Fred Martin (footballer, born 1929) facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Fred George Martin | ||
| Date of birth | 13 May 1929 | ||
| Place of birth | Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 20 August 2013 (aged 84) | ||
| Place of death | Methven, Perth and Kinross, Scotland | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Carnoustie Panmure | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| Carnoustie Panmure | |||
| 1946–1960 | Aberdeen | 208 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 1952–1954 | Scottish League XI | 3 | (0) |
| 1954–1955 | Scotland | 6 | (0) |
| 1955 | Scotland A vs B trial | 1 | (0) |
|
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Fred George Martin (born May 13, 1929 – died August 20, 2013) was a Scottish professional footballer. He was a fantastic goalkeeper. Fred played his entire senior career for Aberdeen, spending 14 years with the club. He also proudly played for the Scotland national team in 1954. This was a big moment, as it was Scotland's first time playing in the FIFA World Cup finals!
Contents
Playing for Aberdeen Football Club
Fred Martin started his football journey at Carnoustie Panmure. When he first joined Aberdeen, he wasn't a goalkeeper. He actually played as an inside forward, which is a player who helps score goals.
Becoming a Goalkeeper
During his time in the National Service (a period of military training), Fred changed his position to goalkeeper. He made his first appearance for Aberdeen in his new role during the 1949–50 season. It was a tough start, as his team lost 3–1 to East Fife. Fred even accidentally scored an own goal in that match.
Winning with the Dons
Despite that tricky start, Fred quickly became a key player for Aberdeen. He helped the team, known as the Dons, win their very first League title in the 1954–55 season. The next year, in 1955–56, they also won the League Cup.
Fred also played in three Scottish Cup finals for Aberdeen. These were in 1952–53, 1953–54, and 1958–59. Unfortunately, his team lost each of those finals. Towards the end of his career at Pittodrie, Fred faced several injuries. He played only a few games in his last season (1959–60) before retiring from football.
Playing for Scotland
Fred Martin was a talented player, and in 1952, he was chosen to play for the Scottish Football League team.
Making His International Debut
Two years later, in 1954, Fred earned his first full "cap" for the Scotland national team. A "cap" is a special award given to a player for playing in an international match. His debut was a 1–0 win against Norway. He played alongside his Aberdeen teammates, Paddy Buckley and George Hamilton, in that game.
The 1954 FIFA World Cup
Fred was picked for Scotland's squad to play in the 1954 FIFA World Cup. This was a huge deal, as it was Scotland's first time ever reaching the World Cup finals! Fred played in both of Scotland's matches in the tournament. The first was a 1–0 loss to Austria. The second was a difficult 7–0 loss to Uruguay.
After the World Cup, Fred was called back to play for Scotland in late 1954 and early 1955. These games were against Hungary and England. Scotland lost both matches, 4–2 and 7–2 respectively. These games marked the end of his international career. In total, he played six games for Scotland.
Life After Football
After retiring from playing football, Fred Martin started a new career in the whisky business. He worked for Dewar's Whisky until he retired in 1994.
In 2007, Fred received a special honor. He was one of the first people to be included in the Aberdeen Football Club Hall of Fame. This was to celebrate his amazing achievements and his important place in the club's history. Fred Martin passed away in August 2013, at the age of 84.
See also
- List of one-club men
