Christy Martin (footballer)

Christy Martin

Personal information
Full name	Christopher D. Martin
Place of birth	Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland
Playing position	Outside-Right
Youth career
19xx-19xx	St. Anthony's
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1924-1928	Bo'ness
1928-1929	Falkirk
1929-1931	Brooklyn Wanderers	1	(0)
1931-1932	Bo'ness
National team‡
1925	Ireland (IFA)	1	(0)
1927	Irish Free State (FAI)	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of January 22, 2008. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of January 22, 2008

Christy Martin is a former Irish footballer who played in the Scottish League with both Bo'ness and Falkirk. Martin was also a dual international and played for both Ireland teams - the IFA XI and the FAI XI.

Club career

Martin first came to prominence as a goalscorer with Bo'ness, scoring 34 goals during the 1924-25 season. His 29 goals during the in 1926-27 season helped Bo'ness win the Scottish Second Division title and gain promotion to the First Division. The Saturday before he made his debut for the FAI XI, he scored a hat-trick for Bo'ness against Clydebank. ^[1] Bo'ness lasted just a single season in the First Division. With Martin limited to just 7 goals from 37 games, they finished 19th and were relegated back to Second Division. Martin also briefly played with Falkirk and had a spell with Brooklyn Wanderers, playing only one game,^[2] in the American Soccer League before returning to finish career at Bo'ness.

Irish international

When Martin began his international career in 1925 there were, in effect, two Ireland teams, chosen by two rival associations. Both associations, the Northern Ireland - based IFA and the Irish Free State - based FAI claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland and selected players from the whole island. As a result several notable Irish players from this era, including Martin, played for both teams.

IFA XI

Martin made his one and only appearances for the IFA XI on February 28, 1925 in a 3-0 defeat against Scotland at Windsor Park. ^[3]

FAI XI

Martin made his only appearance for the FAI XI on April 23, 1927 in a 2-1 defeat against Italy B at Lansdowne Road. ^[4] He was the first player from a Scottish League club to play for an FAI XI.

Honours

Bo'ness F.C.

• Scottish Second Division
  • Winners 1926-27: 1

References

1. ^ The Boys In Green - The FAI International Story (1997): Sean Ryan
2. ^ Jose, Colin (1998) (Hardback). American Soccer League, 1921-1931. The Scarecrow Press. (ISBN 0-8108-3429-4). 
3. ^ Scotland international results
4. ^ Irish Free State stats

External links

• Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats

Persondata
Name	Martin, Christy
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth	Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland
Date of death
Place of death