Nigel Martyn Quits

Lemlin

Just on Sky News. Everton were going to keep him for another season but he's failed a medical test.

Looks like Teddy Sheringham will be the only 40+ player in the PL next season. A great pity for Martyn, he was a good 'keeper.

masterK

He was always are very consistent keeper who also seemed like a decent guy.

Big Nelly

Great keeper, was treated like crap by the English press after the England games, deserved to get alot more caps

ciaran76

Thats a pity. He was a very good goalkeeper. Good luck Nigel.

Pigman II

I thought he was a top keeper when he was younger. Probably would have done a better job for England than Shilton (or anyone else) during Wc90 but he didn't even make the squard iirc (possibly because he played for Palace rather than a big club).

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Hang on, he'sa goalkeeper... how fit do you need to be? Remember big Nev Southall turning out for Bradford with a beer belly!!

Rollo Tamasi

Pigman II wrote:

(possibly because he played for Palace rather than a big club).

Palace are a big club
Nah, it was because of his greased back hair. He was before his time, Ian Walker appeared at just the right time and stole the limelight with his flop of hair and then of course Seamen had a pony tale....Martyn had NO chance.

Martyn was the best English goalkeeper of my generation imo and it's a damn shame that he never got the international recoignition.

He was dropped from the Leeds starting 11 because Venables demanded he went to some crappy training camp with the team during pre-season but Nigel's wife was due to give birth. Venables said it's either your wife or the team. What a prick.

Bluetonic

I think reports by SKY that he 'failed a medical' are perhaps a little harsh, it was clearly his own choice.

MARTYN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
By: Scott McLeod

Nigel Martyn has been forced to announce his retirement from professional football because of a persistent ankle problem.

The experienced 39-year-old goalkeeper had hoped to be in a position to take up the offer of a new deal at Goodison following two and a half years with Everton.

But scans on the hairline fracture that has sidelined Martyn since January revealed on Wednesday that the bone had still not healed sufficiently.

Martyn must now undergo a further operation to pin the bone and the operation means he will be unable to extend his playing career.

He told evertonfc.com: "Yesterday I had a follow up CT scan which was checking to see if the crack in the bone had healed any, which is what we needed at the time but it clearly showed no healing. It means I will have to have another operation to pin the bones back together.

"I had to get on the phone to the manager after making the decision between myself, Baz the physio, John the consultant and my wife. It was a decision based on being able to live a normal sort of life afterwards - that was the primary concern because it is a nasty bone to have a problem in.

"Once we made that decision the gaffer needed to be informed."

Martyn's final appearance in a blue shirt was the FA Cup fourth round draw with Chelsea at Goodison in January - a match that also signalled his 100th appearance for the Toffees.

He remains eternally grateful to David Moyes for giving him the opportunity to move to Goodison from Leeds in September 2003.

He added: "I have loved every minute of my time at Everton. I have a lot to be thankful to Everton for because I was languishing at Leeds at the time. I was out of favour at Elland Road because I would not go on a tour and so I will always be thankful to the manager for putting his faith in me and giving me another chance.

"To be able to play two and a half seasons was a big thing for me because it meant I could finish my career properly."

Necronomicon

Bluetonic wrote:

I think reports by SKY that he 'failed a medical' are perhaps a little harsh, it was clearly his own choice.

Not sure about that. Everton were going to give him a new contract depending on the results of the scan, the scan revealed that he would never fully recover from the injury, so there wasn't much of a choice for him.

Bluetonic

Necromomicon wrote:

Not sure about that. Everton were going to give him a new contract depending on the results of the scan, the scan revealed that he would never fully recover from the injury, so there wasn't much of a choice for him.

Perhaps.

Myabe it's good spin from the offical site.

el rabitos

he was the first keeper transfered for over a million afaik, maybe i'm wrong

Rollo Tamasi

he went for a big fee to Leeds from Palace too. 4.5m i think back in 97? We sold David Hopkin to Leeds for 4.5 too soon after. Where did all the money go?

Big Nelly

el rabitos wrote:

he was the first keeper transfered for over a million afaik, maybe i'm wrong

Was that not seaman?

el rabitos

Big Nelly wrote:

Was that not seaman?

could have been, i'm not sure, i think i read in the old soccerstars magazine back in the day that it was martyn...meh, probably was seaman

Lemlin

He was the first 'keeper to be sold for a million when he went to Palace.

I remember it because Blackburn beat that record by signing Tim Flowers for 2 million from Southampton.

Zaph

Nigel Martyn was a great player for Leeds and will always be remembered fondly by the fans. It's unfortunate that his time there was ended so shabbily by that moron Venables. He definitely should have been the England first choice keeper for years, and it always bemused me how the likes of David James could be picked ahead of him. Enjoy your retirement Nigel.