ERNIE MACHIN

Born: 26 April 1944

Came from: Coventry City   Went to: Brighton & Hove Albion

First game: 23 December 1972   Last game: 01 May 1974

Appearances: 70 (70/0)   Goals: 7

Born in Walkden, a town in Salford, Greater Manchester, he began his career with Lancashire non-League side Nelson, the former Football League club. Developing into a midfielder while playing for Nelson, he had an unsuccessful trial with Bolton Wanderers, at the same time as a young Alan Ball, with neither player being signed. He did, however, go on to become one of Jimmy Hill's first signings as Coventry City manager in July 1962. The fee was a remarkable £50, paid to the Nelson chairman, with Hill agreeing ('for decency') to increase it by a further £200 'if he made the first team'.

It was a year before he made his debut, but he went on to spend a decade at Highfield Road, making 289 appearances and scoring 39 times. This figure would probably have been considerably higher had it not been for long-term knee problems. He made an outstanding start to the 1963-64 season, but a knee injury meant he missed the rest of the promotion campaign (from Division Three) and it also cost him an England under-23 call-up. He was also a key player in second Coventry promotion, from Division Two in 1966-67. After club stalwart George Curtis broke his leg, he also took over the captaincy in 1967.

In 1972, he also inadvertently became a trail-blazer when he became the first English footballer to successfully challenge a fine and suspension imposed by the Football Association (FA) in court. He had been sent off in a game for apparently kicking an opponent, but television evidence showed that he was innocent. Nevertheless, the FA noticed something else he had done and upheld the disciplinary action on that basis, without allowing him to present a defence. The courts ruled against the FA, and the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) subsequently established the right of players to legal representation in disciplinary cases, which remains to this day.

Machin moved to Home Park in December 1972 for £35,000, as a Tony Waiters signing on a three-year contract. He soon showed his class and intelligence, controlling games from midfield. His impact was borne out by the statistics; from August to December 1972, before he joined, Argyle managed only six wins and amassed just 16 points from 21 matches. In the 25 matches up to the end of the season after he joined, Argyle won 14 and lost just five, obtaining 34 points and finishing eighth in the Third Division.

In two seasons at Home Park, he played 70 times and scored seven goals, and was named Player of the Season in his only full season with the club, in 1973-74.

Much to the dismay of the fans, however, he requested a transfer and moved to league rivals Brighton & Hove Albion for £30,000. After two years at the Goldstone Ground, where he played 64 times and scored twice, he retired from the game and moved into coaching, initially with former club Coventry City's youth team. This did not work out, however, and he left football to work for Carbodies, formerly The London Taxi Company, which manufactured the iconic black taxis in Coventry, and later for Massey Ferguson.

Despite his relatively short stay at Argyle, Machin made such an impression that he was named in the club's Team of the Century in 2004 and inducted into the club's Hall of Fame. He is also regarded as a legend by Coventry City and was included in their Hall of Fame.

Sadly, Ernie passed away in July 2012, in his adopted home of Coventry, aged 68, after several years of poor health. He had, however, been able to attend a reunion of City's 1966-67 promotion team in 2007, as well as the Coventry City Former Players' Association (CCFPA) Legends' Days in 2011 and, latterly, 2012, shortly before his death.