Martin Garratt

Garratt playing for York City in 1998
Personal information
Full name	Martin Blake George Garratt[1]
Date of birth	(1980-02-22)22 February 1980[1]
Place of birth	York, England
Date of death	24 October 2014(2014-10-24) (aged 34)
Place of death	Middlesbrough, England
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Position(s)	Midfielder[1]
Youth career
1996–1998	York City
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2000	York City	45	(1)
2000	Mansfield Town	6	(0)
2000	St Patrick's Athletic	3	(0)
2000–2001	Lincoln City	2	(0)
2001	→ Hednesford Town (loan)	2	(0)
2002	North Ferriby United
Total		58	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Martin Blake George Garratt (22 February 1980 – 24 October 2014) was an English professional footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League for York City, Mansfield Town and Lincoln City.^[1]

Born in York, Garratt grew up in Middlesbrough and he joined the York City youth system in 1996, turning professional in 1998.^[3] He made his first-team debut in a 3–0 defeat to Preston North End on 8 August 1998.^[4] He finished the 1998–99 season with 44 appearances and one goal.^[5] He trained with Leeds United after the end of the season.^[3] He was sacked by York after experiencing personal problems and he was signed by Mansfield Town in 2000.^[6][3] He made his debut in a 1–0 defeat to Barnet and he finished the 1999–2000 season with six appearances for Mansfield.^[7][8] He went on to play for Irish club St Patrick's Athletic, where he made three appearances,^[9] before returning to England with Lincoln City in December.^[10] He made his debut in a 3–1 victory over Blackpool in the Football League Trophy on 9 January 2001.^[11] After making two further appearances for Lincoln he joined Football Conference club Hednesford Town on loan in March.^[6][9] He made his debut in a 4–2 defeat to Doncaster Rovers and he finished the loan spell with two appearances.^[12][13] He joined North Ferriby United in August 2002.^[14]

Described as a "skilful left sided player",^[3] he was able to play as a left midfielder and a left back.^[9] York manager Alan Little said of him: "He's like a steam train. He just keeps going. His ability to get about the park has been amazing".^[15]

As of April 2008, Garratt was under an anti-social behaviour order in Middlesbrough.^[16] Prior to his death, he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.^[17]

Garratt died on 24 October 2014 in Middlesbrough. Police officers were called by ambulance service colleagues, to an address in Middlesbrough, on the evening of 24 October, to check on a man who had been taken seriously ill. The ambulance service subsequently reported that he had died. Following an investigation, officers deemed Garratt's death as not suspicious.^[18] Garratt's death was later determined as having been caused by effects of alcohol and prescribed drugs.^[17]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Martin Garratt.

• Martin Garratt at Soccerbase