Martin James
Encyclopedia
Martin James is an English
former professional football player.
, Lee Ashcroft
and Adrian Hughes, a product of the Preston North End
youth system of the late 1980s. A left sided defender or midfielder, James made his Preston debut in August 1990 in a 2-0 win over Chester City
at Deepdale
. He went on to play 41 games, scoring twice, for the Lilywhites in his first season in the first team.
For the next two years Martin became a regular fixture in the PNE first XI, becoming a firm favourite on the Deepdale terraces with his forays down the left wing. The team however were beginning to struggle and when in September 1992 manager Les Chapman
was sacked Martin's future became uncertain. New manager John Beck
however reassured Martin that his future with the club was safe but this promise was short lived when in March 1993 after 117 games and 11 goals for Preston he was sold to Stockport County
for a fee of £50k. Indeed Preston selling off their prize assets was becoming something of a habit for just a week later team mate Mike Flynn
was also sold to County for a fee of £150k.
was short lived. Indeed his stay there lasted little under eighteen months before they too decided to cash in by selling him to Rotherham United
again for £50k. During James time at County he had played 37 games without scoring and over half of his appearances were as a substitute.
His stay at Millmoor
was however a disappointment with Martin struggling with injury and loss of form. In three years with The Millers he played just 47 games ( 0 goals) before they in turn decided to release him at the end of his contract in May 1997.
At the age of just 26 and after 201 games and 11 goals Martin found himself on the soccer scrapheap.
then of the Northern Premier League
and then with similarly placed clubs Leigh RMI
and Bradford Park Avenue
.
Martin will no doubt be best remembered for his time with Preston but there is no doubt that had he have had a little more luck with injuries he would have surely gone on to accomplish much in the game.
Martin is now running a successful sports agency, Sports 360, based in the North West. His clients include some of the UK's largest governing bodies, sports clubs and UK blue chip companies.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former professional football player.
Preston North End
Martin joined Preston as an apprentice in July 1987, turning pro two years later. He was, along with Lee CartwrightLee Cartwright
Lee Cartwright is a footballer playing for Hyde United in the Conference North who made his mark as a midfielder with Preston North End.-Early years:...
, Lee Ashcroft
Lee Ashcroft
Lee Ashcroft is a former footballer turned manager who is currently managing Northern Premier League side Kendal Town. In his playing career he played as a striker for Preston North End, West Bromwich Albion and Grimsby Town, having also played for Notts County, Wigan Athletic, Port Vale,...
and Adrian Hughes, a product of the Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
youth system of the late 1980s. A left sided defender or midfielder, James made his Preston debut in August 1990 in a 2-0 win over Chester City
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
at Deepdale
Deepdale
Deepdale is a stadium in the Deepdale area of Preston, England, the home of Preston North End F.C. and, up to 2010, England's National Football Museum. Preston North End are one of the founder members of the Football League.- History :...
. He went on to play 41 games, scoring twice, for the Lilywhites in his first season in the first team.
For the next two years Martin became a regular fixture in the PNE first XI, becoming a firm favourite on the Deepdale terraces with his forays down the left wing. The team however were beginning to struggle and when in September 1992 manager Les Chapman
Les Chapman
Leslie "Les" Chapman is an English former football player and manager and legendary Kit Man at Manchester City F.C. As a player, he made 749 appearances in the Football League in a career that spanned 22 seasons, playing for Oldham Athletic, Huddersfield Town, Stockport County, Bradford City,...
was sacked Martin's future became uncertain. New manager John Beck
John Beck (footballer)
John Alexander Beck is an English former footballer and manager. As a player he made nearly 500 league appearances between 1972 and 1988....
however reassured Martin that his future with the club was safe but this promise was short lived when in March 1993 after 117 games and 11 goals for Preston he was sold to Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
for a fee of £50k. Indeed Preston selling off their prize assets was becoming something of a habit for just a week later team mate Mike Flynn
Mike Flynn (footballer)
Michael Anthony "Mike" Flynn is an English footballer who made more than 650 appearances in the Football League playing for Oldham Athletic, Preston North End, Stockport County, Stoke City, Barnsley and Blackpool...
was also sold to County for a fee of £150k.
Stockport and Rotherham
Unlike Flynn however who enjoys near legendary status at Stockport Martin's stay at Edgeley ParkEdgeley Park
Edgeley Park is an association football and rugby union stadium in Stockport, England. The stadium was initially built for the rugby league club Stockport in 1901, but by 1902, the rugby club was defunct and in the same year, Stockport County Football Club, who were looking for a bigger ground,...
was short lived. Indeed his stay there lasted little under eighteen months before they too decided to cash in by selling him to Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
again for £50k. During James time at County he had played 37 games without scoring and over half of his appearances were as a substitute.
His stay at Millmoor
Millmoor
Millmoor is a stadium in Rotherham, England. It was built and was used for football matches, and until the end of the 2007–08 season was the home ground of Rotherham United F.C., until a dispute over ownership forced them to move to the Don Valley Stadium in nearby Sheffield.The stadium was...
was however a disappointment with Martin struggling with injury and loss of form. In three years with The Millers he played just 47 games ( 0 goals) before they in turn decided to release him at the end of his contract in May 1997.
At the age of just 26 and after 201 games and 11 goals Martin found himself on the soccer scrapheap.
Non-league and Retirement
At first Martin moved into non-league football, first with Accrington StanleyAccrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
then of the Northern Premier League
Northern Premier League
The Northern Premier League, is one of the regional English football leagues which sits directly below the Football Conference featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England, and the northern areas of the Midlands. Originally just one...
and then with similarly placed clubs Leigh RMI
Leigh RMI F.C.
Leigh Genesis Football Club, formerly known as Horwich Railway Mechanics Institute F.C. and Leigh Railway Mechanics Institute F.C. , was an English semi-professional association football team that folded after relegation from the Northern Premier League in 2011...
and Bradford Park Avenue
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
.
Martin will no doubt be best remembered for his time with Preston but there is no doubt that had he have had a little more luck with injuries he would have surely gone on to accomplish much in the game.
Martin is now running a successful sports agency, Sports 360, based in the North West. His clients include some of the UK's largest governing bodies, sports clubs and UK blue chip companies.