Exeter-born Martin Rice played around sixty games in goal for Exeter City in the Conference between 2003 and 2007. Often contesting the ‘keeper’s jersey with Paul Jones, Martin eventually moved to the newly-relegated Torquay United. After a spell with Truro, Martin returned to Torquay to make his Football League debut at the age of twenty-six. 

Martin joined the Grecians as a trainee in 2002 and turned professional in December of that year. Making his debut at Barnet in October 2003 at the age of seventeen, Martin made eleven first-team appearances during City’s initial season in the Conference as back-up to James Bittner. 

With both James Bittner and Paul Jones on the books in 2004/05, Martin added another fifteen league and cup appearances although he only played once after a sending-off against Dagenham & Redbridge in December 2004. Remaining on the bench for both FA Cup games against Manchester United, Martin then made just six competitive appearances during 2005/06 as Paul Jones cemented his place in the side. 

However Martin’s turn came again when he made 25 Conference starts - to Paul Jones’s 21 - in the regular 2006/07 league campaign. Keeping his place for both play-off semi-finals against Oxford United, Martin then lost his place to Paul Jones ahead of the Wembley final against Morecambe. Declining to take his place on the bench - and with Paul Buckle drafted in as the fifth substitute - there was soon an inevitable parting of the ways and, in June 2007, Martin became one of Paul Buckle’s first signings at the newly-relegated Torquay United. During his time at Exeter Martin had represented England C against Northern Ireland in February 2007. 

Playing fourteen times during his first season at Plainmoor and, having not featured in either play-off game against Exeter, Martin appeared at Wembley in the 2008 FA Trophy final having appeared in both semi-finals against York City. He then played for Truro City on loan during 2008/09 before joining the Cornish club on a permanent basis. He returned to Plainmoor in July 2011 and, after making a solitary EFL Trophy appearance in his first season, made his Football League debut at Barnet in November 2012 against the same club that he had made his first Conference appearance for Exeter City nine years earlier. Martin proceeded to make 37 Football League appearances for Torquay and was in the team relegated from the Football League in 2013/14. Remaining with the club for the first season back in the Conference, Martin returned to Truro in 2015/16 before briefly playing for Gosport Borough ahead of another Truro stint and, from August 2017, a 34-game association with Tiverton Town. He later, on occasions, helped out with Topsham Town whilst continuing to live in Exeter all the time.