WHEN West Ham leave Upton Park next summer, we’ll look back on the countless players who have appeared there and pick our own all-time Hammers teams.
And when it comes to choosing the centre-backs, you need look no further than Alvin Martin. I can’t vouch for the capabilities of previous No.5s such as George Kay, ‘Big’ Jim Barrett or Dick Walker, but the Scouser affectionately known as ‘Stretch’ had more all-round talent than anyone in this department – and I include all those who have tried, but failed, to emulate him since he left West Ham in 1996 after a mammoth 596 first team appearances.
For Alvin had everything: he was strong in the air, courageous and a natural warrior-like leader in the mould of the man he succeeded as skipper, Billy Bonds. He didn’t let opponents take liberties with him.
But what sets him apart from the rest (even Bonzo, who finished his playing days at the heart of the back four) was his calmness and authority in possession, his intelligent use of the ball with a smoothness and skill more akin to a midfielder.
During this 30th anniversary of our best-ever league season, you tend to automatically recall the plethora of goals scored by Frank McAvennie and Tony Cottee, the midfield guile and style of Alan Devonshire, the coolness personified of penalty king Ray Stewart and the goalkeeping colossus called Phil Parkes.
But Martin, with the equally cultured Tony Gale alongside him, played a very important part in that success too. Ask Frank or TC how they prospered from pinpoint chipped passes – not aimless clearances – played up to them by their captain, or how he would exploit Cottee’s pace with unerringly curved passes into the channels with the outside of his boot.
And, of course, there was that incredible, unique hat-trick against three different Newcastle United goalkeepers.
Alvin was the centre-half who most embodied the ‘West Ham Way’. You would very rarely see him simply kick the ball into touch to absolve himself of responsibility, even when under pressure from the best strikers in the game. For him it was about retaining possession – and that’s what he invariably did with a clever dip of his shoulder, to allow the ball to run before rolling it back to Parksey, or by feigning to clear it with his right foot, only to step over the ball and turn inside on to his left (he did the same move the other way). Yes, he was that rarity in today’s game – a player (never mind a defender) who could comfortably kick with both feet.
Rio Ferdinand was good on the ball, too, but never possessed Martin’s presence and forcefulness in the air.
If Alvin had a weakness, he probably lacked a bit of pace. But like the great man Bobby Moore, his first yard was in his head, so he was very rarely taken to the cleaners by nippy front runners – certainly not in his prime years, before a prolonged instep problem caused him to miss a series of matches or play through the pain barrier.
It really was a crime that Harry Redknapp allowed Alvin to leave the club and end his playing days in the lower reaches of the Football League up the road at Leyton Orient. He should have been kept on the staff in a coach, because he had vast experience and knowledge to offer, instead of leaping at the chance to manage cash-strapped Southend United, a decision he lived to regret.
Ridiculous, too, that he was awarded just 17 England caps. How Roy Hodgson would love to be taking a young, fit Alvin Martin to France next summer, because a centre-back with his qualities would walk into the national team today.
Apart from his stints on talkSPORT radio, his after-dinner speaking appearances, event hosting and closely following the football careers of his sons, David (MK Dons’ keeper) and Joe (Millwall left-back), Alvin is pretty much a man of leisure these days, who likes nothing more than walking the dog with his wife Maggie.
However, he will be busy this Thursday (Dec 17) afternoon, when he’ll be at WH Smith, Liverpool Street Station (Broadgate end), signing copies of our rapidly selling and acclaimed new book, Upton Park Memories. If you’re in the area, pop in for a book and a brief chat with a proper Hammers legend. In the meantime, here are some more excerpts from the 372-page full colour, hardback book that they’re all talking about . . .
From the chapter titled Favourite Players, here’s how a couple of our contributors remember Alvin:
Gary West: I used to love watching him take a step back from the opposing centre-forward, control the ball with his chest and dribble out with it. He should have won a lot more than 17 England caps because he was different class to contemporaries like Terry Butcher, Steve Foster and Terry Fenwick.
Mike Corbett: He always looked calm, composed and in control, but could mix it up a bit if necessary. If there was a striker running toward our goal, but Alvin was in front of him, I would feel more confident they wouldn’t score.
From the chapter titled Memorable Matches & Moments:
John Goff: The 8-1 demolition of Newcastle United (21/4/86), including a hat-trick from centre-half Alvin Martin. Constant pressure from the first minute and amazing, flowing, entertaining football.
Marco Taviani: I attended the 10-0 battering of Bury in the League Cup (25/10/83) and 8-1 victory v Newcastle United (21/4/86), when Alvin Martin scored a hat-trick against three different goalkeepers. Both quite bizarre results.
Billy Green: The greatest match I’ve seen at Upton Park for atmosphere was the 2-1 win over Ipswich (30/4/86). We were 0-1 down with 20 minutes left, and after such a great season the title seemed to be slipping away. A great Alan Dickens goal levelled the scores, then with four minutes left ‘Tonka’ (Ray Stewart) was as calm as you like to give us the victory from the penalty spot. The ground was bedlam at the final whistle as everyone poured on to the pitch singing “We’re gonna win the league”. OK, so a week later Chelsea failed to beat Liverpool and our dreams just faded and died but for that one night, and the only time ever, I truly believed we WERE gonna win the league.
Steven Mitchell: Not wishing to sound disloyal, but the greatest game I have ever seen at Upton Park was the 4-1 ECWC defeat at the hands of Dynamo Tbilisi (4/3/81). It is all too easy to select a brilliant West Ham win from the past but that particular night was strangely special. I normally leave Upton Park after a defeat in a fog of frustration, disappointment, angst, aggression, misery, you name it. However, that night was different. It was almost an education, with several of the Georgian players producing football performed at a level beyond the capacity of even our (then) quality side. The captain, Chivadze, was awesome, a sweeper/central defender in the class of the likes of Moore, Beckenbauer and Krol. The standing ovation our appreciative crowd gave him and his team-mates at the end of the match was a credit to our club.
Colin Walkinshaw: A dismal 1-1 draw v Oxford Utd (5/3/88) conjures up the funniest memory. The ball had gone out for a goal-kick and rolled back on to the pitch. A fan jumped out of the Chicken Run, ran for the ball and dribbled it to the penalty spot. The crowd egged him on to shoot. He shot, scored and the crowd erupted while he ran off in celebration. His mate then jumped on to the pitch to give him a congratulatory hug. The whole crowd was jumping up and down. They both ran back into the crowd, who hid them from the police in pursuit.
Most unusual memory? I was 17 and walking towards the West Stand upper to buy a ticket when an elderly man approached me at the turnstile and offered me his friend’s season ticket. I offered to give him some money but he flatly refused to take it. “All I’ll ask is that you take me to the bar and buy me a drink,” he said. So to the bar we went. I bought him a scotch and listened to his stories of Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst. We went to the seats – they were fantastic, front row, right next to the directors’ box on the halfway line. We beat Charlton 2-0, Tony Cottee scoring both goals. I was touched by the man’s kindness and generosity.
This is just a very small sample from a substantial volume containing 150,000-plus words. To order Upton Park Memories for £20 (saving a fiver on the RRP and with FREE P&P in the UK) visit our EX-Hammers site or phone Susie on 01708 744 333.