Clyde In Conversation: Martin Rennie
In the first of a new series, Media Team member Finn McDermott sat down with Bully Wee forward Martin Rennie to discuss a number of topics, including his unconventional path to senior football, a stint in Dublin, his time so far with Clyde, and his life away from the game.
The Beginning
After leaving the Dunfermline academy in his teens, Martin overcame personal challenges to build his career back up in the amateur and junior ranks…
“I was released from Dunfermline when I was around 15 or 16 and really fell into a bad way with football. I never stopped playing but I kind of gave up on it. My dad was ill for a long period of my life when I was young, and he died when I was 18, so I suffered when I was playing. For the last few years of my dad’s life, he was the only one that drove, so I couldn’t even travel anywhere.
“I went and played for Hillfield Swifts, just a boys club, and that was only because the pitch was like 200 yards from my mum’s house, so I just played and trained there. I eventually went back to under-21s, and during that time my dad passed away, so I struggled. But at around 19, I started going to the gym, for no real reason other than just to get fit, and I had a holiday with the boys coming up, Magaluf or something! I couldn’t believe how much my football, even at that level, started to improve. I really got addicted to the physical side, I had never realised how below par I was, but I just started to excel after.
“I went to Kirkcaldy YM, and later Lochgelly Albert, and when you are stuck at these levels, you are stuck. It’s normally like five guys and a dog watching the game. I had friends that played higher up the pyramid and they would always be saying, “how are you not playing at a higher level?”
“When I was at Kirkcaldy, I was really excelling and I knew I could go on further. I was actually at the point where I was looking on websites for trials throughout Scotland, which is crazy when I think now.
“I then had a season at Lochgelly where I was doing really well, and a new manager came in. The first thing he did was pull me aside and asked me why I was playing at this level. No one in charge of me had really said that before. I don’t know why he did this, but he went on to say that he didn’t want me there and he’d put a word in with the Cowdenbeath manager and get a few young lads on loan to replace me!
“But at the same time, I was training with Montrose. I had a friend who played for them, and I just asked if he could get me a trial, which he did. I jumped about six levels, from the 10th tier to 4th, which is just crazy.”
The Seniors
Aged 23, Martin was given his first taste of senior football when he joined Montrose in January 2018, and became a League 2 title winner a few months later…
“Did I feel a jump? Nerves-wise, yes. I was really, really nervous, and it affected me and I couldn’t play to the best of my ability. But the good thing was that Montrose allowed me to train with them for ages, I think for about two months, which was a really long trial, but I just got settled in and began to perform well in training. They didn’t actually offer me anything at first, and I was still with Lochgelly, training with both teams during the week, just because I was so desperate to get to a higher level. Cowdenbeath offered me a contract and I felt bad for Montrose because they had given me the platform to train for so long, so I just told them that Cowdenbeath were going to sign me, and if they were still interested in me they better act fast! I got a call back ten minutes later with a deal, I didn’t even care about the money, I just wanted to sign and play in the SPFL.
“I still remember the first proper game experience after I signed. Because it was such a huge jump, they wanted me to come up on a matchday, see what it is like and sit on the bench. It was against Clyde actually, and despite us being at the top of the table, we got comfortably beaten [a 3-1 victory in January 2018]. Anyway, after the game, the assistant manager came up to me and said we’ve got a friendly on Tuesday night, and if I do well, I’d get a game next Saturday. I scored a hat-trick before the first half finished!
“I came on the following week against Stirling Albion for my senior debut and ended up becoming the main striker towards the end of the season. I played with a guy, Chris Templeman, he was about 6’6” and just a great footballer. That was his last ever season and I played up front with him, and it really took the pressure off. I was the one running off him, feeding off him and we had a good relationship.
“I was very raw then, even though I wasn’t exactly young at 23, just because I had played so few senior games. In fact, I struggled to sleep in my first couple years playing, I was just nervous to let the team or manager down. I was frantic and a bit panicky, but my game was a lot more physical back then. The way I play now is completely different to the way I used to play. I used to run channels, mind you I’ve had injuries but still, my game then was more about physicality and strength.”
The Player
Rennie has proven to be a versatile player during his time at Clyde, but featured in even more positions during his younger days…
“I didn’t even play up front until I was 23. I’m perceived to be a striker but I never was! If you are left footed, you played on the left, so I played left-back and left-mid, as well as centre-mid when growing up. When I was at Lochelly, I was scoring lots of goals but they were all from left-back or the left wing. I think because they saw I scored so many goals, they presumed I was a striker!”
“If could go back, I would probably play as a centre-midfielder but I don’t know if I’m good enough to play there now! I used to play 5 and 7-a-side and I just like being on the ball and getting lots of touches. If you make a mistake as a striker, you could be waiting ten minutes to do something to get over it, whereas the likes of Ray Grant or Andy Murdoch, they touch the ball all the time so if they make a bad pass, they can make up with a tackle, making a run, or one simple pass.
“I am starting to go backwards on the field; I find myself more effective the further back the field I go, at least at Clyde, especially with the players we have. We’ve had Jordan Allan, who complimented me so well with his power and pace, and now we have Scott Williamson and Taylor Sutherland, so there is no point in me playing up front and them sitting on the bench. I understand why I don’t play up front but as long as I’m playing, I don’t care. When the manger picks me, I still get the same buzz.”
Across the Irish Sea
In January 2020, Martin’s impressive form at Links Park led to League of Ireland side St Patrick’s Athletic paying a five-figure sum for his services. But not long after his move to Dublin, COVID struck, and Martin returned to Montrose later that year…
“It was probably all too much for me, that’s why I didn’t stay. I had a decent job at the time but I had to take the opportunity to move. I used to work nightshift from ages 19-24, even working the Friday night before games and getting two or three hours of sleep before the game. I was finally able to get out of that, and I regret it slightly because I think I could have had a longer full-time career, I even left St Pats after a year despite having a two-year contract.
“It was a struggle personally, I think I just struggled with the transition being overseas. It might seem close geographically, but it didn’t feel it. It was just too much at the wrong time, especially with COVID.
“It started great, and between the January when I joined until the March, I was doing really well. But then Covid hit, and I got sent home. When I was home, I had feelings about not wanting to go back, especially because I wasn’t even getting paid. There was no furlough scheme, no payment from the club at all. So they technically asked us to come back via a gentleman’s agreement. I was considering a full-time club in Scotland, but I went back when I really shouldn’t have and ended up leaving a week before the end of the season.”
Joining Clyde
Martin signed for The Bully Wee in January 2023, with ex-Clyde favourite Pat Scullion playing a key role in his move. He has been a mainstay in the side since, even if there have been more downs than ups to date…
“After going back to Montrose I struggled with injuries, and I had a hernia which kept me out for about a year. I didn’t think I was ever going to get over the injury but Pat Scullion, who is a close friend of mine, told Jim Duffy about me and mentioned I was a decent player so he should have a look if interested! It turns out Jim was so he phoned me and offered me an 18-month deal.
“Clyde are a big club, I know we are struggling at the moment but that’s because the expectations are much higher than where we are. I think the standards of Clyde should easily be a couple of leagues above. So yeah, I was absolutely buzzing to go to Clyde. It was a step-up almost in my career, even if at that point we were in the relegation spots; I was delighted to join the club.
“It has been tough on the park but I have enjoyed my time; I enjoy playing, getting a lot of appearances and game time, and being part of the team. Getting relegated at the end of the first season was devastating, I didn’t know it would affect me as hard and badly as it did.
“It was an awful day, but very strange. It felt more of a shock, you don’t even realise what happened. We were so frustrated, we could and should have won but we had a lot of injuries with four or five important players injured in the play-offs. Cammy Salkeld and Kyle Doherty couldn’t play, and we lost three players in the final game through injury, all three subs used in the first half. I thought we were the best side in the playoffs, that’s what I was gutted about.
“I think Annan won their first leg 5-1 and could rest up, while we went to extra-time in our semi-final. Just playing four games of football in such a tight time frame, with all of us working, was just very hard. That was a sore one.
“The season after was a bit of a shambles, we never really got going that year, but I enjoyed it under Ian McCall, with his training and his intensity. It felt more serious.
“We just had too many good players, if that is a thing! If we had started well, this year could have been special, just win a game and take it from there but we just couldn’t work it out, who was going to be playing where. We tried everything, I spent a lot of time on the bench this season as we tried to figure out what to do, but I am glad that I’m playing more now.”
Firhill For Thrills
Martin’s favourite moment in a Clyde shirt so far came back in July, during the Premier Sports Cup victory over Partick Thistle. Whilst Logan Dunachie’s late header will live long in the memory of the Clyde faithful, then turn and cross from Martin to set up the goal shouldn’t be overlooked…
“The game against Partick Thistle was unreal, the winner was a great moment. Not just for me, but for Logan, at the time he was starting up front for the first time and it was just so exciting for everyone involved. I still think he’ll be a more than half decent striker given time! But that moment was special for everyone. The players, for the gaffer having been at Partick and especially the fans. I’d never seen so many and so loud; they filled the whole corner of the that stand! I just remember the weather was beautiful, it was a lovely sunny day and it was just a brilliant experience. It was a shame we didn’t get through!
“Another good moment was playing Stenhousemuir away last season; I think that might be my best day as a Clyde player. We won 6-1, I scored two goals, and I just felt like I couldn’t do anything wrong. Everything I touched worked, I was strong, I felt fast and probably should have scored more! That’s my best performance for Clyde, in my head anyway…”
The Day Job
Away from the game, Martin has forged a new career path for himself in the past year, becoming a barber, but can draw parallels from his day job and being a footballer…
“I’ve been barbering for a year, and it’s been so exciting. I’ve put a lot into my life for football. I’ve had a decent job but my main focus was always football, it just has to be when you are part-time. I hope fans understand that, we do put our football first, because the moment you don’t, you wouldn’t be able to play and dedicate yourself; the level of commitment has to be great.
“The good thing about barbering is that it is self-employed, so I can still focus on both football and my job. The job is great because the energy is just like a changing room, it’s literally called The Changing Room! And that’s what it’s about, what it’s meant to feel like. We cut hair for the Scotland rugby team, a lot of the Hibs and Hearts players, and others across the county. Even if I was injured, I would still look forward to being in the changing room at Clyde, because just being around the boys and their energy is amazing, you walk in and it lets you clear your problems and just feel better. That’s the type of energy we want to have with the Changing Room, it’s always a laugh and I’m really thankfully I’ll have that after football.”