Nathan Clarke

For the former AFL player, see Nathan Clarke (Australian footballer).
Nathan Clarke
Personal information
Full nameNathan Clarke[1]
Date of birth30 July 1983
Place of birthHalifax, England
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Playing positionDefender
Club information
Current team
Leyton Orient
Number15
Youth career
–2001Huddersfield Town
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2001–2012Huddersfield Town265[2](8)
2011Colchester United (loan)18(0)
2011–2012Oldham Athletic (loan)16(1)
2012Bury (loan)11(0)
2012–Leyton Orient112(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:04, 25 April 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Nathan Clarke (born 30 July 1983 in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England) is a professional footballer who plays in central defence for Leyton Orient.

Playing career

Clarke is a product of the Huddersfield Town Academy, he began his first team career at the age of just 17 his debut came in a 1–1 draw away to Stoke City on 8 September 2001. He scored his first goal for his home club on his home debut in the game in which ended in a 4–2 loss against Blackpool. He made a total of 37 starts in all competitions during the 2001/02 season his first as a professional with the first team with 36 of them coming in the league scoring once.

Clarke was runner-up in the Huddersfield Town 'Player of the Year' 2005–06 and is vice-captain of the team going on to win the title the following year along with winning the 'players player award'. Clarke played under eight different managers at the Galpharm and was in the starting 11 for each one.

Clarke has been selected in FourFourTwo's Top 50 Football League Players at 43 in March 2006,[3] down from 40 in the list in March 2005.[4]

On 27 January 2011, after failing to break into Lee Clark's team, Clarke joined Colchester United on loan until the end of the season. He made 18 appearances for the U's.

On 19 August 2011, he joined Oldham Athletic on a five-month loan deal,[5] making his debut the following day, where he also scored the first goal.[6] Clarke returned to his parent club Huddersfield Town after making 16 appearances for Oldham Athletic F.C. and scored one goal against Rochdale in the league. He then on 9 March, joined Bury on loan for the remainder of the season, where he played a huge part in the clubs league survival in the league, with them finishing mid table.

He left Huddersfield Town in June 2012 after playing over 300 games for his home town club (and almost 20 years at the club he has supported since he was a boy), 11 of those as pro, and signed for Leyton Orient F.C. on 18 July 2012.

On 14 February 2014, Club Captain Clarke signed a contract extension at Leyton Orient.[7]

Personal life

His brother Tom Clarke is currently playing for Preston North End.

References

  1. "Search 1984 to 2006 – Birth, Marriage and Death indexes". Findmypast.com. Retrieved 2010-08-12.
  2. Soccerbase incorrectly credit an appearance of Tom Clarke in a match against Brighton in February 2010 to Nathan Clarke
  3. http://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s261/st91950.htm?fromrss=1
  4. http://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s253/st68295.htm
  5. "Latics Sign Terrier Clarke". oldhamathletic.co.uk. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-19.
  6. "Oldham V Rochdale". BBC Sport. 20 August 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-20.
  7. "CLARKE: 'I'm Delighted To Sign'". Leyton Orient FC. 14 February 2014.

External links