Martin Aldridge
Encyclopedia
Martin James Aldridge was an English
professional footballer.
-born Aldridge joined Coventry City
as a schoolboy, but was released in 1990. As a sixteen year old, he then played for Ford Sports Daventry (UCL first division), and joined Braunston Rangers on a Sunday to play with his brother Pete. He scored two goals in a 3-2 win over Kettering Cordwainer to win the county cup. He also helped Braunston win the league and league cup that year.
Aldridge began his professional career as a trainee with his local side, Northampton Town
, joining them from Brainston on leaving school in the summer of 1991 and turning professional in August 1993. On 15 October 1994, he scored the first-ever competitive goal at Northampton's new Sixfields Stadium
(against Barnet
). He moved to Dagenham & Redbridge
on loan in December 1995 and later that month moved to Oxford United
on a free transfer.
In February 1998, Aldridge joined Southend United
on loan, playing eleven times, before returning to Oxford, who released him at the end of the season. In August 1998 he joined Blackpool
, and was the club's top scorer in 1998–99. In September 1999 he joined Port Vale
on loan, and in January 2000 he joined Rushden & Diamonds
, also on loan.
win against Northwich Victoria
for which he had been an unused substitute. He was travelling home towards Northampton on the westbound A45 after the game when his Peugeot
was involved in a collision with a BMW
travelling in the opposite direction. After being cut free from his car, he was taken to Northampton General Hospital with serious injuries. He was later transferred to a hospital in Oxford
, where he died early the following morning. He was 25 years old. An inquest into his death, conducted in October 2000, recorded a verdict of accidental death.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
professional footballer.
Playing career
NorthamptonNorthampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
-born Aldridge joined Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
as a schoolboy, but was released in 1990. As a sixteen year old, he then played for Ford Sports Daventry (UCL first division), and joined Braunston Rangers on a Sunday to play with his brother Pete. He scored two goals in a 3-2 win over Kettering Cordwainer to win the county cup. He also helped Braunston win the league and league cup that year.
Aldridge began his professional career as a trainee with his local side, Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
, joining them from Brainston on leaving school in the summer of 1991 and turning professional in August 1993. On 15 October 1994, he scored the first-ever competitive goal at Northampton's new Sixfields Stadium
Sixfields Stadium
Sixfields Stadium is a 7,653-capacity all-seater sports stadium in Northampton, England. It has been the home ground of Northampton Town Football Club following their move from the County Ground in October 1994....
(against Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
). He moved to Dagenham & Redbridge
Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.
Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club , informally known as Daggers, is an English association football club based in Dagenham, in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, East London. It was formed in 1992 after a merger between Redbridge Forest and Dagenham...
on loan in December 1995 and later that month moved to Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
on a free transfer.
In February 1998, Aldridge joined Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
on loan, playing eleven times, before returning to Oxford, who released him at the end of the season. In August 1998 he joined Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, and was the club's top scorer in 1998–99. In September 1999 he joined Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
on loan, and in January 2000 he joined Rushden & Diamonds
Rushden & Diamonds F.C.
Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Formed by a merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992, the club played in the Conference National following a short spell in the Football League at the start of...
, also on loan.
Death
On 30 January 2000, Aldridge died as a result of injuries sustained in a car crash after leaving Rushden's 6-0 ConferenceFootball Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
win against Northwich Victoria
Northwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
for which he had been an unused substitute. He was travelling home towards Northampton on the westbound A45 after the game when his Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
was involved in a collision with a BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
travelling in the opposite direction. After being cut free from his car, he was taken to Northampton General Hospital with serious injuries. He was later transferred to a hospital in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, where he died early the following morning. He was 25 years old. An inquest into his death, conducted in October 2000, recorded a verdict of accidental death.