Martin John

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Martin John

| image = John, Martin.jpg

| image_size = 170

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|08|01|df=y}}

| birth_place = Camden, London, England

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| height =

| position = Defender

| collegeyears1 = 2005–2006 |college1 = Maine Black Bears

| collegeyears2 = 2007–2008 | college2 = Buffalo Bulls

| years1 = 2008 |clubs1 = Ottawa Fury |caps1 = 12 |goals1 = 2

| years2 = 2009–2010 |clubs2 = Argentinos Juniors |caps2 = 0 |goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2010–2011 |clubs3 = Cardiff City |caps3 = 0 |goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2010 |clubs4 = → Newport County (loan) |caps4 = 9 |goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2012–2013 |clubs5 = Ontinyent |caps5 = 24 |goals5 = 0

| club-update = 2 March 2013

}}

Martin John (born 1 August 1988) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender. He has played for Argentinos Juniors, Cardiff City, and Ontinyent.

Early life

Born in London, England,{{Cite news |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2010/08/11/bluebirds-sign-john-91466-27045605/ |title=Bluebirds sign John |publisher=WalesOnline |date=11 August 2010 |accessdate=11 August 2010}} John has two brothers and one sister. At the age of 5 he moved to Italy where he lived for three years before moving to Canada.{{Cite news |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/cardiff-city-fc/2010/08/13/mystery-man-john-out-to-be-the-one-91466-27053162/ |title=Mystery Man John out to be the one |publisher=South Wales Echo |date=13 August 2010 |accessdate=13 August 2010}} He grew up in Ottawa and attended Lisgar Collegiate Institute.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/menssoccer/mediaguide/2008msoc-MG-web.pdf |title=2008 Buffalo Bulls men's soccer |publisher=University at Buffalo |accessdate=11 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203011200/http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/menssoccer/mediaguide/2008msoc-MG-web.pdf |archive-date=3 December 2008 |url-status=dead }}

His mother is Swiss-Colombian and his father is Gambian.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/8906629.stm|title=Cardiff City sign Canadian left-back Martin John|date=11 August 2010|publisher=BBC Sport}}

Career

=Youth and college=

John played for the Maine Black Bears from the University of Maine in Orono, Maine, United States, after joining the team in 2005,{{Cite news |url=http://www.kanatasoccer.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=16&id=165&Itemid=23 |title=Archives |publisher=Kanata soccer |date=22 February 2006 |accessdate=11 August 2010}} before moving to the University at Buffalo,{{Cite web |url=http://www.ottawafury.com/profile.php?id=7122 |title=Martin John |publisher=Ottawa Fury |accessdate=11 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715022135/http://www.ottawafury.com/profile.php?id=7122 |archive-date=15 July 2011 |url-status=dead }} making 34 appearances for the university team Buffalo Bulls between 2007 and 2008.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/menssoccer/stats/MSoccerRecords.pdf |title=Men's soccer record book |publisher=University at Buffalo |accessdate=11 August 2010}}

=Cardiff City=

After spending time playing for the reserve side of Argentinos Juniors, he appeared in a pre-season match for Welling United during a 4–1 win over Arsenal Reserves on 24 July 2010.{{Cite news |url=http://www.wellingunited.com/tpl/matchdetails.php?id=87 |title=Welling United 4–1 Arsenal |publisher=Welling United F.C. |date=24 July 2010 |accessdate=12 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716054946/http://www.wellingunited.com/tpl/matchdetails.php?id=87 |archive-date=16 July 2011 |url-status=dead }} During the match, he was spotted by Cardiff City F.C. and was invited to join the club on trial in July 2010,{{Cite news |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/cardiff-city-fc/2010/08/12/jones-tight-lipped-over-mccormack-future-91466-27047174/ |title=Jones tight-lipped over McCormack future |publisher=South Wales Echo |date=12 August 2010 |accessdate=12 August 2010}} eventually signing on a permanent basis. He made his debut on 11 August 2010 in a 4–1 win over Burton Albion in the first round of the Football League Cup.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/8900921.stm |title=Cardiff 4–1 Burton Albion |publisher=BBC Sport |date=11 August 2010 |accessdate=11 August 2010}}

On 9 September 2010, John joined Newport County on a three-month loan deal,{{Cite news|url=http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10335~2149103,00.html |title=Exiles loan for Martin John |publisher=Cardiff City F.C. |date=9 September 2010 |accessdate=11 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324115820/http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10335~2149103%2C00.html |archivedate=24 March 2012 }} making his debut in a 1–0 win over Rushden & Diamonds.{{Cite news |url=http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/8967616.stm |title=Rushden & Diamonds 0–1 Newport County |publisher=BBC Sport |date=11 September 2010 |accessdate=11 September 2010}}

In August 2011 John went on trial for Maccabi Netanya from the Israeli Premier League. He played one game for the club in a Toto Cup fixture.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4105576,00.html|title = מכבי נתניה: מרטין ג'ון שוחרר מהקבוצה|date = 7 August 2011}}

In 2012, John signed for Spanish Segunda B side Ontinyent CF.

John went on trial with Plymouth Argyle in July 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23152442|title=Plymouth Argyle: John Sheridan will not chase Onismor Bhasera|date=2 July 2013|publisher=BBC Sport}}