Richard Martin profile pic

Richard Martin

Northern Football Writer

📝 Bio: I'm a football writer covering Manchester United and Manchester City. I am a regular at Old Trafford and The Etihad Stadium and am often found at the City Football Academy or United's Carrington Training Ground for press conferences. I covered Spanish football for 10 years at the height of the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi era, witnessing Real Madrid win three consecutive Champions Leagues while Barca scooped multiple La Liga crowns. I moved back to my former home of Manchester in 2023, in time to cover City swooping to the treble and a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League crown, plus the never-ending melodrama unfolding at United. Highlights while working for GOAL include interviewing Julian Alvarez, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot.

⚽ My Football Story: My first game was seeing Manchester United getting destroyed 4-1 by Tottenham in 1996, aged eight. It did not put me off and I have since been to over 700 matches across 16 countries and three continents, from standing on the terraces at River Plate and Napoli to filing match reports from the World Cup final in Moscow or the Europa League final in Bilbao. I live and breathe terrace culture but I equally enjoy analysing the game's top players and coaches.

🎯 Areas of Expertise:

  • Manchester United & Manchester City
  • La Liga
  • Fan culture

🌟 Favourite Footballing Memory:

Reporting from the Copa Libertadores final between River Plate and Boca Juniors in Madrid, a once-in-a-lifetime event and a privilege to experience live.

 

 

 

Articles by Richard Martin
  1. Man Utd must avoid Amorim-like Glasner in search for next boss

    Just five months ago Oliver Glasner was looking like a serious candidate to be the next Manchester United manager. On the day serious doubts about Ruben Amorim's future began to emerge following the limp defeat at Brentford in late September, Glasner's Crystal Palace beat Liverpool, halting the Red's seven-game winning streak and leaving the Eagles as the only unbeaten team in the Premier League.

  2. 'Difficult' - Wan Bissaka on relationship with Man Utd coach

    Aaron Wan-Bissaka has lifted the lid on his complicated relationship with former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag and explained what led to him leaving the Red Devils to join West Ham in 2024. Wan-Bissaka joined United in 2019 from Crystal Palace for £50m but he has revealed how difficult it was for him to settle in at the club despite him getting on with then coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

  3. Di Maria blasts coach for 's**t' time at Man Utd

    Angel di Maria has lifted the lid on why his time at Manchester United was such a disappointment. The winger joined United for a then club record fee of £60m just after helping Real Madrid win their first Champions League in 12 years and reaching the World Cup final with Argentina. But after a promising start he began to struggle at the Red Devils and sought an exit after his first season.

  4. 'The Brazilian Haaland' who dreams of playing for City

    They say you should never meet your heroes, but Brazilian teenage prodigy Dell probably wouldn't agree. The Bahia and Brazil Under-17s striker has idolised Erling Haaland since he was a child, so imagine the excitement he got when, one day in training, he received a video message from the Manchester City hitman.

  5. Not League Two anymore! How Haaland elevated all-round game

    Pep Guardiola said one should always be careful when criticising strikers like Erling Haaland. All it takes, the Manchester City boss explained, is for them to score again and "shut your mouth". Lately, however, Haaland has been shutting mouths without scoring. Over the last year he has turned into the complete forward, an even more frightening prospect to opponents than he was before, and an even greater asset to City's hopes of winning a quadruple.

  6. Man Utd cut wages due to Amorim-led clearout

    Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada hailed the club's off-pitch transformation after squad costs fell due to a summer clearout of players. Despite bringing in Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens for a total of £225.5m, United were able to shave £14m ($18.9m) off their total wage bill due to player sales and sending others out on loan.

  1. Cunha 'will never forget' how Carrick planned Arsenal win

    Matheus Cunha has highlighted Michael Carrick's role in Manchester United's win at Arsenal last month and claimed he 'will never forget' how his side brushed off conceding twice to become the first team this season to beat the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium. The Brazilian scored the decisive goal in the 3-2 win by curling into the top corner in the 87th minute.

  2. Lammens proving to be one of EPL's best recent bargains

    Manchester United's 1-0 win at Everton was the perfect showcase for the recruitment team. The goal was the work of the three summer signings: started by Matheus Cunha, packaged by Bryan Mbeumo and clinically dispatched by Benjamin Sesko. The lead was then protected by the man who is proving to be United's best signing of the last year and looks like their best hire for many years: Senne Lammens.

  3. Sesko reveals truth about Berbatov shooting advice

    Benjamin Sesko has revealed the truth about rumours he has been taking shooting advice from Dimitar Berbatov amid his scoring hot streak for Manchester United. Sesko fired the Red Devils to a priceless 1-0 win at Everton on Monday, scoring his sixth goal in seven appearances and his eighth in total as he continues to pay off his £74m ($100m) transfer fee since arriving from RB Leipzig last summer.

  4. Unsung O'Reilly becoming a key figure for City & England

    Manchester City hoped, and may even have expected that a midfielder called Nico would transform their fortunes during the second half of last season. The man that has become key to Pep Guardiola’s side’s mid-season surge and made them contenders to pull off the quadruple is not, however, the gangly Nico Gonzalez, who was recruited from Porto for £50 million last January, but rather academy graduate Nico O’Reilly, who cost nothing at all.

  5. 'What slump?!' - Aguero blasts Haaland critics

    Sergio Aguero has rubbished claims that Erling Haaland has been on a goalscoring slump, saying the Manchester City superstar has spoiled all football fans due to his ridiculous strike rate. Haaland struck 14 times in the opening 11 Premier League games of the season but has slowed down since, going eight matches without scoring in open play between December and February.