6 ▁years . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁home ▁and ▁away ▁season , ▁his ▁ 6 6 7 ▁dispos als ▁ranked ▁third ▁in ▁the ▁club ' s ▁history . ▁His ▁ 1 3 7 ▁inside ▁ 5 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 4 4 ▁clear ances ▁both ▁placed ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁club ' s ▁record ▁books . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁his ▁ 1 1 5 ▁cl angers ▁broke ▁his ▁own ▁club ▁and ▁league ▁record ▁set ▁the ▁previous ▁season . ▁ ▁All ▁year ▁Martin ▁had ▁been ▁pl ag ued ▁by ▁yet ▁another ▁prolong ed ▁contract ▁s aga ▁after ▁his ▁management ▁announced ▁the ▁year ▁prior ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁in ▁a ▁r ush ▁to ▁sign ▁a ▁new ▁deal . ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁January ▁he ▁had ▁confirmed ▁he ▁would ▁delay ▁a ▁decision ▁on ▁a ▁contract ▁until ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁That ▁would ▁not ▁stop ▁spec ulation ▁however , ▁with ▁news ▁le aking ▁of ▁increasing ▁offers ▁as ▁his ▁form ▁improved ▁throughout ▁the ▁season ▁to ▁the ▁point ▁of ▁him ▁become ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁competition ' s ▁best ▁players . ▁While ▁Richmond ▁opened ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁an ▁offer ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁worth ▁close ▁to ▁$ 8 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁per ▁year , ▁ ▁soon ▁emer ged ▁as ▁a ▁front - runner ▁to ▁secure ▁him , ▁with ▁a ▁six - year ▁offer ▁pur port ed ▁to ▁be ▁worth ▁more ▁than ▁$ 6 ▁million ▁across ▁the ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁deal . ▁By ▁July ▁that ▁offer ▁had ▁reported ly ▁been ▁matched ▁by ▁Richmond