On 27th March 2004, Norwich City Under-19s gave a debut to Under-15s striker Chris Martin in the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea. Then with the Under-16 squad, he made 3 Academy appearances in 2003/4. In January 2005, he was offered a scholarship with the Canaries that commenced at the beginning of the 2005/6 season. Chris comes from Beccles and has been with Norwich since the age of 10.

After impressing for the Under-18s during the 2006/7 season, he was given his debut by Peter Grant as a substitute in the 1-0 home defeat to Wolves on 30th January 2007. After appearing for City against Leeds on 3rd February, he was linked with a move to Tottenham as he was still technically an apprentice.

Chris scored his first senior goal for Norwich on 13th February 2007, netting the injury time winner in the FA Cup Fourth Round replay at home to Blackpool which City won 3-2. Chris made his full home debut in the 1-1 draw with Coventry on 24th February 2007 and scored City's goal. This was followed up with a goal at Luton on the 27th February which the Canaries won 3-2. He then scored in the 3-1 win at Barnsley on 3rd March and got the opener in Norwich's 2-1 home defeat to Derby on 6th March - also having a perfectly good goal disallowed.

Reports in the Sunday tabloids on 11th March 2007 speculated that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had noticed Martin and were leading the chase for his signature.

Despite attempts by Peter Grant for Chris to play for Scotland through his Glaswegian grandfather, Chris made his international debut for England's Under-19s on 20th March 2007 in a game against Turkey at Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium. Replacing Everton's James Vaughan on 64minutes, Chris scored the only goal of the game three minutes from time.

Chris signed a three year professional contract with Norwich in early April 2007.

Out of favour for much of the 2007/8 season, he was linked in late February 2008 with a loan move to Crewe but this was rejected by Glenn Roeder

On 7th August 2008, Martin and teammate Michael Spillane were loaned to Luton Town for the entirity of the 2008/9 season days after they were omitted from City's first team squad photograph. Martin's agent Phil Sproson, of the Professional Footballers' Association, believes his client's move to the Hatters is exactly what he needs to kick-start his career:

“It is a good thing for Chris. He needs to find himself again. Mick Harford is a very good manager and a former striker so hopefully he will be able to get the best out of Chris. Glenn Roeder clearly doesn't fancy him so it's the best thing for Norwich and the player. I'm confident that he'll score goals at Luton, he's got bags of ability and this could be the catalyst he needs.”

However it will not be easy at Kennilworth Road. Luton lost their appeal against a 10-point deduction by the FA for financial irregularities, involving payments to agents. The decision means that Luton, who were also docked 20 points by the Football League for failing to comply with its insolvency policy, will start the 2008/9 season on minus 30 points.