Keates showed me a lack of loyalty, says Shaymen summer signing Martin Riley

By Sam Elliott
MARTIN RILEY has to have seven stitches in his first appearance of the season, three more on the other leg on his return but it is still his summer exit from Wrexham which hurts the most.
FC Halifax couldn’t believe their luck when they got their hands on the 30-year-old this summer after the Red Dragons Player of the Year was released in May.
Billy Heath didn’t hang around and got his hands on the reliable centre-back within days – but Riley is more than happy to see the back of August.
The defender said: “I’m so glad September is here as August has been a total nightmare for me. It’s been one thing after another.
“I was forced to miss the first game of the season against Aldershot so I was desperate to get out on the pitch at Barrow in my first game. But after 15 minutes I had to come off. I needed seven stitches – the gash was deep. I uploaded a picture on twitter, it isn’t for the faint hearted!
“I didn’t train and the gaffer asked me how I was feeling before the Solihull Moors game a few weeks later and I was back in action, even without training. It was in at the deep end but I was needed, and we got a great win.
“But my comeback only last 40 minutes. I was the victim of what I can only describe as the worst tackle I have ever been on the end of. I needed more stitches, so both my legs have been in the wars.
“The swelling in my knee hasn’t gone down yet and I’m not too sure when I’ll be back, but one thing is for sure August has been a total disaster and things can only get better now September is here!”
His season has lasted a grand total of 65 minutes but Riley knows how to contend with body blows.
The former Tranmere Rovers, Mansfield and Kidderminster player lost a bit of faith in football at the end of last season.
Fresh from scooping awards after another good season at the Racecourse Ground, the Wrexham fans’ favourite was told he was surplus to requirements and would not be offered a new deal.
That decision still stings – and although looking forward to finally getting going properly with the Shaymen’s bid for the play-offs Riley accepts it made him look at the game a little differently.
“It wasn’t an easy thing to hear and I had trouble digesting it,” said Riley, who has had two different spells with the Red Dragons.
“It wasn’t about money. There were some reports that I refused to take a pay cut which was not true. There wasn’t an offer of any kind put to me and even now it is very disappointing.
“If left a sour taste in the mouth and it’s a shame Dean Keates, who was my captain at the club before too, didn’t talk to me about it.

“I was the Player of the Year, the club didn’t have the best of season but I thought I had given my all as I always do. Wrexham meant a lot to me.
“Loyalty is a two way street. A lot of the time footballers are accused of this, that and the other but sometimes the clubs and the manager show a lack of loyalty and should look at themselves.
“I used to look up to and respect him (Keates) and that’s what made the whole thing even more difficult.”
Halifax, though, are improving – even without their summer signing.
“The last few results have been really encouraging and we are settling down now,” said Riley. “Now we’ve got to keep building on that and hopefully I’ll be able to join in before too long and be a part of it.
“I’m really enjoying my time at Halifax despite the problems I have had I can’t wait to get back out there. Hopefully it won’t be too long.”