Tom Clarke (footballer)

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For the Australian sportsman, see Tom Clarke (Australian rules footballer).

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Tom Clarke
Personal information
Full name Thomas Clarke[1]
Date of birth (1987-12-21) 21 December 1987 (age 36)[1]
Place of birth Halifax, England
Height Script error: No such module "person height".
Position(s) Defender / Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Preston North End
Number 5
Youth career
0000–2005 Huddersfield Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2013 Huddersfield Town 97[2] (3)
2008 → Halifax Town (loan) 7 (1)
2008 → Bradford City (loan) 6 (0)
2011 → Leyton Orient (loan) 10 (0)
2013– Preston North End 105 (5)
International career
2005 England U18 1 (0)
2005–2006 England U19 2 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:53, 1 October 2014 (UTC)

Thomas "Tom" Clarke (born 21 December 1987) is an English footballer who plays for Preston North End as a defender or midfielder. He previously played for Huddersfield Town. Clarke is a former England youth international, having represented England at both England under 18s and under 19s level.

Club career

Huddersfield Town

Breakthrough to first team

Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire,[1] Clarke is a product of the Huddersfield academy. Clarke's older brother, Nathan Clarke, is also a professional footballer (previously with Huddersfield) and now captain of Leyton Orient F.C. Tom signed his first professional contract in January 2005. His debut came against the MK Dons. Clarke scored his first goal for The Terriers in a 2–0 win over Blackpool at the Galpharm Stadium in January 2006.

Clarke made his first start of the 2006–07 season coming on as a 61st-minute substitute replacing Danny Adams, in a 2–0 loss away at Crewe Alexandra on 2 September. He made his first start of the season on 9 September in a 2–0 loss away at Cheltenham Town. He ruptured a ligament in his left knee during Huddersfield Town's League One home match against Carlisle United, on 14 October 2006 forcing him to sit out most of the 2006–07 season.

Clarke joined Conference Premier side Halifax Town on loan on 21 February 2008, in a bid to regain match practice. He made his debut for the Shaymen in their 0–0 draw at The Shay against Stafford Rangers on 23 February. His first goal for the club came in their 3–1 win over Histon at Bridge Road on 8 March.

He returned to Huddersfield on 23 March and made his first appearance since returning in Huddersfield's 1–0 win over Tranmere Rovers on 19 April.

2008–09 season

He signed on a month-long loan with League Two club Bradford City in October 2008.[3] He made his debut the following day against Grimsby Town, when he came on as a first-half substitute for Omar Daley, following defender Matthew Clarke's sending off. City were leading 1–0 at the time and won the game 3–1.[4] He made his full debut in a 1–0 victory over Bury on 29 October.[5] With a number of injuries, Bradford extended his loan spell for a second month, with Huddersfield caretaker manager Gerry Murphy able to recall him at 24 hours' notice.[6] Murphy recalled Clarke on 3 December following a training ground injury to left-back Joe Skarz.[7] Clarke's last game for City was their FA Cup exit to Leyton Orient four days previously;[8] he also played six league games for City.[9] Following the injury sustained by regular right-back Andy Holdsworth, Clarke found himself back in the first-team frame under Lee Clark and scored his first away goal for Huddersfield in a 2–1 win at Glanford Park against Scunthorpe United on 10 April 2009.[10]

2009–10 season

After fighting his way back from injury, Tom picked up where he left off in the 2009–10 season enjoying his best run in the side in central midfield under Lee Clark during the 2009–10 campaign. Unfortunately bad luck struck again when he suffered a repeat injury to his knee against Millwall in the first leg of the end of season Play-Offs, as Huddersfield when on to lose the second leg away at Millwall and as a result missing out on the chance of promotion.[11]

2011–12 season & promotion

On 9 September 2011, Clarke signed for fellow League One side Leyton Orient on a 93-day emergency loan.[12] He made 12 appearances, before his loan expired on 12 December.

Clarke returned from his loan spell at Leyton Orient in December 2011, his first game of the season for Huddersfield came in the club's 1–0 boxing day win over Chesterfield on 26 December 2011 when he came on for left back Gary Naysmith. His first start of the season came in the club's 2–2 draw away at Notts County on 2 January 2012. Clarke became the club's starting left back during the third quarter of the season due to injured Gary Naysmith March and April 2012 until he was himself pushed out of the side by Calum Woods.[13] Clarke was though used during the latter stages of the season in his more familiar role in the midfield mostly being used as a substitute. He played in both legs of Huddersfield's play-off semi final against MK Dons coming on as a 51st-minute substitute for left back Callum Woods in the first leg way at Stadium MK which Huddersfield won 2–0, and was an 88th-minute sub for winger Kallum Higginbotham in the second leg at home as Huddersfield progressed to the final. Clark made 16 appearances for Huddersfield during the 2011–12 season,[14] as Huddersfield finished the season as Play-off champions winning promotion to the Championship after beating Sheffield United on penalties in the Wembley final.[15]

2012–13 season

Clarke signed a new one-year contract, committing himself to the Huddersfield Town until the summer of 2013 on 28 June 2012 making him the longest serving current player at the club.[16]

On 6 May 2013, it was confirmed that Clarke was to be released from the club when his existing contract ended in the summer, bringing an end to his eight-year stay with his home town club.[17]

Preston North End

It was announced on 22 May 2013, that Clarke had signed for Preston North End on a two-year contract.[18]

On 5 August 2013 in only his second appearance for Preston, Clarke scored a magnificent late winner in the 87th minute to defeat Blackpool in a derby game at Deepdale. [19]

International career

An England international Clark has represented England at international youth level, being capped at both under 18s and under 19s level. Clarke earned two caps for the under 19s scoring once between 2006 and 2005.

Personal life

Clarke's older brother, Nathan Clarke, is also a professional footballer.

Career statistics

As of match played 9 January 2013.
Club statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Huddersfield Town 2004–05[20] League One 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
2005–06[21] League One 17 1 1 0 1 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 20 1
2006–07[22] League One 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
2007–08[23] League One 3 0 0 0 0 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 4 0
2008–09[24] League One 15 1 0 0 0 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 16 1
2009–10[25] League One 22 0 2 0 1 0 1[lower-alpha 2] 0 26 0
2010–11[26] League One 5 1 2 0 0 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 8 1
2011–12[14] League One 14 0 0 0 0 0 2[lower-alpha 2] 0 16 0
2012–13[27] Championship 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 0
Total 97 3 5 0 3 0 7 0 112 3
Halifax Town (loan) 2007–08[23] Conference Premier 7 1 0 0 — 0 0 7 1
Bradford City (loan) 2008–09[24] League Two 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Leyton Orient (loan) 2011–12[14] League One 10 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 12 0
Preston North End 2013–14[28] League One 42 4 5 1 2 1 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 50 6
Career total 157 7 12 1 6 1 8 0 183 9
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Appearance in Football League Trophy
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Appearance(s) in League One play-offs

Honours

Huddersfield Town

Preston North End

2014-15

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Soccerbase incorrectly credit an appearance against Brighton in February 2010 to Nathan Clarke
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ http://www.examiner.co.uk/huddersfield-town-fc/huddersfield-town-news/2012/03/31/tom-clarke-aims-to-make-huddersfield-town-left-back-slot-his-own-86081-30662198/
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ http://www.htafc.com/page/PostMatchComments/0,,10312,00.html
  16. ↑ http://www.htafc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10312~2825779,00.html?
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23486654
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Appearances and goals for this season are taken from:
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  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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