Martin Joseph Bayly (born 14 September 1966) is a Irish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Bayly later became a football manager.

[edit] Personal life

Martin Joseph Bayly was born on 14 September 1966 in Dublin; his older brother is fellow player Ritchie Bayly.

[edit] Career

[edit] Club career

Bayly began his professional career as a youth player with local side Little Bray and English team Wolverhampton Wanderers. Bayly made his senior debut on 21 April 1984 in a 0-3 loss to Ipswich Town in the First Division, the first of seven consecutive appearances. He won the club's Young Player of the Year Award for the season, but made just three further appearances in the 1984–85 season before being released in the summer.^[1] In total, Bayly made a total of ten appearances in the Football League for Wolves.^[2]

Bayly was then briefly on the books at Coventry City before returning to his native Ireland to join Sligo Rovers. Bayly won the PFAI Young Player of the Year Award in 1987.^[3]

While at Sligo, Bayly played in the last ever game at Glenmalure Park in April 1987. Bayly then guested for Shamrock Rovers in a tournament in South Korea in June 1987, before moving to Derry City in 1988. After a year in Spain with UE Figueres, Bayly returned to Ireland to play with a number of clubs including St Patrick's Athletic, Derry City, St James's Gate, Athlone Town and Monaghan United, before signing with Shamrock Rovers in May 1992.^[4] Bayly was relased by Shamrock Rovers in January 1993,^[5] and, after a brief spell with Home Farm, he signed for Linfield

[edit] International career

Bayly appeared for Ireland in the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship.^[6] He also represented the League of Ireland in the 1988 Summer Olympics qualifiers.

[edit] Honours

• Irish League
  • Linfield 1992/93

• PFAI Young Player of the Year
  • Sligo Rovers - 1986/87

[edit] References