Martin Burleigh

Burleigh was born in Willington, County Durham.[2] He played football for his local club, Willington A.F.C., before joining Newcastle United as a 17-year-old on amateur forms in October 1968. He replaced the injured Dave Clarke in a strong Newcastle team for Barrie Thomas's testimonial match in November,[3][4] and turned professional in December.[5] Burleigh was a member of the Newcastle United youth team that won the 1969 Rotterdam International Youth Tournament, defeating Arsenal's youngsters in the final.[6]

He made his first-team debut on 26 December 1970, in a 3–0 defeat away to Leeds United in the First Division,[7] and Leeds' manager, Don Revie, was complimentary: "I thought he had a fine game. He had no chance with the goals. Some of the saves he made showed he has a fine future ahead of him".[8] Burleigh had to wait over a year before making another senior appearance; his home debut came on 8 January 1972 in a 4–2 league victory over Coventry City.[9]

An injury to undisputed first-choice goalkeeper Iam McFaul in February 1973 allowed Burleigh a run of games in the first team,[10][9] which ended when his left index finger was broken by a kick from Mick Channon during a 1–1 draw away to Southampton and he was ruled out for the rest of the season.[11][12] A dispute with manager Joe Harvey stemming from his return to pre-season training seriously overweight caused him to walk out of the club.[13] He returned, but played only twice more, the last of his 15 first-team appearances for Newcastle coming on 11 May 1974 against Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park.[9] When he again reported overweight for the 1974–75 season, the club threatened to cancel his contract, at which point he resigned and considered joining the RAF.[14]

The club retained Burleigh's Football League registration, loaned him to Fourth Division club Darlington in October 1974,[15] and made the transfer permanent in December for a fee reported as £3,000 plus 50% of the profit on any future sale.[16] He spent that season as Darlington's first-choice goalkeeper, and then moved on to Carlisle United, newly relegated to the Second Division, in June 1975.[2] Although a transfer request was accepted in November that same year,[17] Burleigh remained with Carlisle until 1977. He then returned to Darlington for a further two-year spell,[2] in the first of which he was the club's player of the season.[18] He finished his professional career with three seasons at Fourth Division Hartlepool United, for whom he made 96 appearances in all competitions,[19] before moving into non-league football in 1982 with Bishop Auckland,[2] and then playing for Spennymoor United and Langley Park.[20]

After his professional football career ended, Burleigh worked as a painter and decorator based in Ferryhill, County Durham.[10] He died on 27 September 2021 at the age of 70.[21]

In September 2022 a memorial bench was unveiled by The Toon Legends Club at The Manor House, Ferryhill

Newcastle United

• Anglo-Italian Cup: 1973[22]