Martin was born in
Brighton,
East Sussex, to parents Dean and Kerry.
[2] He has two older brothers, Jamie and David, and a younger brother, Pepe, while his parents also fostered. His father was a taxi driver who subjected Martin's mother to domestic abuse and had spent periods of time in prison. His father's gambling addiction saw the family lose their house in
Hollingbury, moving to
Hollingdean. His father coached his son's football teams. Martin was educated at
Varndean School then
Varndean College, achieving A-Levels in history, PE and drama. Prior to signing with Wycombe he was cleaning pub toilets in the mornings prior to school, then working in
Spar in the evenings.
[4]
Martin established a charitable foundation in his hometown of
Brighton, initially set up as a football academy, named the Russell Martin Foundation.
[5] The charity aims to use "the power of football to help change people's lives" by providing access to football, education, and health courses in the local community.
[5]
Martin has been a
vegan since 2014, initially for health reasons as he sought to manage issues with
ulcerative colitis.
[6] He is also a part-owner of Erpingham House, the largest vegan restaurant in the UK.
[7] In a 2018 interview, he stated that he had joined the
Green Party of England and Wales.
[7] He is also a proponent of
Buddhism.
The type of fella that would never vote for the rats.