“‘It felt unusual’: England international reveals he preferred Everton move before signing with Leeds United”
In the summer of 1996, Leeds United made several key signings that would influence the club’s future. Among them was a young Lee Bowyer, who joined from Charlton Athletic as a teenager.
Lee Bowyer went on to have several successful years at Elland Road, playing a pivotal role in Leeds United’s journey to the Champions League.
Alongside Bowyer, notable signings during that period included Lee Sharpe, Robert Molenaar, and Ian Rush.
One key acquisition for Leeds was goalkeeper Nigel Martyn. The club paid over £2 million to bring Martyn from Crystal Palace after his team had faced a couple of relegations.
Martyn would go on to make 265 appearances for Leeds, becoming a cornerstone of the team.
His performances also earned him a regular spot in the England squad, where he earned the bulk of his 23 international caps while playing for Leeds.
However, things could have turned out very differently for Martyn back in 1996.
Nigel Martyn Reveals He Wanted to Join Everton Over Leeds United
Martyn’s career at Leeds saw him achieve 105 clean sheets in 265 appearances, but his move to the club almost didn’t happen.
In fact, if Martyn had his way, he would have joined Everton instead of Leeds in 1996.
During an interview with Undr The Cosh, Martyn explained that he was en route to sign for Everton from Crystal Palace before a series of unexpected events led him to Leeds instead.
“We were driving up the motorway to sign for Everton in ’96,” Martyn recalled. “They had everything organized, so we drove up.
Joe Royle’s wife wasn’t there as she was unwell at the time, and the chairman was away on business, so only the director was there to finalize the deal.”
While preparing to sign, Martyn’s agent informed him that Leeds United had matched Everton’s bid, advising that it would be in Martyn’s best interest to hear Leeds out.
“The director [at Everton] was surprised and said, ‘I thought you were coming to sign,’ and we replied, ‘We were, but Leeds have now come in,’” Martyn shared.
The situation became even more complicated. The Everton director, trying to salvage the deal, made a couple of phone calls.
“He told us that they had a press conference scheduled for the next day, but my agent reiterated that while I was going to speak to Leeds, Everton was still my preferred destination,” Martyn said.
Despite Everton’s efforts, they didn’t act swiftly enough. Martyn’s agent believed that the club should have improved his contract to secure his signature on the spot. Instead, he went to speak with Leeds.
“Howard Wilkinson was there, and Leeds was the total opposite. They told me, ‘You’re signing for us,’” Martyn recalled.
Leeds’ persistence won him over, and Everton missed out. “Joe Royle wouldn’t have allowed that to happen,” Martyn added, reflecting on the missed opportunity.
Martyn’s Emotional Interview with LeedsUnited.News in 2021
In 2021, Martyn gave an emotional interview with LeedsUnited.
News, recalling one of the most difficult moments of his career: the murders of Leeds fans Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight before the first leg of the 2000-01 UEFA Cup semi-final against Galatasaray in Turkey.
Both fans are still remembered by the club today. Martyn played for Leeds the night following their tragic deaths, and in the interview, he expressed deep regret about that decision.
“As I sit here now, it’s probably my biggest regret in football that we even played that game. I would rather have forfeited it,” Martyn said.
“Football is hugely important in people’s lives, even more so now than it was then. But two men were murdered—that’s far more important than football.”
This interview highlighted not only Martyn’s achievements on the pitch but also his deep empathy and connection to the club and its supporters during one of its darkest moments.
