GoS: Player Details

MARTIN PHILLIPS

Born: 13 March 1976

Came from: Portsmouth Went to: Released

First game: 12 August 2000 Last game: 17 April 2004

Appearances: 131 (105/26) Goals: 12

'Buster’ began his career as a trainee with Exeter City and showed such potential that, after less than 18 months in the first team, he moved to Manchester City for £500,000. His manager at Maine Road, Alan Ball, famously predicted that Phillips would become the first £10 million footballer. However, the Exeter-born winger was unable to establish himself in City’s first team and, following loan spells with Scunthorpe United and back at Exeter, was sold to Portsmouth. He again struggled to secure a regular first-team place and, after a loan spell with Bristol Rovers, joined Argyle from Portsmouth for £25,000 in August 2000.

Phillips scored his first goal for Argyle on 10th March 2001 in a 3-0 home victory over league leaders Chesterfield. He went on to play a major role in Argyle’s 2001-02 Division Three title-winning season. One of his most memorable performances came against his former club Exeter City on the evening of 18th September 2001, in his 50th Football League appearance for the Pilgrims. Phillips opened the scoring after just five minutes, but a fiercely contested Devon derby saw Argyle trail 2-1 at half-time. He then supplied a superb cross for Mickey Evans to head the equaliser before, in the 90th minute, turning the Exeter defence inside-out and delivering a pinpoint cross from the right for Ian Stonebridge to head home and secure a dramatic 3-2 victory.

Phillips made over 130 appearances for Argyle during his four seasons at Home Park, primarily on the wing. Injury problems limited his involvement as Argyle won the 2003-04 Division Two championship, and he was released at the end of the season. He subsequently joined Torquay United, completing a full set of Devon professional clubs. After two productive seasons at Plainmoor, he was severely hampered by chronic fatigue syndrome, which eventually forced him to retire.

Following his retirement, Phillips coached at Argyle’s Centre of Excellence and with Exeter City’s Football in the Community scheme before joining The FA Skills Programme in 2010.

YOUR CONTRIBUTION

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From Ed Lockett in Cardiff on 14 Aug 2019 ...

Buster was somebody I loved having in our team. His wing play was brilliant to watch, one on one with a defender chances are he would come out on top and with him in the side I always felt he would create chances. His control of the ball when dribbling was rarely seen in other players and I loved his ability to put over a cross without breaking stride.

After winning Man of the Match on one occasion, Des in the announcement box introduced him as Buster Edwards! Cue some slight confusion and jokes that it should have been Ronnie Biggs!

APPEARANCE DETAILS [reselect competitions]

The details below reflect appearances in all first-team competitions.

We are very grateful to many who have helped write GoS-DB's player pen-pictures, and to Dave Rowntree and the PAFC Media Team for their help with photos. Thanks also to staff at the National Football Museum, the Scottish Football Museum and ScotlandsPeople for their valuable assistance.

The following publications have been particularly valuable in the research of pen-pictures: Plymouth Argyle, A Complete Record 1903-1989 (Brian Knight, ISBN 0-907969-40-2); Plymouth Argyle, 101 Golden Greats (Andy Riddle, ISBN 1-874287-47-3); Football League Players' Records 1888-1939 (Michael Joyce, ISBN 1-899468-67-6); Football League Players' Records 1946-1988 (Barry Hugman, ISBN 1-85443-020-3) and Plymouth Argyle Football Club Handbooks.