Chris Clarke (footballer, born 1980)

Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Lead too short Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography Christopher Edward Clarke (born 18 December 1980) is an English footballer who plays as a defender.

Career

Born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Clarke started his career with the Wolverhampton Wanderers youth system alongside his twin brother Matthew and after being released by the club the pair signed for Third Division outfit Halifax Town in July 1999.<ref name="PFA 122"/><ref name="Clarke anxious to gain third chance">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Former Player News">Template:Cite news</ref> He left the club in February 2002 after signing for Second Division side Blackpool on a two-and-a-half-year contract with the option of an additional year for a fee of £120,000 plus a sell-on clause.<ref name="Seasiders sign centre half">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Halifax cash in on Clarke">Template:Cite news</ref> Clarke made his debut in a 3–0 victory at Cambridge United on 26 February.<ref name="Season 2001/2002:"/> He scored Blackpool's second goal with a header in the 2002 Football League Trophy Final at the Millennium Stadium, which the team went on to win 4–1 against Cambridge.<ref name="Blackpool lift LDV Vans Trophy">Template:Cite news</ref> He joined Cambridge of the Third Division on a free transfer after signing a contract until the end of the 2003–04 season on 25 March 2004.<ref name="Clarke joins Cambridge">Template:Cite news</ref>

After training with York City he signed for the newly-relegated Conference National side on a one-year contract on 16 July.<ref name="Bishop makes the right move">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Brass seeks triple move">Template:Cite news</ref> After making five appearances for the club. He was allowed to leave the club on a free transfer on 22 October.<ref name="Exit for Clarke">Template:Cite news</ref> He subsequently re-signed for former club Halifax, now in the Conference.<ref name="Clarke signs on again at Halifax">Template:Cite news</ref> He made his debut in a 3–1 defeat to Chester City in an FA Cup second round game on 4 December.<ref name="Season 2004/2005:"/> Having made three appearances for Halifax,<ref name="Season 2004/2005:"/> Clarke joined Conference rivals Leigh RMI on a one-month loan on 18 February 2005.<ref name="Clarke joins Leigh in loan deal">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Transfers - February 2005">Template:Cite news</ref> He was described by manager Steve Bleasdale as a "key acquisition" and after making four appearances he returned to Halifax.<ref name="Season 2004/2005:"/><ref name="Bleasdale starts to make his mark">Template:Cite news</ref> Having made another three appearances for Halifax he was released at the end of the 2004–05 season.<ref name="Season 2004/2005:"/><ref name="Wilder allows 10 players to leave">Template:Cite news</ref>

He signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division side Guiseley during the summer.<ref name="Parsley's men riding high at top of table">Template:Cite news</ref> Clarke left the club early in the 2006–07 season to sign for Northern Premier League First Division side Bradford Park Avenue.<ref name="Avenue's Guiseley old boys relishing return">Template:Cite news</ref> He played for Park Avenue in their 3–0 defeat to Eastwood Town in the play-off semi-final in April 2007.<ref name="Play-off agony for Avenue">Template:Cite news</ref>

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	LeagueTemplate:Ref label		FA Cup		League Cup		OtherTemplate:Ref label		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Halifax Town	1999–2000<ref name="PFA 122"/>	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2000–01<ref name="Season 2000/2001:">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref>	26	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	28	1
	2001–02<ref name="Season 2001/2002:">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref>	24	0	3	0	1	0	0	0	28	0
	Total	51	1	3	0	2	0	1	0	57	1
Blackpool	2001–02<ref name="Season 2001/2002:"/>	11	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	12	1
	2002–03<ref name="Season 2002/2003:">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref>	17	1	3	0	0	0	1	0	21	1
	2003–04<ref name="Season 2003/2004:">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref>	18	1	3	0	3	0	2	0	26	1
	Total	46	2	6	0	3	0	4	1	59	3
Cambridge United	2003–04<ref name="Season 2003/2004:"/>	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
York City	2004–05<ref name="The Complete Record 405-421">Template:Cite book</ref>	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Halifax Town	2004–05<ref name="Season 2004/2005:">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref>	4	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	6	0
Leigh RMI (loan)	2004–05<ref name="Season 2004/2005:"/>	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Guiseley	2005–06<ref name="Player Details: Season 2005-2006:"> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }} </ref>	14	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	14	2
	2006–07<ref name="Player Details: Season 2006-2007:"> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }} </ref>	7	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	1
	Total	21	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	21	2
Career total		132	5	10	0	5	0	6	1	153	6

Honours

Blackpool

• Football League Trophy: 2001–02<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Footnotes

A. ^{{#if:| }} The "League" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in the Football League, Football Conference and Northern Premier League.

B. ^{{#if:| }} The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in the FA Trophy and Football League Trophy.

External links

• Template:Soccerbase