| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Martin Laurence McGrath | ||
| Date of birth | 15 October 1960 | ||
| Place of birth | Hendon, England | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Chandlers Ford Rangers | |||
| 1977–1978 | Southampton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1978–1980 | Southampton | 1 | (0) |
| 1980–1981 | AFC Bournemouth | 22 | (0) |
| 1981–19?? | Oxford City | ||
| International career | |||
| 1976 | England Schoolboys | 7 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Martin Laurence McGrath (born 15 October 1960) [1] is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder for Southampton and AFC Bournemouth in the early 1980s.
McGrath was born in Hendon in north-west London but grew up in the Southampton area where he attended St Mary's College. [1] Having played international schoolboy football for England, he was signed by Southampton as an apprentice in August 1977, turning professional on his 18th birthday in October 1978. [1]
He played regularly for the reserves making 51 appearances with six goals. [2] His only first-team appearance came on 8 March 1980 at Elland Road when he replaced Trevor Hebberd in the second half of a 2–0 defeat by Leeds United. [3] In the summer of 1980, he was released and moved across the New Forest to spend a season with AFC Bournemouth, [4] for whom he made 22 League appearances. [5]
Before the end of the 1980–81 season, he had left the Cherries and briefly joined non-league Oxford City in the Isthmian League Division One. [4] During his time at Oxford City, the club was managed by former England and West Ham United player Bobby Moore, assisted by Harry Redknapp. [6]
McGrath soon gave up football altogether and became a croupier and gaming inspector in the Ritz Club in London. [6] From 1990, he was employed by British Airways at Heathrow Airport, firstly as a salesman and then in Customer Services looking after VIPs. [6]
He moved to Normandy in 2005 [6] from where he runs a website selling the Scuba brand of toothbrush. [7] [8]
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