Russell Martin leaves after 9 years.

[Alex Moss 2,165]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CrqFE70dXw&feature=share

Top man!

[/quote]

Thank you for sharing that Eddie, a must watch for every City supporter! Some amazing memories shared by Russ there - Top man indeed!

‘I had a salad, he had a hot dog’ 😂

[Yellowbeagle 0]

Come across as a very decent guy and been a big part of some of our best years. Good luck to the fella.

[Van wink 2,994]

Had the pleasure of his company in the past, he is a great bloke, good luck Russ👍

[Alex Moss 2,165]

My best memory of him personally was talking to him outside the Vitality stadium (or open topped bungalow) in Bournemouth, and he chatted away for a good 10 minutes or so whilst several City players went straight on the team coach. His affinity for the club and supporters was evident, absolutely no aires or graces, just a genuinely salt of the earth bloke - I came away with a sense of feeling very proud that we had people like Russ representing our fantastic club. He made all the kids day there by talking to them on the back of a 2-1 win for us (Alex Neil’s first game). I have worked in the music business so am fully aware of how people in the public eye can get way too big for their boots, so for that reason it was very refreshing. We had a real good’un there, and he was a superb full back for us, I won’t forget his 2 goals against Man City from that position, I was thinking how many defenders get a hat trick against any team let alone one of that quality, it was a shame he didn’t get it, but he came close! Great memories, and thanks again Russ, you are a credit - look forward to seeing you back at Carrow Rd in some capacity in future 👍

[Branston Pickle 3,657]

Agree with most - mostly good memories from Russ''s time with us and we should wish him well.

As for Vince, that''s now 998 posts of utter garbage - and still counting...

[FenwayFrank 2,459]

“ my brothers were on the roof “ 😀

[GenerationA47 751]

And we wish him well!

Good luck Russell, you’re a gent and a City gent at that.

Will be rooting for you wherever you go next (can say this with confidence because we know it won’t be any of the bad ‘uns)

Thanks for your outstanding service and look forward to you rejoining in some form in future.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Nice one Nutty. Should help anyone with a short memory.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Russell Martin was here through the most enjoyable seasons I can remember. I would love for him to write a book about it with all of those great anecdotes.

[paddycanary 539]

All the best to Russ Martin, has left an indelible mark on the club''s history through these up & down years. No doubt he''ll be welcomed back in some capacity in the future unless he gets snapped up elsewhere. Deserves nothing but the best.

As for Big Vince - In Ireland you would be called what is known as a gobshite. Spout your inane digital diarrhoea elsewhere. You gobshite.

[Iwans Big Toe 312]

Top man. Top right back. Part of some of my fondest memories. Back to back promotions. Scored in the 5-1 against the binners. Never a center back, but still a club legend along with Holt and Hoolahan.

Good luck Russ.

[nutty nigel 7,531]

[quote user="Alex "][quote user="nutty nigel"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CrqFE70dXw&feature=share

Top man!

[/quote]

Thank you for sharing that Eddie, a must watch for every City supporter! Some amazing memories shared by Russ there - Top man indeed!

‘I had a salad, he had a hot dog’ 😂[/quote]

It''s a great watch Alex! We met his brothers outside Wembley after we won the play off final final. Celebrating with them just added to a perfect day for my family. There''s been some fantastic tributes to him from some brilliant people in and around our great club. I guess it''s the end of a brilliant era. On to the next one...

[Iwans Big Toe 312]

[quote user="nutty nigel"][quote user="Alex "][quote user="nutty nigel"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CrqFE70dXw&feature=share

Top man!

[/quote]

Thank you for sharing that Eddie, a must watch for every City supporter! Some amazing memories shared by Russ there - Top man indeed!

‘I had a salad, he had a hot dog’ 😂[/quote]

It''s a great watch Alex! We met his brothers outside Wembley after we won the play off final final. Celebrating with them just added to a perfect day for my family. There''s been some fantastic tributes to him from some brilliant people in and around our great club. I guess it''s the end of a brilliant era. On to the next one...

[/quote]

The always humble Nigel name dropping to prove that he''s in the inner circle.

The #1 City fan, with no hidden agenda for Delia remaining as owner.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

Russ has been mr dependable for Norwich over the years. Full of the old attributes, passion and work rate, he’s made to be a fan favourite and was part of a very successful over achieving side. He’d never have made it out of league one if it wasn’t for Lambert, but took his chance and is regarded a club legend by most.

However, this thread is two years too late and another example of a poor football descion post McNally and Bowkett.

Good luck Russ, I’m sure you have a season or two left in the lower leagues. I expect a player manager role may be not be too far away. The last of that era gone..

[Alex Moss 2,165]

[quote user="Iwans Big Toe"][quote user="nutty nigel"][quote user="Alex "][quote user="nutty nigel"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CrqFE70dXw&feature=share

Top man!

[/quote]

Thank you for sharing that Eddie, a must watch for every City supporter! Some amazing memories shared by Russ there - Top man indeed!

‘I had a salad, he had a hot dog’ 😂[/quote]

It''s a great watch Alex! We met his brothers outside Wembley after we won the play off final final. Celebrating with them just added to a perfect day for my family. There''s been some fantastic tributes to him from some brilliant people in and around our great club. I guess it''s the end of a brilliant era. On to the next one...

[/quote]

The always humble Nigel name dropping to prove that he''s in the inner circle.

The #1 City fan, with no hidden agenda for Delia remaining as owner.

[/quote]

Namedropping? Eh? What an idiot. You clearly don’t know Eddie at all. Like Russ, another TOP NCFC man.

[Monty13 2,231]

Does anyone really understand why this has happened, because I''ll confess I don''t really?

He was frozen out completely, players that were on high wages have been offloaded or (we have tried to) but we still used them. Naismith being the obvious exception.

I''m not really sure why Russ was suddenly deemed so surplus to requirements that last year we sent him out and we''d have rather had an on loan midfielder at RB. His wages can''t have been that high surely?

[Ray 111]

Monty13,

I have mentioned this elsewhere one way or another, however to summarise, our manager did not like the fact Russ was held in such high esteem by the rest of the players, to the extent they looked to him at half time and full time for motivation, tactical input, etc.

This was obviously not RM’s fault, after all he can hardly be blamed for what others thought of his skills in that department and it is common knowledge that he is EUFA A qualified and is on his way to EUFA Pro. Consequently he was told that he could not be in the match day squad as the manager could not handle that scenario, and as a result was frozen out, which IMO says a great deal about the self image of the manager. Had I been in that situation, I believe I would have seconded him on to the management team, if not in name then in deed, but I''m not.

Whether Russ would have been a regular starter is a separate debate, but IMO he should have been in the match day squad for all he brings, including the fact he could deputise anywhere along the back line therefore freeing up another space (or two) on the bench.

As has been mentioned on here by many, and I wholeheartedly concur , they expect him to forge a managerial career in the not too distant future and it would not surprise me at all if that included a spell here.

[lake district canary 4,531]

Ray

Imo Russell Martin represented the old regime - steeped in the way of the club and all its good - and bad - points. The whole point of making the huge changes Webber and Farke have was to shake up the club and keeping RM at the forefront of things was not sensible. You can interpret it how you like in disparaging Farke, but you are imo doing him a dis-service. Spinning it like you have is just one sided and imo innacurate.

I respect RM as much as anyone and wish him well in the future, but to pretend that he was going to have any influence in what has been a total change throughout the whole club is disengeuous. Farke is his own man and the regime is quite tough - so to say he couldn''t handle RM is flying in the face of the evidence. His time was up, that''s all.

[Guest]

His time was up, that''s all.

You''re right. That is all it means.

[Ray 111]

LDC,

You lecture me on spin!

If I write on here I can assure you it is always based on fact, if you don''t like that that is your prerogative, to be honest I don''t like the facts, but facts they are. There is no spin and therefore is not innacurate, no pretending and everything I wrote not prefixed with ''IMO'' was the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so was most definitely not disingenuous.

Furthermore, I did not say DF couldn''t handle Russ, I said he couldn''t handle the fact the other players looked to him for guidance, a completely different thing.

LDC, nothing would give me greater pleasure than seeing DF graduate to a top performing manager, not for his sake per se but for the sake of our club, however currently I have my doubts this will transpire but sincerely hope it does.

[lake district canary 4,531]

Semantics Ray. You say Farke couldn''t handle the situation, I say the old player regime had no place in the new regime - it amounts to the same thing. You are spinning it as a failing in the head coach - I am spinning it as a necessary action by the head coach - practical and in keeping with what he was brought in for. The old guard had failed and have mostly gone, Martin is just part of that.

[Ray 111]

As I said LDC, I am not spinning, I know what I know, however you have every right to disbelieve me. Either way, I know we both want what''s best for NCFC, however that transpires.

[JF 694]

What Ray has said is what has happened

[Icecream Snow 761]

[quote user="Ray"]Monty13,

I have mentioned this elsewhere one way or another, however to summarise, our manager did not like the fact Russ was held in such high esteem by the rest of the players, to the extent they looked to him at half time and full time for motivation, tactical input, etc.

This was obviously not RM’s fault, after all he can hardly be blamed for what others thought of his skills in that department and it is common knowledge that he is EUFA A qualified and is on his way to EUFA Pro. [/quote]

I''d heard something along those lines from Michael Bailey (might have been Dave Freezer) on the various Pinkun chats.

Ultimately that 4-0 loss at Millwall killed a lot of careers. We had Pinto, Martin, Franke and Husband shielded by Harrison Reed on that day. Klose was injured, and Russell Martin had been playing through painkilling injections.

After that Grant Hanley was brought in as a panic buy, and Pinto, Klose, Zimmerman, Stiepermann lined up against Sheffield United protected by Tettey and Trybull.

That successful run quickly meant our three first choice centre backs were Klose, Zimmerman and Hanley. With Raggett having a strong spell with Lincoln, it was always going to be pretty much impossible for Russ to get back in.

[The Great Mass Debater 1,090]

Russ is a City legend. Anyone who doesnt think that needs their head examining imo. Sad end to his time here, dont really understand it myself.

Id be very surprised if he isnt one day our manager.

Good luck Norfolk Cafu

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="Ray"]As I said LDC, I am not spinning, I know what I know, however you have every right to disbelieve me. Either way, I know we both want what''s best for NCFC, however that transpires.[/quote]

I don''t disbelieve the substance of what you say, I just disagree with the negative slant you put on our present head coach. As I said before, it was a new regime, he didn''t fit into that, therefore his time here had to come to an end, at least for the foreseeable future.  No disrespect to anyone involved is needed.

[Big Vince 318]

All this praise for Russell Martin is completely OTT.

I will give him his due that he was a decent full-back under Lambert, but thereafter his defending got worse with every season and managers still selected him to play long after he was any good. He was clearly a favourite of Delia''s and for that reason got on the teamsheet regardless of what the managers'' views were. Delia''s influence was such that even the Scotland manager had to put Russell Martin''s name on the teamsheet before anyone else. He was never an international in a million years, but to make him an international centre-back was sheer lunacy. The boy certainly had the knack of ingratiating himself with those around him, but as the years wore on the disconnect between his profile and his performances grew so large that when he became Captain Pointyfinger this was because he was the biggest hypocrit in the dressing room. During that 5-0 defeat at Brighton he simply gave up running for one of their goals and allowed their player to waltz into the box and make the cross from which they scored. Add to that the suicidal backpass against Liverpool, the numerous times he was beaten in the box and you have one of the players who came to epitomise the soft underbelly of the club, the legacy of which we are still living with today.

Russell Martin came to symbolise everything that is wrong about the club. Softness, sentimentality, leaders who are not able to lead by example, making spin triumph over substance and living in parallel universes so that reality is never looked fully in the face.

[nutty nigel 7,531]

With all those brothers I bet he''s got loads of nephews too....

[lake district canary 4,531]

"Decent full back under Lambert, but thereafter his defending got worse" except that Martin was in the Championship team of the year as a centre back just three years ago and three years after Lambert left.

[Big Vince 318]

[quote user="lake district canary"]

"Decent full back under Lambert, but thereafter his defending got worse" except that Martin was in the Championship team of the year as a centre back just three years ago and three years after Lambert left.

[/quote]

The judges either had defective vision or were selected by Delia.