Martin McNiff

{{short description|Scottish footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Notability|1=Sports|date=July 2021}}

{{cleanup biography|date=March 2016}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Martin McNiff

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|8|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Clydebank, Scotland

| height =

| position = Defender

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| years1 = 2008–2014

| clubs1 = Dumbarton

| caps1 = 81

| goals1 = 3

| years2 = 2013

| clubs2 = → Annan Athletic (loan)

| caps2 = 16

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 2013–2014

| clubs3 = → Annan Athletic (loan)

| caps3 = 32

| goals3 = 3

| years4 = 2014–2016

| clubs4 = Annan Athletic

| caps4 = 70

| goals4 = 2

| years5 = 2016–2021

| clubs5 = Clyde

| caps5 = 140

| goals5 = 10

| years6 = 2021–22

| clubs6 = Stirling Albion

| caps6 = 24

| goals6 = 2

| years7 = 2022–23

| clubs7 = Dumbarton

| caps7 = 35

| goals7 = 3

| years8 = 2023–

| clubs8 = Drumchapel United

| caps8 =

| goals8 =

| club-update = 18:39, 6 May 2023 (UTC)

}}

Martin McNiff (born 23 August 1991) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a defender for West of Scotland Football League side Drumchapel United.{{Cite web |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1011842540182782&set=pb.100040711369252.-2207520000.&type=3 |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=www.facebook.com}} McNiff has previously played for Dumbarton, Annan Athletic, Clyde and Stirling Albion.{{soccerbase|49940}}

McNiff started his career as a youth player at Dumbarton, making his debut in 2008 as a 17-year-old whilst still at school in a 3-1 victory against Albion Rovers.{{Cite web |title=McNiff leads the way for Young Sons {{!}} SPFL |url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/mcniff-leads-the-way-for-young-sons |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=spfl.co.uk}} He established himself in the first team over the following three seasons, including making 29 appearances as the Sons won promotion to the Scottish First Division via the playoffs in 2011/12.{{Cite web |title=Dumbarton Football Club - Martin McNiff |url=https://www.dumbartonfootballclub.com/squad/?mode=squad&SquadID=56&id=1090 |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=www.dumbartonfootballclub.com}} in 2012-13 he joined Annan Athletic on loan, before spending a second spell at Galabank in 2013-14. He signed a permanent deal with the club in the summer of 2014.{{Cite web |date=2014-01-10 |title=McNiff Agrees Galabank Contract |url=https://www.annanathleticfc.com/mcniff-agrees-galabank-contract/ |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=Annan Athletic FC}}

McNiff then joined Clyde in 2016, becoming the first Clyde defender to score ten goals in one season since 1934–35 in April 2019 and the first defender to register ten goals from open play.{{cite web | url=https://www.clydefc.co.uk/news/2019/04/03/6059/#.XKf73JhKjIU | title=McNiff Makes Clyde History | publisher=Clyde FC | accessdate=6 April 2019 |date=3 April 2019}} The team won promotion to League One in 2018–19.{{cite web | url=https://www.clydefc.co.uk/news/2019/05/18/6112/ | title=Clyde 2-0 Annan Athletic (agg 2-1) | publisher=Clyde FC | date=18 May 2019 | accessdate=17 April 2020}} At the PFA Scotland awards, he was named in Team of the Year for League Two{{cite web | url=https://www.cumbernauld-news.co.uk/sport/football/clyde-quartet-make-pfa-scotland-team-of-the-year-1-4922017 | title=Clyde quartet make PFA Scotland Team of the Year | work=Cumbernauld News | date=7 May 2019 | accessdate=17 April 2020}} He returned to Dumbarton after a season with Stirling Albion{{Cite web |last=Admin |date=2021-05-18 |title=Martin McNiff is second new signing |url=https://www.stirlingalbionfc.co.uk/martin-mcniff-is-second-new-signing/ |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=SAFC |language=en-GB}} in May 2022,{{Cite web |title=Dumbarton Football Club - MARTIN MCNIFF IS BACK AT DUMBARTON |url=https://www.dumbartonfootballclub.com/news/?mode=view&id=5343 |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=www.dumbartonfootballclub.com}} making 42 appearances for the club before leaving in the summer of 2023 and joining Drumchapel United.