Martyn Woolford

Martyn Paul Woolford (born 13 October 1985) is an English professional footballer who plays as a attacking midfielder for Northern Premier League club Gainsborough Trinity. He has played in the English Football League for Scunthorpe United, Bristol City, Millwall, Sheffield United, Fleetwood Town and Grimsby Town.

Martyn Woolford
Woolford playing for York City in 2007
Personal information
Full name Martyn Paul Woolford[1]
Date of birth (1985-10-13) 13 October 1985[2]
Place of birth Castleford, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[3]
Position(s) Attacking Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Gainsborough Trinity
Youth career
0000–2002 Glasshoughton Welfare
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2005 Glasshoughton Welfare
2005–2006 Frickley Athletic 44 (13)
2006–2008 York City 86 (22)
2008–2011 Scunthorpe United 103 (15)
2011–2013 Bristol City 55 (4)
2013–2015 Millwall 93 (11)
2015–2016 Sheffield United 28 (1)
2016–2017 Fleetwood Town 9 (1)
2017–2019 Grimsby Town 66 (5)
2019 Hyde United 5 (0)
2019–2020 Boston United 15 (0)
2020– Gainsborough Trinity 0 (0)
National team
2008 England C 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:21, 17 March 2020 (UTC)

Woolford started his career in the Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division with Glasshoughton Welfare after progressing through their youth system. After three seasons at Glasshoughton, he moved to the Northern Premier League Premier Division with Frickley Athletic and scored 14 goals during the 2005–06 season. He joined York City in the Conference National in 2006 and spent two seasons with the club, being joint top scorer with 17 goals in the second season. He moved to League One team Scunthorpe United in 2008 and featured in the 2009 Football League Trophy Final before scoring the winning goal in the 2009 League One play-off Final against Millwall.

After a season-and-a-half of playing Championship football with Scunthorpe, he signed for their divisional rivals Bristol City in 2013. Two years later he signed for another Championship club, Millwall, but was released after their relegation to League One in 2015. He joined League One club Sheffield United, where he played one season before joining their divisional rivals Fleetwood Town. He played for the England C team, who represent England at non-League level, in 2008, earning two caps. He made his debut against Grenada and earned his second and final cap against India.

Early life

Woolford was born in Castleford, West Yorkshire.[4] He comes from a family of professional sportsmen; father Neil and grandfather Cyril were both rugby league players with Featherstone Rovers.[5] He has cited his father's encouragement as the main influence in his football career.[6] He grew up supporting Manchester United.[7]

Club career

Early career

Woolford started his career with Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division team Glasshoughton Welfare in 2002 after progressing through their youth system.[8][9] Following the end of the 2002–03 season, he was given the award for the club's Most Improved Player, and early into 2003–04, he established himself as an "emerging talent".[10][11] He played one match for the youth team of Doncaster Rovers in April 2005,[12] but was not taken on by the club, and was also rejected by Barnsley and Bradford City.[13] After three seasons at Glasshoughton, he joined Northern Premier League Premier Division club Frickley Athletic in August 2005, having impressed during several pre-season matches.[14] He was awarded an FA contract running to the end of 2005–06 in October, with the option of another year.[15] He made 40 league appearances and scored 12 goals for Frickley in 2005–06,[16] with 14 goals in all competitions,[17] after which the club exercised their option to extend his contract for another season.[18]

York City
Woolford playing for York City in 2007

He had a trial with Stockport County of League Two during their pre-season trip to Ibiza in August 2006, but was not offered a contract.[17] He was being tracked by Hartlepool United and York City,[17] and also attracted interest from Guiseley.[19] He eventually signed for Conference National club York on 31 August for an undisclosed five-figure fee after having made four appearances and scored one goal for Frickley at that point in 2006–07.[20][21] He made his debut a day later in a 0–0 draw with Stafford Rangers after coming on as a 57th minute substitute.[22] During his first start for the team, he was substituted for goalkeeper Arran Reid in the 17th minute after Tom Evans was sent off.[23][24] He scored his first goal for York in the team's 3–2 home loss to Morecambe on 12 September.[25] A week later, he scored both York's goals in a 2–1 away victory over Woking.[26] He featured in both legs of York's play-off semi-final defeat by Morecambe 2–1 on aggregate and finished 2006–07 with 45 appearances and eight goals,[27] after which the club exercised their option to extend his contract for another season.[28]

He signed a new contract with York in October 2007, which would expire in the summer of 2009.[29] He played in a more central position behind the strikers in 2007–08.[30] He scored two goals in two minutes against Altrincham on 19 January 2008, which earned York a 2–2 draw,[31] during which he played as a striker.[32] Manager Colin Walker confirmed that several enquiries had been made about signing Woolford during the January transfer window.[33] Woolford was set a 20-goal target by Walker in April 2008, at which point he had scored 16 goals.[34] He was watched by Crewe Alexandra's director of football Dario Gradi in April 2008,[35] after which Walker insisted he was still a part of York's plans for the next season.[36] He finished 2007–08 with 57 appearances and 17 goals.[37] He rejected speculation linking him with a move away from York in June, saying he would only move to a club two divisions higher.[38]

Scunthorpe United
Woolford after Scunthorpe United's victory in the 2009 League One play-off Final

Woolford rejected a new contract with York during the summer of 2008, with Cheltenham Town and another club believed to be interested in signing him.[39] He eventually joined League One club Scunthorpe United for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract on 8 August 2008,[40] with the fee believed to be a six-figure fee with a sell-on clause.[41] He made his Football League debut as an 87th-minute substitute in a 1–0 victory against Peterborough United on 23 August 2008.[42] He scored four minutes into his first start for Scunthorpe against Brighton & Hove Albion on 6 September 2008, giving his team the lead, in a match which eventually finished 4–1.[43] He came on as a 77th-minute substitute for Scunthorpe in the 2009 Football League Trophy Final on 5 April 2009, which was lost 3–2 to League Two team Luton Town after extra time.[44] Woolford scored the winning goal for Scunthorpe in the 2009 League One play-off Final against Millwall on 24 May 2009, with a goal in the 85th minute that gave the team a 3–2 victory, and also assisting the other two goals.[45] This resulted in promotion to the Championship for Scunthorpe and he was named man of the match.[46]

His first appearance of 2009–10 was in a 4–0 defeat at Cardiff City on 8 August 2009.[47] He scored the winning goal for Scunthorpe against Derby County on 15 August 2009, which finished as a 3–2 victory.[47] Woolford scored two goals against Newcastle United on 20 October 2009 to give Scunthorpe a 2–1 victory.[47] He finished the season with 46 appearances and five goals.[47]

Woolford started 2010–11 after playing in a 2–1 victory at Reading on 7 August 2010 and his first goal of the season was the winner in the 83rd minute of a 2–1 victory over League One team Oldham Athletic in the League Cup on 10 August.[48]

Bristol City and Millwall

Woolford signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with fellow Championship club Bristol City after joining for an undisclosed fee on 31 January 2011.[49] He made his debut in a 4–0 victory at Preston North End on 5 February 2011,[48] in which he assisted a Brett Pitman goal.[50]

Woolford signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Championship club Millwall on 9 January 2013.[51] He made his debut after starting in a 1–1 draw away to Bolton Wanderers on 12 January 2013.[52] Woolford was released by Millwall on 7 May 2015 after their relegation to League One, having made 40 appearances and scored three goals in 2014–15.[53][54]

Sheffield United, Fleetwood Town and Grimsby Town

Woolford signed a two-year contract with League One club Sheffield United on 14 July 2015, having previously played under manager Nigel Adkins at Scunthorpe.[55] He was released by United on 19 August 2016, having fallen out of favour under manager Chris Wilder,[56] and immediately joined League One club Fleetwood Town on a one-year contract.[57] He was released at the end of 2016–17.[58]

On 31 August 2017, Woolford signed a one-year contract with League Two club Grimsby Town on a free transfer.[59] He made his debut two days later, starting in a 1–0 home win over Crewe Alexandra, in which he was substituted in the 69th minute.[60] He was offered a new contract by Grimsby at the end of the 2017–18 season.[61] He was released by Grimsby at the end of the 2018–19 season.[62]

Later career

Woolford signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Hyde United on 15 August 2019.[63] He signed for National League North club Boston United on 9 October.[64] In July 2020 he signed for Gainsborough Trinity of the Northern Premier League.

International career

Woolford was placed on standby for the England C team for their 2007–09 International Challenge Trophy match against Wales in February 2008.[65] He was called into the squad in May for two matches in the Caribbean after an injury to Dean Moxey.[66] His debut came in a 1–1 draw with Grenada on 31 May 2008 and was described as a "constant threat down the left",[67] and earned his second cap as a 67th-minute substitute against Barbados on 2 June.[68]

Style of play

Woolford plays as a left winger,[69] where he has been described as being "fleetfooted".[70] He is versatile and has also played as a wing-back, left midfielder and a striker and has also been used in a more "roaming, attacking role" to offer support to a lone striker.[71][72]

Personal life

Woolford was studying for a degree in civil engineering at Leeds Metropolitan University while playing for Frickley and a degree in surveying in 2006.[70][73] While at university, he worked on a building site.[74] He achieved a Higher National Diploma in civil engineering and has said he is looking to complete this degree before the end of his football career.[75]

Career statistics
As of match played 7 March 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Frickley Athletic 2005–06[16] Northern Premier League
Premier Division		 401200—1[lower-alpha 1]04112
2006–07[21] Northern Premier League
Premier Division		 41———41
Total 441300—104513
York City 2006–07[27] Conference National 40820—3[lower-alpha 2]0458
2007–08[37] Conference Premier 461420—9[lower-alpha 3]35717
Total 862240—12310225
Scunthorpe United 2008–09[42] League One 394300010[lower-alpha 4]3527
2009–10[47] Championship 4052040—465
2010–11[48] Championship 2461022—278
Total 10315606210312520
Bristol City 2010–11[48] Championship 150———150
2011–12[76] Championship 2511010—271
2012–13[52] Championship 1531010—173
Total 5542020—594
Millwall 2012–13[52] Championship 151———151
2013–14[77] Championship 4071121—439
2014–15[53] Championship 3832000—403
Total 93113121—9813
Sheffield United 2015–16[78] League One 28110203[lower-alpha 5]0341
2016–17[79] League One 00—00—00
Total 281102030341
Fleetwood Town 2016–17[79] League One 9110—3[lower-alpha 6]0131
Grimsby Town 2017–18[60] League Two 31210—1[lower-alpha 6]0332
2018–19[80] League Two 35320102[lower-alpha 6]0403
Total 665301030735
Hyde United 2019–20[81] Northern Premier League
Premier Division		 5000—0050
Boston United 2019–20[82][83] National League North 15030—00180
Career total 5047223113332657282
  1. Appearance in Northern Premier League Premier Division play-offs
  2. One appearance in FA Trophy, two in Conference National play-offs
  3. Seven appearances and two goals in FA Trophy, two appearances and one goal in Conference League Cup
  4. Seven appearances and one goal in Football League Trophy, three appearances and two goals in League One play-offs
  5. Appearances in Football League Trophy
  6. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

Honours

Scunthorpe United

References
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