Player Profile - Lee Martin
Lee Martin was a young winger who joined Manchester United (in a deal rumoured to have the potential to rise to as much as £1M), having initially impressed as a trainee for Wimbledon.
Along with fellow Old Trafford youth player Phil Bardsley, Lee would initially gain experience at United's Belgian feeder club of the time, Royal Antwerp, before heading to Rangers on loan at the start of season 2006/07.
Martin would make his Rangers debut on 13th August 2006, coming on as a substitute at Dunfermline's East End Park. Rangers had taken the lead through Thomas Buffel but it lasted barely six minutes before goalkeeper Letizi fumbled to allow Morrison a gift of an equaliser. Martin soon replaced Charlie Adam but was unable to produce the spark to help put Rangers back in front and Paul Le Guen's new look side missed what would be a rare opportunity to go top of the table.
Martin, again appearing from the bench, was part of the side which lost to St. Johnstone 0-2 at Ibrox on 8th November 2006, thus crashing out of the League Cup. By that time, Rangers were trailing Celtic by some 15 points after only 13 league games (!) and it was clear all was not well under Le Guen. Martin, of course, would already have been acutely aware of the growing discontent within the dressing room having seen his young colleague Bardsley excluded from first team duty following a training ground row with the Frenchman. Lee made the starting line up in the very next match as Dunfermline were this time defeated through goals by Stevie Smith (his first for the Club) and Kris Boyd. It was Lee's last appearance for Rangers.
Both the Manchester United loanees returned to Old Trafford at the end of 2006, ending their frustrations in Glasgow. Martin spent the second half of the season on loan at Stoke City. If it was any consolation to the players, Le Guen would dramatically exit Ibrox just two weeks later following a disastrous 6 month spell in charge.
Martin and Bardsley were both unused substitutes as Manchester United won the 2007 FA Charity Shield on penalties at Wembley.
Martin did go on to make one first team appearance for United but had a somewhat nomadic career despite mustering plenty of game time. His most settled period came at Ipswich Town in the English Championship between 2009 and 2013 where he played under his former Manchester United skipper, Roy Keane.
Lee then played for Millwall before dropping down the leagues with Gillingham and then Exeter City, respectively. Admirably, despite his advancing years of 37, Martin was still playing regularly for Ramsgate in the South East Division of the Isthmian League in season 2023/24.
by Rick Plews
