even started a company, Martin & Garvan Insurances Ltd., with his son-in-law. Con Martin's grandson, Owen Garvan, has played for Crystal Palace. He has also played for the Republic of Ireland U21s.
Awards and Achievements
Gaelic Footballer
Dublin
- Leinster Champions: 1
- 1941
Soccer Player
Drumcondra
- FAI Cup: 1
- 1946
Ireland
- British Home Championship
- Runners Up 1946–47: 1
