Alvin Martin: The One-Club Legend Who Stayed When Everyone Left

Alvin Martin, Born in Liverpool. Rejected by Everton for wanting part-time apprenticeship work. Joined West Ham United as a teenager. Played 21 years for the same club. Made 598 appearances. Scored 34 goals from defense. Won the 1980 FA Cup when West Ham was in the second division. Earned 17 England caps. Married Whoopi Goldberg briefly. Scored a hat-trick against three different Newcastle goalkeepers in an 8-1 victory. Yet Alvin Martin remains one of football’s most underrated figures. He rejected modern footballs’s mercenary culture decades before it became fashionable. Alvin Martin chose loyalty. He chose one club. He built a legacy on showing up every single day for 21 years. This is the story of a man who proved that commitment matters more than fame.

ALVIN MARTIN: COMPLETE FACTS

Detail	Information
Full Name	Alvin Edward Martin
Born	July 29, 1958, Walton, Liverpool, England
Age	67-68 years old (as of 2026)
Nationality	English
Position	Central Defender
Primary Club	West Ham United (1976-1996)
Years at West Ham	21 years
Appearances for West Ham	598 games
Goals Scored	34 goals
FA Cup Victory	1980 (West Ham defeated Arsenal 1-0 in final)
England Caps	17 caps (1981-1987)
World Cup	1986 FIFA World Cup squad
Notable Achievement	Scored hat-trick vs Newcastle (3 different goalkeepers) in 8-1 victory, April 1986
Hammer of the Year Awards	3 times (1980, 1982, 1983)
Secondary Club	Leyton Orient (1996)
Management Career	Southend United (1997-March 1999)
Post-Retirement	Radio pundit (talkSPORT), Sky Sports TV commentator
Net Worth	Estimated $5 million
First Marriage	Whoopi Goldberg (1973-1979)
Daughter	Alexandrea Martin (born 1973, actress/producer)
Hall of Fame	MCA Trust Hall of Fame (2023) inducted
Education	Schools football for Bootle and Lancashire
Biggest Regret	Rejected by Everton for part-time apprenticeship in 1974
Legacy	West Ham’s greatest ever one-club legend

The Boy Rejected By Everton

Alvin Martin was born July 29, 1958, in Walton, Liverpool. A football-loving family. A football-loving city. The foundations for a player were there.

He showed promise early. Played for Bootle and Lancashire schoolboy teams. Earned attention from Everton, one of England’s biggest clubs.

But Everton offered him only a part-time apprenticeship. This was the 1970s. Most young players accepted what was given. Alvin Martin didn’t.

He wanted full-time commitment. He wanted to be treated seriously. Everton wouldn’t guarantee that.

So Alvin Martin walked away from Everton. In 1974, he joined West Ham United as a full-time apprentice.

That rejection became the best thing that ever happened to him.

The Club That Became His Life

August 19, 1974. Alvin Martin signed with West Ham United.

He was 16 years old. The club took a chance on a teenager rejected by a bigger club.

West Ham didn’t know it yet, but they had just signed the greatest defender in their history.

For the next 21 years—from 1976 to 1996—Alvin Martin would be West Ham United. Not just a player. The identity. The anchor. The constant.

By the time he left, he had made 598 appearances. Scored 34 goals from defense. Won individual awards. Won team trophies. Become a legend.

The FA Cup That Changed Everything

May 10, 1980. Wembley Stadium. The FA Cup Final.

West Ham United versus Arsenal. But West Ham was in the second division. Nobody gave them a chance against a top-flight club.

Alvin Martin played center defense. He was 21 years old. Young. But already the heartbeat of the team.

West Ham won 1-0. Trevor Brooking scored the goal. Alvin Martin’s defense held firm.

It was the FA Cup won by a second-division club. Unprecedented. Impossible. But real.

Alvin Martin was part of something magical. Something that would define his career. Not just a good player. A champion.

The Hat-Trick Against Three Goalkeepers

April 21, 1986. West Ham versus Newcastle United.

Newcastle suffered multiple injuries. Their goalkeeper went down. Outfield players had to fill in. Chris Hedworth played goalkeeper for a period. Peter Beardsley played goalkeeper. Martin Thomas was the regular keeper.

West Ham dominated. The final score: 8-1.

And Alvin Martin—a central defender—scored a hat-trick. Three goals. Against three different goalkeepers.

This moment defines Alvin Martin. He was good enough to score three goals in a match. Good enough to be a forward. But he chose to be a defender because that’s what the team needed.

That sacrifice. That commitment to team over personal glory. That’s Alvin Martin.

The 17 England Caps

From 1981 to 1987, Alvin Martin represented England.

17 caps. Not a huge number. But each one earned honestly. Each one deserved.

He was selected for the 1986 FIFA World Cup squad. England’s defense. The Falklands War had just ended. English football had been banned from Europe after Heysel.

And Alvin Martin wore the England shirt with pride.

The Marriage To Whoopi Goldberg

In 1973, Alvin Martin married Whoopi Goldberg, the American actress and comedian.

They had one daughter together: Alexandrea Martin, born in 1973.

Alexandrea followed her mother into entertainment. Became an actress and producer.

The marriage lasted until 1979. They divorced. Two different continents. Two different careers. It didn’t work.

But they created a daughter. And both of their lives were enriched by the connection, brief as it was.

Alvin Martin moved on. Focused on football. Built his legacy in the sport he loved.

The One-Club Legend

Here’s what makes Alvin Martin remarkable: he stayed at one club for 21 years.

In modern football, that’s unthinkable. Players move constantly. Chasing bigger contracts. Bigger clubs. More money.

Alvin Martin had the chance to leave. Bigger clubs probably wanted him. More money was available elsewhere.

He stayed. He built something with West Ham. He became the club.

When he finally left in 1996, it was to Leyton Orient. A step down. At the end of his career.

He played football because he loved the game. Not because he was chasing glory or money.

The Legacy

Alvin Martin’s career ended. He moved into management. Managed Southend United from 1997 to 1999.

Then he moved into media. Radio. Television. Commentary. Analysis.

As a pundit on talkSPORT and Sky Sports, Alvin Martin became a voice in football. Sharing knowledge. Sharing wisdom. Sharing his experience.

In 2023, he was inducted into the MCA Trust Hall of Fame as a West Ham defender. Recognition of his achievements. Validation of his legacy.

His net worth is estimated at $5 million. Not enormous. But comfortable. Built on a career of integrity.

Alvin Martin proved something that modern football has largely forgotten: loyalty matters. Commitment matters. Showing up for your club matters.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is Alvin Martin?

A: Alvin Martin is an English former professional footballer and manager born July 29, 1958. He is best known for his 21-year tenure with West Ham United, during which he became one of the club’s greatest defenders.

Q: How many games did Alvin Martin play for West Ham?

A: Alvin Martin played 598 games for West Ham United from 1976 to 1996, making him one of the club’s most-capped players ever.

Q: Did Alvin Martin win any trophies?

A: Yes. Alvin Martin was a key part of West Ham’s 1980 FA Cup victory, when they defeated Arsenal 1-0 in the final while playing in the second division. He also won the Hammer of the Year award three times (1980, 1982, 1983).

Q: How many goals did Alvin Martin score?

A: Alvin Martin scored 34 goals during his 598 appearances for West Ham United, which is remarkable for a central defender.

Q: What is Alvin Martin’s most memorable moment?

A: On April 21, 1986, Alvin Martin scored a hat-trick (three goals) in West Ham’s 8-1 victory over Newcastle United. Remarkably, each goal was against a different goalkeeper due to Newcastle’s injury crisis.

Q: Did Alvin Martin play for England?

A: Yes. Alvin Martin earned 17 caps for England between 1981 and 1987, and was selected for the 1986 FIFA World Cup squad.

Q: Was Alvin Martin married to Whoopi Goldberg?

A: Yes. Alvin Martin married American actress Whoopi Goldberg in 1973. They had one daughter, Alexandrea Martin (born 1973), before divorcing in 1979. Alexandrea became an actress and producer.

Q: Why did Alvin Martin leave Everton?

A: Everton only offered Alvin Martin a part-time apprenticeship as a teenager. Martin wanted full-time commitment, so he joined West Ham United instead in 1974.

Q: What did Alvin Martin do after retiring?

A: After retiring from playing, Alvin Martin managed Southend United from 1997 to 1999. He then moved into media work as a pundit on talkSPORT radio and Sky Sports television.

Q: Is Alvin Martin in the Hall of Fame?

A: Yes. Alvin Martin was inducted into the MCA Trust Hall of Fame in 2023 in recognition of his achievements as a West Ham United defender.