Martin quits the Den

By Ian Malin 

DAVID MARTIN'S eight-month fight to quit The Den ended yesterday with £35,000 move to Wimbledon. The 21-year-old utility player, who has been at Millwall since leaving school, will be named in the Wimbledon squad for the Second Division trip to Shrewsbury tomorrow. 

Wimbledon boss Dave Bassett swooped to sign Martin to strengthen an outfit who are still looking for their first win. Martin had been looking to leave Millwall since January after a row about a pay rise. 

His determination to get away increased during the summer when manager George Graham signed Lindsay Smith, who took Martin's place in the Millwall defence last Sunday. 

And Martin told me, "I've enjoyed my time at Millwall and will miss the club and players. But I am looking to my own future and I was impressed by Dave Bassett and the set-up at Wimbledon. The have a fast style of football and I think they've signed me to slow things down a bit." 

Bassett said, "I have been looking at David for a long time. He's a very useful player and I hope to have him in the side for Saturday." 

Wimbledon face a tough task at Gay Meadow where Crystal Palace were heavily beaten a fortnight ago.

Millwall boss George Graham hopes to name an unchanged side for Millwall’s trip to Walsall. 

Lacking

He said, "I was pleased with our performance on Sunday and thought we could have scored more goals.

Walsall are lacking a bit of consistency at the moment but it will be a tough match up there."

Meanwhile, Millwall are still hoping to stage more Sunday games following the match against Orient which attracted 5,073 at The Den.

But chief executive Shaw explained, “The problem is that Third Division top heavy with Northern clubs at the moment and most are reluctant to travel on Sundays.” 

“But Sunday was a success and we would like one or two more games on that day if possible.”

 

● Martin: Won his fight for a move and goes straight into the Dons line up at Gay Meadow tomorrow

 
£35,000 Martin joins Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON have signed 23 year old Millwall defender David Martin for around £35,000, Writes Michael Hart. 

Martin, a former England Youth captain was unhappy at the Den and had told Graham that he wanted to leave. 

He joined Millwall straight from school and played in their FA Youth cup winning team in 1979. 

Graham has a surfeit of defenders at Millwall and Wimbledon boss Dave Bassett up to his promise of fresh signings after early season results indicated his newly promoted side would struggle in the Second Division. 

Bassett has already paid £25,000 to bring right-back John Kay from Arsenal and £5,000 for midfield man Phil Handford from Gillingham. 

Martin was training with Wimbledon today and could make his debut at Shrewsbury on Saturday.

 

Millwall boss George Graham has pleaded with critics to talk about football, rather than off-the-pitch activities, but his words have fallen on deaf ears.

As soon as the Milk Cup draw was made the headlines in the national newspapers made it out to he a minor battle, if not a war. The heat has been taken out of the clash by switching the first leg to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. September 26.

The match is not all-ticket and Millwall season ticket holders can apply for Stamford Bridge tickets, which may he on sale at the Wigan match. 

The return leg on October 9 is all-ticket, a 25,000 crowd is expected.

Terrace tickets will cost £3, The £5.50 tickets will go up to £6 and the £4.50 to £5. 

Both clubs are confident that the games can be played without any crowd trouble, as long as it is only the real fans that go along.

The only player who hasn't 'a serious rival is Dean Neal, who has the happy knack of  getting goals.

 This Saturday they travel to Walsall to try and alter their dismal away record.

 

 

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