THE former chaplain to Motherwell Football Club has been celebrating 70 years as a minister.

Rev James Martin, who is 96, was ordained in April 1946 by the presbytery of Irvine and Kilmarnock.

He served as minister at Newmilns West from 1946 until 1954 before moving to High Carntyne Church in Glasgow where he remained until he retired.

The keen football fan also served for many years at Motherwell FC.

To mark the anniversary, a group of ministers from Hamilton presbytery made a surprise visit and presented him with a cake and a certificate to mark the occasion.

Mr Martin was also a prolific writer and during his career wrote 30 books and numerous columns for Life and Work magazines and regularly had his services broadcast on the BBC’s Sunday Service programme.

Presbytery clerk Rev Gordon McCracken said: “Dr Martin is remarkable for a man of his age. He is keenly interested in everything that is going on and he was delighted that the presbytery had recognised his achievement. 

“I think he thought it might have slipped by unnoticed.
“Dr Martin is truly a man of the people. He is very well known and beloved in Motherwell which is where he grew up. 

“He did not have a privileged upbringing and came from a family that included steel workers and he has never lost touch with ordinary people.

“I remember being in a junior section of the Boys’ Brigade when I was about 10 and Rev Martin was taking a service for broadcast on Songs of Praise. 

“He had children running around playing follow my leader and created a very family friendly atmosphere in church long before it was fashionable. 

“In that way he was definitely ahead of his time.

“For a long time Dr Martin was chaplain to Motherwell Football Club and he still loves the club although he can’t get along to Fir Park nowadays. 

“His connection with the club began when he played football himself and started training with the players at a time when Motherwell had only two professionals. 

“As everyone at the club got to know him he was asked to take services –baptisms, funerals, marriages –and over the years he just grew into the role of club chaplain.”