Orthoptist one minute, Raider the next

Jordan Reynolds must look at Dale Martin and think 'We've done a good job there'.

No matter where he plays, the 25-year-old orthoptist can be relied upon to do a good job and as Raiders prepare to welcome promotion hopefuls Westcombe Park to Footes Lane this Saturday, Martin is sure to be running out at the start of a big month for the local team who play three times at home in January.

When you have a small squad, which Raiders still suffer from, possessing versatile players is a big bonus and the man from Lancashire has been one of the more versatile.

Happy in the back row where he is most often found, he might also crop up from time to time on the wing.

Big, strong and fast, he is developing well in the Raiders structure and he is enjoying it.

Martin was born in Blackpool and aged 11 he moved to the King Edward VII and Queen Mary School in Lytham.

'I started playing rugby in secondary school where I was mostly in the B team and a bit of a wimp.

'I took until sixth form before I started to man up and ended up playing for my school first team,' he said.

'But whilst at Liverpool University I took a time out from rugby to play basketball indoors where it's warmer. It wasn't until I moved to Guernsey after uni following getting a job here, that I started playing again.

'I've now been playing for the club for a third season.'

Read Rob Batiste's full interview with Dale Martin and Jordan Reynolds' assessment of him as a player in today's Guernsey Press