Martin Hinshelwood

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Martin Hinshelwood
Personal information
Full name	Martin Alan Hinshelwood
Date of birth	June 16, 1953 (age 53)
Place of birth	Reading, England
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Retired
Youth clubs
-1972	Crystal Palace
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1972-1977	Crystal Palace	85 (5)
Teams managed
2001 & 2002	Brighton & Hove Albion
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. * Appearances (Goals)

Martin Hinshelwood (born June 16, 1953) is an English former professional footballer and football club coach and manager. He is currently Director of Football at Brighton & Hove Albion.

Hinshelwood was born in Reading, but grew up in Croydon, and in 1969, (along with his brother Paul) played in the final of the London FA Schools Cup, watched by then Crystal Palace manager Arthur Rowe. Rowe was impressed, and the brothers were invited for trials with the club. Both performed well, and were taken on as apprentices.

Martin played in the centre of midfield, and quickly fought his way into the team, while his brother initially languished in the lower eschelons of the club.

Martin was part of the team that reached the Semi-final of the 1976 FA Cup, and played in the giant-killings of Leeds United, Chelsea, and of Sunderland (all away from home). In the Semi-final game, Third Division Palace were drawn against Second Division Southampton. Despite the Saints being a tier above the Eagles, Palace were cast as favourites. Martin would miss the game through injury, and some see this as the reason that Southampton beat Palace by two goals to nil.

That injury proved to dominate Martin's career, and it would eventually lead to him retiring from the game, in late 1977.

He went into management in later years at Palace's arch-rivals Brighton & Hove Albion. He originally began as the Youth Coach, but when Micky Adams departed following promotion, he was appointed caretaker manager, along with Bob Booker. Ex-Palace teammate Peter Taylor suceeded Adams, and guided Albion to another successive promotion. He too then left the manager's post, and this time Martin stepped up to the position on a full-time basis. Brighton were now in Division One, and Martin seemed to have a tough season ahead. However, after losing an amazing twelve games on the bounce, Martin was moved to Director of Football, and Steve Coppell came in as manager. Albion were relegated, though Coppell nearly achieved the impossible in keeping the club up. Martin remains Director of Football to this day.

Martin's family also have a strong footballing background. As well as his brother Paul, who would play for the England under-21 team, Martin's son Danny played professionally and his nephews (Paul's sons), Adam and Paul are both professionals at Brighton.

Preceded by Micky Adams	Brighton & Hove Albion caretaker manager (with Bob Booker) 2001	Succeeded by Peter Taylor
Preceded by Peter Taylor	Brighton & Hove Albion manager 2002	Succeeded by Steve Coppell