WHEN Charlie Martin turned out for the Bulls in a pre-season friendly against Leeds back in January, he was hopeful of earning a full-time deal at Odsal.

The former Castleford player scored with his first touch after coming off the bench in Jamie Peacock’s testimonial game at Headingley.

Martin’s try was disallowed for a forward pass, but he impressed in his brief cameo and looked a reasonable bet to become a fully-fledged Bradford player.

The 22-year-old had taken two weeks off work from his job at the City & Guilds in Wakefield in order to undertake the trial.

He was desperate to return to the full-time ranks after making six Super League appearances for Castleford in 2013 before being released in March 2014.

In the end, with the Bulls well stocked with back-rowers and limited by salary cap restrictions, no deal was forthcoming.

To make matters worse, he lost his job at the City & Guilds.

Martin explained: “I took two weeks off work to go on trial at Bradford after Christmas and I got sacked as a result of that in the end.

“The company I was working for turned round to me and said ‘you’re obviously more dedicated to your rugby than you are to your job’.

“I was still on probation at the time and they said ‘you’ve had two weeks off and we need people in the office’.

“At that time it was still up in the air whether I would be offered a deal by the Bulls and I was running outside to answer my phone every two minutes.

“I could understand where they were coming from but my heart was in trying to go full-time in rugby again.

“It was disappointing it didn’t work out at Bradford because they’re a good club with a great set of lads and I learnt an awful lot from Jimmy Lowes during my time there.

“It was a bit gutting and I don’t know quite what their decision came down to in the end.”

Martin, a positive person by nature, harbours no bitterness towards the Bulls.

After his trial spell at Odsal came to nothing, the Wakefield lad ended up joining Hunslet but fell out of favour with Barry Eaton’s side towards the end of the season.

He has signed for Keighley ahead of the 2016 campaign and the move has reunited him with Paul March.

Martin played six times for Keighley under March during a spell on dual-reg from Castleford in 2013 and has known the Cougars boss since childhood.

Since leaving Castleford at the end of the 2013 season, Martin has played for Batley, Huddersfield RUFC and been on trial at Bradford before his spell at Hunslet last term.

Reflecting on his nomadic career, Martin said: “I’ve probably been around more clubs than Tigers Wood in the past couple of years!

“I want to get back to enjoying my rugby and Marchy has always looked after me since I was about 12.

“He used to help out at Thornhill Trojans, which is my old amateur club, so I’ve known him a long time.

“I used to watch him when he was at Wakefield with his brother David, so it has been a case of where I would be happy playing my rugby.

“I’ve not played much in the past couple of years, and have been in and out.

“But you want to be playing as much as you can and enjoying yourself at the same time. That is ultimately what the game is all about.”

Martin has dreams of returning to play in a full-time environment but his overriding priority is to help Cougars to promotion.

He added: “I’m quite a positive person when it comes to my rugby.

“I just want to play as well as I can and help Keighley get promoted back to the Championship.

“I’m working in Leeds now in a customer service job and they have been really good to me with my hours in terms of allowing me to get over to Keighley for training during the week. It’s steady away.”

Cougars began pre-season training last Tuesday and Martin said: “Everyone seemed to gel straight away, even though it was largely fitness testing.

“I went to a few Cougars game last season and the squad is staying largely the same with a number of very good players having been added.

“Personally, I’d like to nail down a place in the second row but I’m happy to play anywhere.

“I’m feeling a lot fitter and healthier than I was last year. I’m keen to impress.”