James Clarke (footballer, born 1989)
James Anthony John Clarke (born 17 November 1989) is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Newport County.[3]
| Clarke playing for Bristol Rovers in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James Anthony John Clarke[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 17 November 1989[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Aylesbury, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Newport County | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2006 | Watford | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2009 | Oxford United | 32 | (0) |
| 2009–2012 | Oxford City | 151 | (0) |
| 2012–2014 | Salisbury City | 74 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Woking | 30 | (0) |
| 2015–2019 | Bristol Rovers | 112 | (2) |
| 2019–2021 | Walsall | 58 | (5) |
| 2021– | Newport County | 48 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:07, 27 November 2022 (UTC) | |||
Career
Clarke began his career at Oxford United making his debut by playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 Conference win at Kidderminster Harriers on 24 November 2007.[4] He made 18 league appearances in his first season, and was sent off for two bookings in a 0–3 home defeat to Burton Albion on 8 March 2008.[5]
He played 14 league matches in the ensuing campaign, but received a straight red card in the opening game, a 3–0 defeat at Barrow on 8 August 2008.[6] On 27 February 2009, with his contract terminated by mutual consent, he joined Southern Football League Premier Division team Oxford City for the rest of their 2009 campaign,[7] and from 2012 to 2014 he signed for Salisbury City after an unsuccessful trial at League one side Yeovil Town.
With Salisbury in financial distress, Clarke left for Woking, also of the Conference, on an undisclosed contract.[8] He made his debut on 9 August as they opened the season with a 3–1 win at Alfreton Town, and made 30 appearances across the campaign.[9]
Bristol Rovers
On 11 June 2015, with his contract expired, he signed for Bristol Rovers, newly promoted back into The Football League.[10] He made his debut for the club on 8 August, as they began the League Two season with a 0–1 home defeat to Northampton Town.[11] Clarke ended the season with several first team appearances as he provided a helpful role in Rovers' 3rd-place finish to receive promotion into the Football League One. In the same summer, Clarke signed a contract extension along with several other teammates.[12]
Clarke scored his first professional goal in a 2–1 victory over Wycombe Wanderers at the start of the 2018–19 season[13] before he scored his second goal with a 95-minute winner in a 2–1 victory over Fleetwood Town.[14]
Walsall
Clarke was offered a new contract at Bristol Rovers at the end of the 2018–19 season[15] and despite being offered an improved two-year contract, he opted to follow former boss Darrell Clarke to Walsall having worked under him at Salisbury and Rovers on a deal worth £104,000 per year.[16][17] Clarke made his debut on the opening day of the season, scoring the only goal as Darrell Clarke got off to a winning start against Northampton Town.[18] His impressive start with the club continued and after scoring two goals in the month, he was awarded the League Two Player of the Month award for September 2019.[19] One of these goals was a 30-yard screamer against Crawley Town that won him the league's Goal of the Month award.[20]
At the end of the 2020–21 season, Clarke was one of eight players to not be offered a new contract and would therefore depart the club at the expiration of their contract.[21]
Newport County
In June 2021 he joined Newport County on a one-year deal.[22] He made his debut for Newport on 7 August 2021 as a first half substitute in the 1-0 League Two win against Oldham Athletic.[23] On 18 September 2021, Clarke scored his first goal for the club with an 87th minute winner against former club Walsall, assisted by another former Walsall teammate Cameron Norman.[24] In May 2022 Clarke's contract at Newport was extended until the end of the 2022-23 season.[25]
Career statistics
- As of end of 2020–21 season
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Oxford United | 2007–08[26] | Conference Premier | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| 2008–09[27] | Conference Premier | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Oxford United Total | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |||
| Oxford City | Oxford City Total | 151 | 0 | — | — | — | 151 | 0 | ||||
| Salisbury City | 2012–13[28] | Conference South | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[a] | 0 | 40 | 0 | |
| 2013–14[28] | Conference Premier | 37 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 1[b] | 0 | 41 | 0 | ||
| Salisbury City Total | 74 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 82 | 0 | |||
| Woking | 2014–15[28] | Conference Premier | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 5[b] | 0 | 37 | 0 | |
| Bristol Rovers | 2015–16[29] | League Two | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| 2016–17[30] | League One | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | 26 | 0 | |
| 2017–18[31] | League One | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2018–19[32] | League One | 42 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[d] | 0 | 49 | 2 | |
| Bristol Rovers Total | 112 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 126 | 2 | ||
| Walsall | 2019–20[33] | League Two | 27 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | 32 | 3 |
| 2020–21[34] | League Two | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 33 | 2 | |
| Walsall Total | 58 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 65 | 5 | ||
| Career total | 457 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 496 | 7 | ||
- ^ One appearance in FA Trophy, two appearances in Conference South play-offs
- ^ a b Appearances in FA Trophy
- ^ Appearance in Football League Trophy
- ^ a b c d Appearances in EFL Trophy
Honours
- Individual
- EFL League Two Player of the Month: September 2019[35]
References
- ^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Walsall" (PDF). English Football League. p. 74. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- ^ James Clarke at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- ^ "DONE DEAL | James Clarke joins Exiles on one-year deal".
- ^ "Kidderminster 0-2 Oxford". BBC Sport. 24 November 2007. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Oxford Utd 0-3 Burton Albion". 8 March 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Barrow 3-0 Oxford". BBC Sport. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Clarke joins Oxford City". Oxford Mail. 27 February 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "James Clarke: Woking sign Salisbury City defender". BBC Sport. 1 July 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Alfreton 1-3 Woking". BBC Sport. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "James Clarke: Bristol Rovers sign ex-Woking defender". BBC Sport. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Bristol Rovers 0-1 Northampton". BBC Sport. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Clarke signs new Bristol Rovers deal". BBC Sport.
- ^ "Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 18 August 2018.
- ^ "Bristol Rovers 2-1 Fleetwood Town". BBC Sport. 22 December 2018.
- ^ "Retained List". www.bristolrovers.co.uk. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Walsall 2020 Wages | Player & Team totals". salarysport.com. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
- ^ "James Clarke joins Walsall". 30 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Northampton Town 0–1 Walsall". BBC Sport. 3 August 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ "James Clarke wins Player of the Month award". www.saddlers.co.uk. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ "Walsall captain James Clarke wins goal of the month award". Express & Star. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ "Club Statement: Released & Retained List". www.saddlers.co.uk. 11 May 2021.
- ^ Clarke joins Newport
- ^ Newport debut
- ^ "Newport County 2–1 Walsall". BBC Sport. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ Clarke contract extension
- ^ "Games played by James Clarke in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Games played by James Clarke in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ a b c James Clarke at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Games played by James Clarke in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Games played by James Clarke in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Games played by James Clarke in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Games played by James Clarke in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Games played by James Clarke in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Games played by James Clarke in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
- ^ "September Player of the Month winners". www.efl.com. English Football League. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
External links
- James Clarke at Soccerbase
- James Clarke at Soccerway