Bulls striker Dave Martin who scored past Bert Trautmann dies at 70 (From Hereford Times)

Bulls striker Dave Martin who scored past Bert Trautmann dies at 70

8:30am Thursday 20th September 2012 in Hereford United Latest News By Richard Prime

A HEREFORD United striker who once scored for the Bulls past the legendary goalkeeper Bert Trautmann has died at the age of 70.

Dave Martin, whose career at Edgar Street was wrecked by a serious knee injury, lined up for the Bulls against Wellington Town in September 1964.

Trautmann, although long retired by that stage, had come out of retirement at the age of 40 to help out the injury-hit Wellington side.

And, seven minutes from time, the veteran was beaten when the alert Martin arrived to thump home after Ray Daniel had headed down a Freddie Jones corner.

That, along with playing alongside future Glasgow Rangers boss Jock Wallace for Hereford remained lifelong highlights for the quietly-spoken Martin, whose footballing career suffered a serious interruption just over three months later.

In a match against Canterbury City, Martin challenged the goalkeeper for a cross, fell awkwardly and snapped his kneecap in two.

“Doctors told Dave he may not walk properly again but he was having none of that,” said friend Dave Roberts.

“He went every day to Hereford General Hospital for physiotherapy, quite often walking there on his crutches in the snow and ice during the winter months.”

Martin got over his injury so well that he played again for Hereford’s reserves in the following October and even managed further first-team appearances.

Birmingham-born Martin’s talents as a footballer were spotted when he was an apprentice with the Wiggin company in his home city.

He went on to play at junior level for Wolves, Coventry City and Walsall before he and his father were offered jobs at the new Henry Wiggin and Co factory in Hereford.

His goalscoring talents were again quickly recognised after some prolific exploits in the local league and he was signed by Bob Dennison in February 1964, earning £8 per week when in the first-team, £5 in the reserves and with bonuses of £2 per win and £1 per draw in the first-team, halved in the reserves.

Away from football, Dave Martin left Wiggin in 1982 and ran a sweet shop in Aberdovey with his wife Diana for three years.

On their return to Hereford, he founded Martin’s Electronic Services which evolved into Combined Engineering Services and had contracts countrywide.

He later merged the company into Herefordshire Fire Protection Services and worked until he became ill in July. In his spare time, Martin was also a keen skittler and pool player. The funeral service for Dave Martin, who leaves his widow Diana, will be held at Hereford Crematorium today (Thursday) at 2.15pm.

n Another former Bull, Ken Emery, who played for Hereford from 1947-54, has died in North Wales at the age of 87.