george martin :
the polymath
By Roger Wash
A man of many parts as well as being player, coach, scout and manager at Kenilworth Road.
‘Psychology is playing a big part in the game now, and the aim of every player is to be that split second quicker than the other fellow.’ These words could have been written today but were actually penned in 1939 by newly appointed coach at Kenilworth Road, George Martin!
Just before the outbreak of the last War the ‘Beds and Herts Evening Telegraph’ ran a series of articles featuring the staff at Kenilworth Road. All the players of the time were highlighted but one intriguing piece gave Martin the chance to have his say under the title, ‘How football has changed.’
‘For some players the least touch is enough is sufficient to put them on the ground and you can’t play football there’, and ‘a team of internationals lacking team spirit will always be beaten by eleven moderate players who are helping each other’
Born in Bothwell, Lanarkshire in July 1899, George had always wanted to be a professional footballer in his native Scotland but his father was strongly against it and fought hard to prevent him from playing at all and he had to wait until his 16th birthday before finally getting his own way.
Motherwell wanted to sign him but to keep his father half happy he played junior amateur football for Cadzow St Annes who went on to win every competition they entered. Finally bowing to the inevitable, father gave in and George, spoilt for choice, opted to sign for Hamilton.
Playing as a fast, powerful centre-forward for Hamilton, George scored his first league goal against the mighty Celtic and never looked back until an outbreak of boils forced him out of the side. After regaining full fitness he was loaned out to Bo’ness and from there he moved south of the border to Hull in 1922 where manager Bill McCracken converted him to inside-left after saying that he was too clever to play at centre-forward!
It was during his time at Anlaby Road that George came to the attention of Everton after starring in three stirring F.A.Cup ties that saw the young Scot net the eventual winner ‘with a shot that burst the ball’ against the men from Goodison. It was not long after that Everton put in offer that could not be refused and George moved to Merseyside just as the Toffees were about to win the championship of the old Division One in 1928.
George became a regular in the side and set up a fair number of goals for Dixie Dean who was just about to break the League scoring record with 60, a record that is unlikely to be beaten – George scored the winner in the penultimate game at Burnley which virtually sealed the championship and was instrumental in goals 58, 59 and 60 for Dean on the final day. Two seasons later Everton were relegated but bounced straight back up, although just before the end of that campaign George was transferred to Middlesbrough where, for the first time in his career, he was dropped and ended up spending a miserable year on Teesside.
The chance to come to Kenilworth Road in the summer of 1933 was therefore grabbed with both hands and he joined a Luton side that was slowly being built up for a tilt at promotion to the old Division Two. Enjoying playing alongside such centre-forwards as Andy Rennie, Jack Ball and Tom Tait the goals flowed as the Hatters moved nearer and nearer to promotion.
Having featured alongside the record breaking Dixie Dean, George was about to partner another legend in Joe Payne who exploded onto the football map over Easter 1936 in devastating fashion. Playing his first game at centre-forward, Payne destroyed luckless Bristol Rovers at Kenilworth Road and after the dust had settled, following an amazing 12-0 win, it was found that he had netted a record ten times.
Above: George Martin during his playing days at Luton
George Martin played no little part in the victory and seeing that Payne could do no wrong played the ball to him at every opportunity leaving the centre-forward to do the rest.
Unfortunately the following campaign, during which Payne broke the Division Three scoring record when banging in 55 goals, was to be George’s last in league football but such was his great knowledge of the game that he was appointed coach and took on a caretaker manager role as War broke out followed by becoming full first team manager in 1944.
It was a difficult job to be a football club manager in that period when, quite naturally, the minds of the vast majority of the population were fixed on other things. George Martin therefore earned much credit for building a strong youth set up of mainly local talent that was to form the backbone of a promising Luton Town side that featured strongly in Division Two once the War ended.
By this time George was known as something of a polymath being county standard at bowls, golf and tennis, seeing his sculptured bust of Julius Caesar win first prize in an exhibition and attracting attention from a London impresario for his fine tenor singing voice and cutting several records.
George Martin played no little part in the victory and seeing that Payne could do no wrong played the ball to him at every opportunity leaving the centre-forward to do the rest.
Unfortunately the following campaign, during which Payne broke the Division Three scoring record when banging in 55 goals, was to be George’s last in league football but such was his great knowledge of the game that he was appointed coach and took on a caretaker manager role as War broke out followed by becoming full first team manager in 1944.
It was a difficult job to be a football club manager in that period when, quite naturally, the minds of the vast majority of the population were fixed on other things. George Martin therefore earned much credit for building a strong youth set up of mainly local talent that was to form the backbone of a promising Luton Town side that featured strongly in Division Two once the War ended.
By this time George was known as something of a polymath being county standard at bowls, golf and tennis, seeing his sculptured bust of Julius Caesar win first prize in an exhibition and attracting attention from a London impresario for his fine tenor singing voice and cutting several records.
Above: George Martin demonstrating his crooning abilities.
In his Telegraph article he said that he was happy being ‘one of the boys’ and disagreed that familiarity bred lack of discipline and had a Friday ritual of a Round Table discussion which included all the players. One of his early League games in charge during the 1946/47 season saw the Hatters turn a 0-3 interval deficit against a powerful Newcastle outfit into a 4-3 victory after cancelling his ‘nice man’ persona and kicking over a bucket of cold water at half-time!
It was probably this performance that alerted the board at St James’ Park to turn to George when they were seeking a new manager during the following close season and it was on Tyneside that, aided by a seemingly bottomless pit of money, he forged a side that won promotion in front of average home crowds of over 56,000. Selling terrace hero Len Shackleton to Sunderland did not go down well but that was soon forgotten when he converted local boy Jackie Milburn to centre-forward and thereby creating another legend.
Newcastle at the time were controlled by powerful chairman Stan Seymour who it would appear dabbled in team affairs too much for George’s liking and he decided to take the opportunity to move to Aston Villa in 1950. His stay in Birmingham was not a success and he left the game altogether and concentrated on his business interests alongside his builder brother in Liverpool.
The call of the game still remained strong, however, and he returned to Luton accepting the part-time post of chief scout in 1960 which allowed him to keep his eye in but five years later, against his better judgement, he came back into management at Kenilworth Road at a time when the Hatters were going through the then worst playing period in their history.
Frankly, George was too old for the job having turned 66 and although he almost led the side to promotion from Division Four in his first full season in charge, he never got over the player bonus mutiny that scuppered the immediate return and was glad to be relieved of his duties in November 1966 when Allan Brown took over.
Still retaining an interest in goings on at Kenilworth Road right up until his death in Luton in 1972, George Martin holds down a big place in the club's history as player, coach, scout and manager as well as being instrumental in bringing John Moore to Kenilworth Road!
In his Telegraph article he said that he was happy being ‘one of the boys’ and disagreed that familiarity bred lack of discipline and had a Friday ritual of a Round Table discussion which included all the players. One of his early League games in charge during the 1946/47 season saw the Hatters turn a 0-3 interval deficit against a powerful Newcastle outfit into a 4-3 victory after cancelling his ‘nice man’ persona and kicking over a bucket of cold water at half-time!
It was probably this performance that alerted the board at St James’ Park to turn to George when they were seeking a new manager during the following close season and it was on Tyneside that, aided by a seemingly bottomless pit of money, he forged a side that won promotion in front of average home crowds of over 56,000. Selling terrace hero Len Shackleton to Sunderland did not go down well but that was soon forgotten when he converted local boy Jackie Milburn to centre-forward and thereby creating another legend.
Newcastle at the time were controlled by powerful chairman Stan Seymour who it would appear dabbled in team affairs too much for George’s liking and he decided to take the opportunity to move to Aston Villa in 1950. His stay in Birmingham was not a success and he left the game altogether and concentrated on his business interests alongside his builder brother in Liverpool.
The call of the game still remained strong, however, and he returned to Luton accepting the part-time post of chief scout in 1960 which allowed him to keep his eye in but five years later, against his better judgement, he came back into management at Kenilworth Road at a time when the Hatters were going through the then worst playing period in their history.
Frankly, George was too old for the job having turned 66 and although he almost led the side to promotion from Division Four in his first full season in charge, he never got over the player bonus mutiny that scuppered the immediate return and was glad to be relieved of his duties in November 1966 when Allan Brown took over.
Still retaining an interest in goings on at Kenilworth Road right up until his death in Luton in 1972, George Martin holds down a big place in the club's history as player, coach, scout and manager as well as being instrumental in bringing John Moore to Kenilworth Road!
Above: George Martin during his second term as manager at Luton.
George Martin's profile page, including his 1939 article in the Beds and Herts Evening Telegraph, can be found by clicking here.
George Martin's profile page, including his 1939 article in the Beds and Herts Evening Telegraph, can be found by clicking here.