Player-Manager Profile

Martin had two spells at Swindon, the first was in 1986/1987, where he made just two appearances before being transferred to Southend, after being unable to come to terms with Lou Macari's long ball style.

Ossie Ardiles brought him back to the club during 1990/1991, but it was under Glenn Hoddle that he really blossomed, and his best season for Swindon was in the promotion-winning year of 1992/1993, when he missed just three games. His good form resulted in him being named the "Carling Candidate", an award for the player of each team considered to be the most important for the forthcoming Premiership season.

Unfortunately, Ling never lived up to this billing - he was too lightweight for the Premiership - and he never really regained his form after that. After the Premier season, he stayed at the club for two more seasons, when his first team chances became more and more limited. He left at the end of the 1995/1996 season, after making just sixteen appearances during the Second Division championship campaign.

Managerial Record

Playing Record

Senior

Reserve and Youth Team Appearances

Note that appearance data for reserve and youth teams may not be complete. Expand for more information.

Career details

Club	Details
Exeter City Exeter City	(apprentice) January 13th, 1984 (signed professional contract); transferred out (July 14th, 1986)
Swindon Town Swindon	July 14th, 1986 (transferred in , £25,000 plus 50% of future profit); transferred out (October 16th, 1986)
Southend United Southend United	October 16th, 1986 (transferred in , £15,000 ); transferred out (July 15th, 1991)
Mansfield Town Mansfield Town	January 24th, 1991 (loan)
Swindon Town Swindon	March 28th, 1991 (loan)
Swindon Town Swindon	July 15th, 1991 (transferred in , £15,000 ); released (1995/6)
Leyton Orient Leyton Orient	July 23rd, 1996 (unattached)
Swindon Town Swindon	January 7th, 2000 (trial)
Brighton and Hove Albion Brighton	March 23rd, 2000 (non-contract)
Leyton Orient Leyton Orient	June 1st, 2000 (player-coach)
Purfleet Purfleet	2000 (loan)
Purfleet Purfleet	December 2000 (loan)
Purfleet Purfleet
Leyton Orient Leyton Orient	(youth coach)  (assistant manager) September 28th, 2003 (caretaker manager) December 2003 (appointed manager); by mutual consent (January 18th, 2009)
Hibernian Hibernian	2009 (scout)
Cambridge United Cambridge United	rptd July 27th, 2009 (appointed manager); resigned (rptd August 4th, 2009) rptd August 12th, 2009 (appointed manager); sacked (rptd February 1st, 2011)
Torquay United Torquay United	June 13th, 2011 (appointed manager); sacked (rptd April 29th, 2013)
Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham	January 2014 (foundation coach)
AFC Hornchurch AFC Hornchurch	July 2014 (coach)
Walsall Walsall	(scout)
Swindon Town Swindon	November 3rd, 2015 (appointed manager); resigned (December 29th, 2015)
Leyton Orient Leyton Orient	June 24th, 2017 (appointed director of football)