I made football history as first and only player to score extremely specific hat-trick
West Ham legend Alvin Martin is the first and, currently, only top-flight player ever to score a hat-trick with goals against three different goalkeepers. An achievement made even more impressive when you discover Martin was actually a defender – not a prolific striker. Martin is an icon in east London for his spell with the HammersGetty images Martin, a stalwart for the Hammers in the 1980s, netted his historic hat-trick in an 8-1 win against Newcastle United in April 1986. And as the two teams go head-to-head against each other in the Premier League, he spoke to talkSPORT and recalled his incredible feat with great fondness. “The sequence of events that lead to that were unique and of course there was only one sub in those days and so there were lots of different permutations,” he told Ian ‘The Moose’ Abrahams. “Everything just fell on the night and I don’t know what the chances are of it happening again. A bookie would probably tell us what the chances are, but the chances were ridiculous.” Martin opened the scoring with a volley past Martin Thomas but admitted he knew things weren’t right. “Yeah, Martin Thomas, who was a good goalkeeper, but I think to be fair to him, he came into the game not a hundred percent fit,” said Martin as he began to recall the match. “I think he had a fitness test before the game. So they were already on the back foot to a certain degree and obviously we had a good side. We had a lot of people who could score goals in that team and um we were flying at the time. So yeah, it wasn’t a perfect scenario for Martin Thomas.” During that season West Ham were gunning for the title as their dominant win pushed them into third. A position fans nowadays could only wish for as their team under Graham Potter currently sits in 15th. At half-time West Ham led 4-0 thanks to goals from Neil Orr, Ray Stewart and a Glenn Roeder own goal. GettyMartin netted 27 goals in his career that spanned 19 years[/caption] Thomas could not start the second half and was replaced by Chris Hedworth. Martin’s second of the game was a header he believes ‘Chris could have done a little bit better with because it wasn’t the greatest’. Later on Hedworth dislocated his shoulder after a collision with the post meaning midfielder Peter Beardsley took the gloves. Martin’s third goal was a penalty which he confessed was his favourite of the day. West Ham’s usual penalty taker was Ray Stewart but Martin ‘wrestled’ the ball from his fellow defender as he pulled rank. Talking about facing Beardsley in goal, Martin said: “When he was in goal, I remember looking at him and I was standing on the penalty spot and I put my thumb up in front of me and I couldn’t see him. GettyMartin’s son David would later join West Ham too – and even kept a famous clean sheet against Chelsea[/caption] “He was that small. He was a tiny little figure. So I felt pretty confident that I was going to score.” And defensive partner Tony Gale was delighted with his teammate’s treble. He told West Ham: “Alvin got a hat-trick and the last one was a penalty. “He took it off probably one of the best penalty takers West Ham have ever had, which was a bit of a liberty but I always call that not really a goal, because it was against Peter Beardsley! “It was fabulous for Alvin.” But not everyone was totally happy. “I was absolutely gutted,” Tony Cottee added. “We’d scored eight goals and I hadn’t scored one. I thought I’d let myself down and let my team down. “It could’ve been double figures that night. We hit the post and had several chances and I was annoyed with myself that I hadn’t scored, I was delighted we won, but Frank scored one, Paul Goddard came on and scored one – it’s a striker thing I guess.” West Ham, despite the impressive win could not claim the title though, finishing third on 84 points, four away from winners Liverpool.
West Ham legend Alvin Martin is the first and, currently, only top-flight player ever to score a hat-trick with goals against three different goalkeepers.
An achievement made even more impressive when you discover Martin was actually a defender – not a prolific striker.
Martin, a stalwart for the Hammers in the 1980s, netted his historic hat-trick in an 8-1 win against Newcastle United in April 1986.
And as the two teams go head-to-head against each other in the Premier League, he spoke to talkSPORT and recalled his incredible feat with great fondness.
“The sequence of events that lead to that were unique and of course there was only one sub in those days and so there were lots of different permutations,” he told Ian ‘The Moose’ Abrahams.
“Everything just fell on the night and I don’t know what the chances are of it happening again. A bookie would probably tell us what the chances are, but the chances were ridiculous.”
Martin opened the scoring with a volley past Martin Thomas but admitted he knew things weren’t right.
“Yeah, Martin Thomas, who was a good goalkeeper, but I think to be fair to him, he came into the game not a hundred percent fit,” said Martin as he began to recall the match.
“I think he had a fitness test before the game. So they were already on the back foot to a certain degree and obviously we had a good side. We had a lot of people who could score goals in that team and um we were flying at the time. So yeah, it wasn’t a perfect scenario for Martin Thomas.”
During that season West Ham were gunning for the title as their dominant win pushed them into third.
A position fans nowadays could only wish for as their team under Graham Potter currently sits in 15th.
At half-time West Ham led 4-0 thanks to goals from Neil Orr, Ray Stewart and a Glenn Roeder own goal.
Thomas could not start the second half and was replaced by Chris Hedworth.
Martin’s second of the game was a header he believes ‘Chris could have done a little bit better with because it wasn’t the greatest’.
Later on Hedworth dislocated his shoulder after a collision with the post meaning midfielder Peter Beardsley took the gloves.
Martin’s third goal was a penalty which he confessed was his favourite of the day.
West Ham’s usual penalty taker was Ray Stewart but Martin ‘wrestled’ the ball from his fellow defender as he pulled rank.
Talking about facing Beardsley in goal, Martin said: “When he was in goal, I remember looking at him and I was standing on the penalty spot and I put my thumb up in front of me and I couldn’t see him.
“He was that small. He was a tiny little figure. So I felt pretty confident that I was going to score.”
And defensive partner Tony Gale was delighted with his teammate’s treble.
He told West Ham: “Alvin got a hat-trick and the last one was a penalty.
“He took it off probably one of the best penalty takers West Ham have ever had, which was a bit of a liberty but I always call that not really a goal, because it was against Peter Beardsley!
“It was fabulous for Alvin.”
But not everyone was totally happy.
“I was absolutely gutted,” Tony Cottee added.
“We’d scored eight goals and I hadn’t scored one. I thought I’d let myself down and let my team down.
“It could’ve been double figures that night. We hit the post and had several chances and I was annoyed with myself that I hadn’t scored, I was delighted we won, but Frank scored one, Paul Goddard came on and scored one – it’s a striker thing I guess.”
West Ham, despite the impressive win could not claim the title though, finishing third on 84 points, four away from winners Liverpool.
