Player Database: Martin Butler

By: The Happy Mariner
Date: 14/06/2009

Well....what can I say about Martin Butler? He came with a good pedigree in the game. He had excelled at some of his past clubs, notably for Reading, and his recent club Walsall, had been promoted out of League Two, with him as top scorer. He was an expensive signing for the club, initially on loan during the 2007-2008 season, but soon arrived on a two year deal. Within the first month of signing his contract, Butler began to complain about the 350 mile round trip he undertook everyday from his Worcestershire home to Grimsby and back. Despite the player signing on a two year deal, he had refused to move to the area, and originally said that he had no problems with travelling. Butler seemed to go AWOL for a short period of time, and this was something that had turned the fans against him, with his only performances before hand, being pretty unconvincing by his standard and reputation. Buckley attempted to offload Butler on the transfer deadline day, but he rejected a move to Hereford United (who ended up earning promotion) - he felt the move was not right for him, basically willing to sit in his armchair at home, whilst being the highest earner at the club. He then seemed to surprise us by booking his ideas up, and briefly shone in a few games, notably away at Darlington, where he bagged two goals. He seemed to fit in up front okay with Danny North, and he played out the season as one of the first choice strikers. During the summer of 2008, Butler again started moaning, and by the time the season had started, the fans had decided they disliked him again. He was a no show in the important derby game against Lincoln City, and he was too make his last appearance for the club away against Blackburn Rovers in the Carling Cup. Butler was shelved, by Buckley, and following his dismissal a few weeks later, the first thing new manager Mike Newell did was to send Butler packing. He remained without a club for a few months before signing for Conference side Burton Albion.....helping them to promotion to the football league.

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