I'd love to stay, says Martin

David Cuffley

Defender Russell Martin has set his sights on a quick promotion double after joining Norwich City on loan.

The Peterborough United full-back has signed for the Canaries until January 4 - his 24th birthday - and makes no secret of the fact that he would welcome the chance to make the move permanent.

Martin captained Posh to runners-up spot as an ever-present in League One last season, his first at London Road after a move from Wycombe Wanderers, where he played under City boss Paul Lambert and first team coach Ian Culverhouse as they reached the League Two play-offs in 2007-08.

The Brighton-born right-back is eligible for Johnstone's Paint Trophy and FA Cup duty and goes straight into the squad for Saturday's FA Cup second round trip to Carlisle, but it is the chance to play his part in another promotion challenge that appeals most.

Said Martin: “I've got a month to impress and, I hope, stake a claim for a permanent place. Fingers crossed, I'll do enough to do that.

“This club is stuck in a league it shouldn't be in with the facilities and the fan base. It's a Premier League club and I hope I can help them take the next step this season and go from there.

“I worked with the gaffer and Ian for two years at Wycombe, so they know what I'm about and I know how they work and I really enjoyed it. So to come and join them again at such a big club is just great for me.

“Norwich's start to the season is well documented but since the gaffer's come in, the club has momentum, and it's what we had last year at Peterborough. We didn't start well at all but we picked up and went on runs. If we lost a game, we then went and won the next one, we didn't lose two on the bounce - and that's exactly what they've done here.”

Martin is halfway through a three-year deal with Peterborough after signing in May 2008, but his last appearance came four weeks ago in a 5-2 Carling Cup defeat at Blackburn. Since then, manager Darren Ferguson has departed, to be replaced by Mark Cooper.

“The new manager's come in now, he might have his own plans, and I knew of interest from here,” said Martin. “I went to see Barry Fry and said I wanted to come here and play some football and he was really honest about it and said 'If that's how you feel, we'll try to get it done' and the two clubs have worked really hard over the past two days to do it.

“I haven't had a competitive game for three or four weeks now so I'm desperate to get back involved, whether it be on the bench or playing. I'm not expecting to come in and start straightaway because the boys are playing really well, but I can't wait to get started.”

Lambert did not rule out another new arrival before today's loan deadline, after which he must wait until the January transfer window to add to his squad.

“I hope we'll get one or two more in to give the current group a hand,” he said.

“We're trying at the moment to do something. Whether it happens you'll have to wait and see.”

With Jon Otsemobor the only fit right-back in his senior squad, Lambert was delighted to bring in Martin.

He said: “I've known him from when I was at Wycombe and he did brilliantly for me, and he moved on to Peterborough and did even better.

“The big thing for me is I know what I'm getting. I watched him week in, week out, and I know him as a person, as a character in the dressing room so it's not as if I'm going into the unknown.

“The character of a footballer has got to be that they're humble and they're modest about their own career - even though he's done really well and he's been involved in a promotion, which is great. He knows how to win. I think we needed some help, as everybody knows, in the right-back area.”

Russell Martin fact file

Born: January 4, 1986

Birthplace: Brighton

Height: 6ft

Position: Right-back

Clubs: Brighton 2003-04, Wycombe 2004-08 (142 apps, 5 goals), Peterborough 2008-09 (66 apps, 1 goal).

Honours: League One runner-up, 2008-09