Martin Butler
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Martin Neil Butler | ||
| Date of birth | 15 September 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Wordsley, West Midlands, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Walsall | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1993–1997 | Walsall | 74 | (8) |
| 1997–2000 | Cambridge United | 104 | (41) |
| 2000–2003 | Reading | 103 | (32) |
| 2003–2006 | Rotherham United | 97 | (28) |
| 2006–2008 | Walsall | 44 | (11) |
| 2007 | → Grimsby Town (loan) | 8 | (1) |
| 2008 | Grimsby Town | 16 | (5) |
| 2009 | Burton Albion | 12 | (2) |
| 2009 | Worcester City | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 458 | (128) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12:09, 7 June 2009 (UTC). |
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Martin Neil Butler (born 15 September 1974) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker from 1993 until 2009.
Butler notably played for Walsall, Cambridge United and Reading. He also had spells with Rotherham United, Grimsby Town, Burton Albion and Worcester City.
Butler spent most of his youth in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, attending Castlefields Primary School and Oldbury Wells School.Butler started his career at Walsall, where he rose through the youth ranks. Following rave reviews, he made his senior debut in the 1993–94 season.
However, his career at Walsall faltered, and he was allowed to join Cambridge United for £22,500 in the summer of 1997. A prolific spell at the Abbey Stadium prompted Reading to pay around the £750k mark for his services in February 2000. Butler continued his fine goal-scoring form – including a goal in the 2000–01 Football League Second Division Playoff Final in May 2001, although Reading went on to lose the match 3–2 to Butler's old team Walsall. On 6 November 2001, Butler was stretchered off during Reading's 2–0 win over Wrexham, suffering serious damage to his ankle. He broke his ankle and fibula, and suffered ligament damage competing for a ball on the touchline after his foot stuck in the ground. He did not play again until April 2002, but his goals that season still helped Reading to get promoted to the First Division in second place.
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