In our new series at Everything Orient, we take a look at ex-Orient players and see where their careers have taken them since their departure from Brisbane Road.
Before there was Marvin Ekpiteta there was another Big Marv at the Os. Marvin Bartley played 57 games for the Orient over 2 seasons before moving on to Scottish football with Hibernian.
I always quite liked Bartley when he played for the Os and thought he was a bit unfortunate not to get more game time – vying as he was at the time for a place in centre midfield against Lloyd James, John Lundstram and (most directly) the bearded legend that is Romain Vincelot. So, living in Edinburgh as I do, I was intrigued to see how he would do when he made the move to Hibernian, then in the Scottish Championship, following his departure from the Os.
Having numerous friends and workmates who were Hibees fans also provided considerable opportunity for gentle ribbing about him having to take a step down to revive his career after he left Brisbane Road!
Born in Reading, Bartley started his career in the youth set up at his home town club but was released at 16 without playing any senior games. A few years of kicking around local non-league teams (often with one or both of his brothers) gave him the chance to show enough promise for Eddie Howe to take a punt on him and sign him for Bournemouth in 2007 following a 2 week trial.
Bartley made his debut for the Cherries on 1stDecember 2007 as a late sub in an FA Cup defeat to Millwall and his full debut towards the end of the next month in a 3-1 win at Port Vale. He played regularly for Bournemouth for the rest of the season, racking up 21 appearances and scoring his first goal for the club in a 2-2 draw with Cheltenham Town. Sadly his efforts were not enough to prevent the Cherries from being relegated to League 2. Big Marv played regularly for Bournemouth for another 2 ½ seasons – helping the club achieve promotion back to League 1 in 2009-10, securing 113 appearances in total and a mighty 3 goals!
Bartley clearly had a strong bond with Eddie Howe as, after his Manager’s move to then Championship side Burnley in January 20010, he was the subject of a bid of around £350,000 and forced through a move to the Clarets to join him. Bartley’s career at Turf Moor started brightly and despite only making 5 appearances during the remainder of the 2010-11 season he featured regularly during the next season, making 43 appearances in total and scoring 3 goals. However, following the departure of Eddie Howe back to Bournemouth in October 2012 and the arrival of Sean Dyche Bartley found himself increasingly marginalised and he made only 24 appearances during the 2012-13 season.
A loan move appeared to be the best option for Bartley to get some game time and so he joined Orient on 1stAugust 2013, initially on a 1 month deal. Following the Os unbelievable start to that season (I still have to pinch myself sometimes that it really happened!) his loan deal was extended until the end of January. Despite not featuring that regularly Russell Slade clearly rated him highly enough to consider him an important squad member, providing cover for Vincelot and James when necessary. That resulted in his Burnley contract being terminated by mutual consent and Bartley joining the Os on a permanent deal on 31stJanuary 2014.
Marvin continued to be an important squad member as the Os pushed for promotion – making a total of 22 appearances in all competitions and scoring 2 league goals. However, Bartley was an unused substitute during the play-off semi-finals against Peterborough and then again in the agonising play-off final defeat to the Alex Revell inspired Rotherham. Becoming an unused substitute in finals became an unfortunate habit for Bartley as subsequent events will demonstrate!
Despite a couple of injuries himself Bartley featured more regularly for the Os in the following season, standing in for the injured Vincelot and making 34 appearances in total and scoring 1 goal. Sadly we all recall how that season ended under Loony Liverani and B****** Becchetti and, following relegation to League 2 Bartley left the Os in the summer of 2015.
A move to then Scottish Championship side Hibernian on a 2 year deal in July 2015 promised a new start for Bartley and prompted increased interest in the Hibees matches by myself. My quizzing of Easter Road season ticket holders at my work elicited the observations that he “seemed to be decent” if not “quite the finished article” but universal agreement that he was certainly a “unit” who imposed himself on the opposition midfield given the chance. Big Marv established himself as an important squad member for Hibs that season – if not quite a first choice. He went on to make 36 appearances in all competitions in his first season as the Hibees missed out on promotion via the play-offs.
However, Bartley secured his name in Hibs history by playing an important role in the side’s run to Hampden that same season where they secured their first Scottish Cup win in 114 years against Rangers. Sadly Bartley had to deal with the disappointment again of being an unused substitute in the final – giving a candid interview to BBC Scotland after the game saying how difficult he had found the experience of learning that he would be on the bench and then having to gather himself to be ready to be called upon when needed.
That honesty and willingness to do what’s needed for the team have stood Bartley in good stead as he has gone on to become an established and important member of the Hibs team over the subsequent 2 seasons. He enjoyed some extended runs in the starting line-up in the league in 2016-17, notching up 28 league appearances and 36 in total as Hibs secured the Championship title and promotion back to the SPL.
Bartley’s contract was extended over the summer and this season he has again displayed his dependability and has made 26 appearances in the league as the Hibees have enjoyed a good start back to life in the Scottish top flight with the side currently 4thand challenging Aberdeen and Rangers for a place in the Europa League next season … or at least a couple of qualifying games in late July/early August against obscure East European opposition!
Bartley has been exclusively deployed in a defensive midfield role for Hibs – sacrificing some of the more attacking instincts that he showed at times at the Orient to do a job for the team. As a result he is yet to score his first goal for the Hibees despite making over 100 appearances over the past 2 ½ seasons.
The Easter Road faithful appear to recognise the job he does for the team though and his place in their affections was secured by a couple of man mountain performances in victories over their arch-rivals Hearts in recent seasons and it seems as though he can look forward to his future in Edinburgh.
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