Martin Rennie (football manager)

Rennie Martin is a Scottish born footballer (soccer player) and manager who has played and coached in the United States and Europe over the last 10 years. He is one of the youngest-ever coaches to attain the UEFA ‘A’ License and is also one of the youngest coaches to coach at the semi-professional level in Scotland.

In all, Martin has attained more than 12 qualifications from the Scottish Football Association or UEFA, including the prestigious Youth License. Rennie is one of only a small number of candidates who has ever been awarded both the UEFA ‘A’ License and the Youth License. He has worked very successfully as the Head Coach of the Cascade Surge (PDL Team) where he won the Division Championship & Fair-Play Award in the season he coached the team (2005). The team also qualified for the US Open Cup for the only time in its 12 year history.

After returning to Scotland to play and coach in 2006, Rennie returned to become the Head Coach of the Cleveland City Stars.

In 2007, Martin was recognized as the Coach of the Year in the USL-D2 for his work as the Head Coach of the Cleveland City Stars. During the Cleveland City Stars inaugural year in 2007, Rennie led the team to a regular season with only one defeat while conceding just 14 goals in the entire season. This success was continued in the 2008 season when the Cleveland City Stars, in only their second season in the league, became the USL-D2 Champions.

What makes the Championship winning season in 2008 even more incredible is the fact that following the teams success in 2007 more than three quarters of the regular starting line up were transferred to professional teams at a higher level overseas or in the MLS. Rennie has been able to help young players develop their game very quickly and as a result has helped more than 15 players in the last two years go further in their soccer careers. In the championship game of 2008 only 5 players on the 18 man roster were with the team in 2007. In his time in charge of the Cleveland City Stars the franchise has won the following honors:

Coach of the Year Executive of the Year Defender of the Year x 2 GK statistic leader x2 Rookie Franchise of the year Marketing Excellence award 2008 USL- D2 Champions

Bio source: Carolina RailHawks press release