Martin Joyce

Martin Joyce (24 January 1894 – 1960) was an English footballer who made 181 appearances in the Football League playing for Darlington and Durham City.[4] He also played non-league football for Jarrow St Bede's.

Martin Joyce
Personal information
Date of birth (1894-01-24)24 January 1894[1]
Place of birth Jarrow,[1] England
Date of death 1960 (aged 65)[2][3]
Place of death Jarrow,[1] England
Height 5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (1.71 m)[1]
Position(s) Left back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Jarrow St Bede's
1921–1927 Darlington 166 (0)
1928 Durham City 15 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Football career

Joyce was born in 1894 in Jarrow, County Durham,[1] and began his football career with a local team, Jarrow St Bede's. He signed for Darlington ahead of their debut season in the newly formed Third Division North.[5] He shared the left-back position with the veteran Tommy Barbour in 1921–22,[6] and was later displaced by Jack O'Donnell before the latter's transfer to Everton,[7] but otherwise he played regularly over six years with Darlington.

He played his part in the team that won the 1924–25 Third Division North title and gained promotion to the Second Division. A profile in the Derby Daily Telegraph at the start of the 1925–26 season described Joyce as "only of medium height and weight, but he takes his position well, and is very resourceful in recovering apparently lost positions", although his kicking "might be a little less erratic", and he had "come on by leaps and bounds" since joining the club.[8] He went through that season as Darlington's only ever-present player as they retained their Second Division status,[9] and again appeared regularly the following season as his team were relegated to the Northern Section. He finished his six-year career with Darlington with 166 Football League appearances.[4]

He was listed for transfer, twice failed to obtain a reduction in the fee,[10] and finished the season with Durham City in the Third Division North.[11][1]

The 1939 Register finds him a widower with three children of working age, living in Etal Crescent, Jarrow, and working as a labourer in the shipyards.[12] Joyce died in Jarrow[1] in 1960[2] at the age of 65.[3]

References
  1. Dykes, Garth (2010). Durham City FC in the Football League. Nottingham: SoccerData. pp. 40–41. ISBN 978-1-905891-42-9.
  2. "Joyce, M (Martin)". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  3. "Index entry". FreeBMD. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  4. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 144. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  5. "Darlington's new players". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 16 June 1921. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "North and South. Joyce still doing well". Derby Daily Telegraph. 8 October 1921. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Shots at Goal. Lincoln". Lincolnshire Echo. 7 February 1925. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive. They have, however, a capable deputy in Martin Joyce, who regularly filled the position last season.
  8. "To-morrow's visitors. Character studies of the Darlington players". Derby Daily Telegraph. 4 September 1925. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Promotion Points. The outstanding Quaker". Derby Daily Telegraph. 1 May 1926. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive. the Quakers possess a young full back who deserves special attention, as he is the only player on the club books to go through the campaign without missing a match. This is Martin Joyce, the left back
  10. "Football. Players' transfer fees and benefits". Yorkshire Post. 13 August 1927. p. 20 – via British Newspaper Archive.
    "League affairs". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 12 November 1927. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. Sportsman (4 February 1928). "Football Notes. Interesting items". Burnley Express. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive. Durham City, for their home match with Nelson to-day, will field their new full back Joyce
  12. "Martin Joyce". 1939 Register. RG 101/2791J FFVK – via Ancestry Library Edition.
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