Inspirational Banbury man helps England secure victory at European Transplant Football Championships

Adam Martin made history when he played as a goalkeeper for the England team that won the competition held at Radley College, Oxford (April 2-6).

The Banbury goalkeeper’s save of a free-kick in the final game against Italy, in a 1-0 win, ensured that the host nation claimed the trophy.

Aside from defeating Italy, England also saw off teams from Wales, Spain, Ireland and Scotland on their way to victory.

Adam said: “The final game was tough; breaking down the Italian team was quite hard.

“So, to score in the last minute of the game was a huge sigh of relief, and a lot of emotions were released.

“We went from being tense and nervous to completely overjoyed in the space of a minute; it was unreal.”

Adam was a part of the 15-strong England team that was based around Oxford for the duration of the tournament.

The teams, which were all made up of organ transplant recipients, played seven-a-side matches of 40 minutes.

Adam said: “Our toughest opposition in the tournament was probably Spain, who we lost to in the World Cup last year.”

Tragically, only four days after the win, England midfielder Nick Miller, who played alongside Adam at the World Cup and European Championships, sadly died.

Adam said: “We want to carry on playing and winning future tournaments in memory of Nick, who was a great person.”

A keen player in his younger days at King’s Sutton FC, Adam stopped playing in his mid-20s to concentrate on family and work.

Adam was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2018 and was prescribed steroids and immunosuppressants to build up his immune system.

In 2022, Adam was given the bad news that he had kidney failure and should find a relative who could provide a kidney transplant.

Thankfully Adam’s older sister was a perfect match for the transplant, and he was able to undergo a kidney transplant in 2023.

At this point recovery from the surgery was a priority, and Adam believed he would never step foot on a football pitch again.

However, a chance meeting with Daley Cross, the manager of the England transplant football team at a clinic in Oxford, opened a path that Adam never thought possible.

Two years on, Adam has played in goal at the inaugural Transplant World Cup and been a part of the Transplant European Championships winning team.

He said: “I never thought I would be doing this. When Daley Cross first approached me about playing, I was dubious. I thought it wasn’t proper football and you couldn’t have contact with each other, but I was totally wrong.

“And now to be able to represent the England team and win a major tournament is quite something, and I’m proud.

Adam hopes that England’s victory can be an inspiration to all people who have undergone a transplant.

He said: “Hopefully, what we have done in the last 12 months can inspire younger players in the transplant community.

“All of us have been through a similar experience and have been given the gift of life, so to be able to demonstrate what transplantation can do and the benefits of organ donation is special.”