I starred for Rangers and Man Utd – but my head was left scrambled when Roy Keane transfer-listed me aged just 23
RAMSGATE midfielder Lee Martin was the teen prodigy whose spell at the Theatre of Dreams turned into more of a nightmare.
The same could be said of his stint on loan at Rangers under Paul le Guen.
Martin admits he was completely overawed by training with fearsome characters such as Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville as he broke through as a kid.
Not to mention boss Fergie ruling by ‘fear’.
A loan spell at Ibrox with team-mate Phil Bardsley during the Frenchman’s ill-fated spell didn’t help either and the 36-year-old is now plying his trade for The Rams in the Isthmian League South East Division – a far cry from the glitz and glamour of Old Trafford despite the current struggles under Erik ten Hag.
The Red Devils paid £1million to Wimbledon for Martin, who was just 16 when he left the home comforts of south London.
With Ramsgate hosting Woking in the FA Cup first round this weekend, Somerset-born Martin said: “I also went on trial at Liverpool and Arsenal, but felt that United had more of a family.
“That was important because I was only 16 and away from my parents and friends.”
He moved even further afield in 2006 when he hit Glasgow with team-mate Bardsley.
The winger also shared digs with future Premier League winner Danny Simpson and impressed enough in the reserves for ex-Ger Fergie to name him on the bench for Champions League games against Benfica and Lille in the 2005-2006 season.
Martin added: “Sir Alex ruled with fear but was also like a father figure.
“It was daunting to train with people like Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand and Roy Keane, who were real leaders and big characters.
“I didn’t feel good enough to be around them, and it was only after I’d gone out on loan that I had more belief in myself.”
He spent six months at Fergie’s old stomping ground before Le Guen’s exit and also had temporary spells with Antwerp, Stoke, Plymouth, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest.
Ipswich — who were then managed by Keane — signed him on a permanent deal in the summer of 2009.
The fiery Irishman has not managed a club since his departure from the Tractor Boys in 2011.
Martin said: “Roy couldn’t understand that none of us were at the level he had been while playing. I was actually transfer listed by him two months after I’d scored my first goal for the club.
“I was still only 23 and my head was scrambled, but the mental health side of things wasn’t as talked about as it is today.”
The father of four went on to play for Millwall, Gillingham and Exeter before dropping into non-league with Ebbsfleet in 2020. He spent last season with Dover and signed for Kent-based Ramsgate in the summer.
He’s now hoping to an encounter with his Manchester United namesake will bring him good luck in the Cup.
Confusingly the winger shares his name with a 90s defender – and adding to the bizarre coincidence, the ‘other’ Lee played for CELTIC.
The Ramsgate midfielder met the former full-back — who scored the winning goal for United in the 1990 FA Cup final replay against Crystal Palace — when he signed for the Premier League club 20 years ago.
The 36-year-old added: “I did actually meet the other Lee Martin when I was at United. It was a strange experience, talking to someone with exactly the same name.
“I knew that he had won the FA Cup for United, so hopefully some of his magic will rub off on us.”
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