Image source,
England Seniors
Image caption,
Nigel Martyn’s professional football career spanned nearly two decades
The idea of representing England in both cricket and football feels like a relic of a distant past, evoking images of cigarette cards, blazers, and the faint scent of Brylcreem. Sporting legends from another era—Denis Compton, CB Fry, and Tip Foster—are among the 12 men who have achieved this rare double.
Arthur Milton was the last to do so, making his Test debut in 1958, seven years after earning his only England football cap against Austria in 1951.
Now, goalkeeper Nigel Martyn is on the verge of joining that exclusive club—sort of.
Martyn, who earned 23 caps for England in football, has earned a spot in the England Over-60s cricket team after returning to a sport he has always loved. Though his hair may be greyer at the temples, the prospect of becoming a dual international this summer has stirred deep emotions.
“It’s pretty special,” Martyn told BBC Sport. “As a professional goalkeeper, I wasn’t allowed to play cricket in the summer because of the risk of breaking fingers. After retiring with a stress fracture in my ankle, I thought I’d never play cricket again. But I got the all-clear in 2011 and started playing again.”
Martyn’s football career began at Bristol Rovers in 1987 after the club’s tea lady, Vi Harris, recommended him to manager Gerry Francis. The Cornishman went on to play for Crystal Palace, Leeds, and Everton, making 666 league appearances before retiring in 2006.
He still plays club cricket for Scarcroft CC near Leeds, and a few years ago helped Knaresborough CC reach the North Yorkshire Premier Division alongside former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson.
Martyn’s path to the national team began with age-group matches for Cornwall, which required an 800-mile round trip from his Yorkshire home.
“My good friend Sean Hooper, the captain of Cornwall Over-50s, asked me about six years ago if I wanted to play for Cornwall,” Martyn said. “We last played together for Cornwall Schools Under-15s. Cornwall then recommended me to England. It’s a long journey, but the chance to see family more often is a nice bonus.”
Image source,
England Seniors
Image caption,
Nigel Martyn attended trials at Loughborough University to earn his chance for England’s Over-60s side
Despite his sporting pedigree, Martyn, a wicketkeeper, received no preferential treatment when he attended England Over-60s trials at Loughborough University earlier this year. After an intra-squad match, he was selected for the England Over-60s ‘Lions’ squad—the development pool supporting the main team. He will be eligible for the full side later this year at age 59.
“The batting and bowling standard is really high,” Martyn said. “Fielding becomes more challenging, but there are blokes in their 60s diving around to stop the ball, sprinting after it, and throwing it in. It’s incredible to watch. I just love playing. If you’re going to play into your 60s and 70s, you have to love it. I love the camaraderie.”
Martyn admires England wicketkeepers Alan Knott and Bob Taylor as his role models behind the stumps. “Because I wanted to be a goalkeeper, I also wanted to be a wicketkeeper,” he said. “There are transferable skills in hand-eye coordination. I’m used to having a round object thrown or kicked at me. Having several thousand of those things happening to me in my life, I can seem to get my hands pretty much in the right place.”
