Darrell Clarke

For the American politician, see Darrell L. Clarke.
Darrell Clarke

Clarke as manager of Bristol Rovers in 2015
Personal information
Full name Darrell James Clarke[1]
Date of birth (1977-12-16) 16 December 1977[1]
Place of birth Mansfield, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Playing position Midfielder / Winger
Club information
Current team
 Bristol Rovers (manager)
Youth career
1987–1995 Mansfield Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–2001 Mansfield Town 159 (24)
2001–2007 Hartlepool United 127 (19)
2005 → Stockport County (loan) 1 (0)
2005 → Port Vale (loan) 1 (0)
2006–2007 → Rochdale (loan) 12 (1)
2007–2013 Salisbury City 138 (12)
Total 438 (56)
Teams managed
2010–2013 Salisbury City
2014– Bristol Rovers

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Darrell James Clarke (born 16 December 1977) is an English former professional footballer who is manager at League One club Bristol Rovers.

A midfielder, his career began with Mansfield Town in 1995, where he spent the first six years of his career, making 160 league appearances. In 2001 he transferred to Hartlepool United, where he spent another six years, racking up 127 appearances in the league. He was sent out on loan to Stockport County, Port Vale, and Rochdale in the final years of his spell. In 2007 he left the professional game to sign for Salisbury City, before taking up the management position at the club in 2010. He led the club to promotion into the Conference Premier from the Southern League with two play-off final victories in three seasons.

He was appointed manager of Bristol Rovers in March 2014, but could not prevent the club from dropping out of the Football League. However, one year later, Clarke successfully guided Bristol Rovers back into the Football League after winning the 2015 Conference Premier play-off Final, and then went on to take the club into League One with promotion out of League Two in 2015–16.

Playing career

Mansfield Town

Born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire,[1] Clarke started his career at Mansfield Town when he joined their youth set up at the age of just 10. He made his way through the ranks and was offered a professional contract at Field Mill by Andy King in 1995. The "Stags" struggled near the foot of the Third Division in 1995–96, rising to mid-table in 1996–97 and 1997–98, before finishing one place outside the play-offs in 1998–99. They then dropped back into the lower half of the table in 1999–2000 and 2000–01 after manager Steve Parkin was replaced by Bill Dearden. While at Mansfield he became a fan favourite, partly because he was a home grown talent. He made over 150 league and cup appearances for the club, scoring 27 goals. As his contract ran to its end, he attracted the attention of several other clubs and he was offered a contract at Hartlepool United by Chris Turner.

Hartlepool United

Clarke signed for Hartlepool in July 2001 on a free transfer, courtesy of the Bosman ruling,[2] but Hartlepool still had to pay £80,000 as he was under 24. He was seen by many as the replacement for Tommy Miller. Clarke originally failed to cement his place in the starting 11 and found himself in and out of the team, making 26 league starts and 9 substitute appearances. However he still managed to score 7 league goals, including a hat-trick in a 7–1 win over Swansea City.

The following season was much more successful for Clarke as he played in nearly all of Hartlepool's matches and added another seven goals to his tally in Hartlepool's promotion winning campaign. The arrival of manager Neale Cooper saw Clarke's opportunities in the first team in 2003–04 limited, as Eifion Williams was preferred on the right wing. Clarke only started 23 league matches, but he still managed to make a further 12 substitute appearances.

In the 2004–05 season, Clarke suffered a knee injury that prevented him from taking part in any of Hartlepool's league games. However, he did make an appearance for Stockport County[3] during a loan spell, but this was cut short as Clarke picked up another knee problem.[4] In September 2005 Clarke was loaned to Port Vale,[5][6] again just playing the one game. His appearances were again limited once he returned to Victoria Park. In July 2006 he was loaned to Rochdale,[7] where he made 12 appearances. He was released by 'Pool in May 2007.

Salisbury City

On 3 July 2007 he signed for newly promoted Conference National club Salisbury City.[8] He was strongly influenced by former team mate Tommy Widdrington to make the switch South, and was the third signing made by Nick Holmes. He helped the club avoid relegation in the 2008–09 season, which was a good achievement for the club.[9]

At the beginning of the 2009–10 season he became Salisbury's most senior player and was duly given the captain's armband by Widdrington, who had recently been appointed manager. He captained the club to a mid-table finish, however Salisbury were demoted down into the Southern League Premier Division as punishment for their severe financial problems.

Management career

Salisbury City

In July 2010, Tommy Widdrington left Salisbury City for the job of assistant manager at Southend United. As a result of this, Clarke became joint caretaker manager beside Mikey Harris. The next month he was made player-manager on a permanent basis, with Harris as his assistant.[10] After his first season, the 'Whites' won promotion from the Southern League Premier Division via the play-offs, winning 3–2 on penalties after a 2–2 draw with Hednesford Town.

Clarke led Salisbury to the Second Round of the FA Trophy in his second season in charge. He also made history when his side beat Grimsby Town in the FA Cup Second Round, taking Salisbury to the Third Round of the FA Cup for the first time in the club's history,[11] where they faced Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. At the start of the campaign he had stated his intention to sign promising young players,[12] and during the January transfer window he signed 19-year-old Matt Clark and former England youth player Abdulai Bell-Baggie,[13] as well as 29-year-old striker Robbie Matthews.[14] However he also placed winger Charlie Knight on the transfer list along with striker Jake Reid, defender Josh Casey, and winger Adam Kelly.[15] They finished the 2011–12 campaign comfortably in tenth place, and Clarke extended his contract at the club to another season.[16]

Clarke's pre-season signings for 2012–13 included Jamie White from Winchester City, James Clarke from Oxford City, and Theo Lewis after his release from Cheltenham Town. These signings proved successful, and helped to take Salisbury into second place in the Conference South by April. The team's success saw him strongly linked with the vacant management position at Hartlepool United in October 2012,[17] though he ultimately remained at Salisbury. The club finished four points behind champions Welling United, and had to make do with a play-off place. Promotion was secured with a 3–2 extra-time victory over Dover Athletic in the play-off final.[18]

Bristol Rovers

Clarke as manager of Bristol Rovers in 2016

In June 2013, Clarke was appointed as assistant manager of League Two side Bristol Rovers, supporting John Ward.[19] Following another season of struggle at Rovers, Ward was moved to a role as Director of football and was replaced as manager by Clarke in March 2014.[20] His first game on 29 March ended with a 1–0 victory over Morecambe at the Memorial Stadium, and Clarke said that "I tried to get my philosophy across today and I think we did it in spells and we need to more of that".[21] Rovers were relegated out of the Football League on the final day of the 2013–14 after a 1–0 defeat to Mansfield Town; a draw would have been enough to keep the club up, as they were relegated on goal difference.[22]

He oversaw a rapid turnover of players for the 2014–15 season, releasing 16 players and signing 13 players on free transfers, including striker Matty Taylor.[23] After a poor start Rovers rose up the table and ended the campaign in second place, one point behind Barnet.[24] Clarke led Rovers to promotion with a 5–3 penalty shoot-out victory over Grimsby Town at Wembley Stadium in the 2015 Conference Premier play-off Final on 17 May 2015, after a 1–1 draw after extra time.[25] He won three Manager of the Month awards during the season, in September, December and February.[26][27][28]

Rovers achieved a second successive promotion with a third-place finish in the 2015–16 campaign.[29] Clarke was named as Manager of the Month for March after winning six of seven games by "playing exciting and attacking football" according to head judge George Burley.[30] Promotion was achieved on the final day of the season with a stoppage-time winner against Dagenham & Redbridge, which took them above Accrington Stanley into third-place.[31] On 27 May 2016, Clarke turned down the opportunity to manage Championship club Leeds United and signed a new three-year contract with Bristol Rovers.[32]

Career statistics

As a player

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mansfield Town 1995–96[33] Third Division 3000000030
1996–97[34] Third Division 172000000172
1997–98[35] Third Division 35410101[lower-alpha 1]0384
1998–99[36] Third Division 335212100377
1999–2000[37] Third Division 39710002[lower-alpha 1]0427
2000–01[38] Third Division 326004100367
Total 1592441723017327
Hartlepool United 2001–02[39] Third Division 357111000378
2002–03[40] Third Division 457101000477
2003–04[41] Second Division 35520201[lower-alpha 2]2407
2004–05[42] League One 0000000000
2005–06[43] League One 120000000120
2006–07[44] League Two 00———00
Total 1271941401213622
Stockport County (loan) 2004–05[42] League One 10———10
Port Vale (loan) 2005–06[43] League One 10———10
Rochdale (loan) 2006–07[44] League Two 121000000121
Salisbury City 2007–08[45] Conference Premier 33420—1[lower-alpha 3]0364
2008–09[46] Conference Premier 39410—2[lower-alpha 4]0424
2009–10[47][48] Conference Premier 43330—7[lower-alpha 5]1534
2010–11 Southern League Premier Division —
2011–12[49] Conference South 19140—1[lower-alpha 5]0241
2012–13[47] Conference South 4000—0040
Total 13812100—11115913
Career total 4385618211215348263
  1. 1 2 Appearance(s) in Associate Members' Cup
  2. ↑ Appearance in Football League Trophy
  3. ↑ Appearance in Conference League Cup
  4. ↑ One appearance in Conference League Cup, one in FA Trophy
  5. 1 2 Appearance(s) in FA Trophy

As a manager

As of match played 4 December 2016
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref
PWDLWin %
Salisbury City 4 August 2010 14 June 2013 157 84 35 38 53.5 [10][19][50]
Bristol Rovers 28 March 2014 Present 138 66 33 39 47.8 [51]
Total 295 150 68 77 50.8 —

Honours

As a player

Hartlepool United

As a player-manager

Salisbury City

As a manager

Individual

Bristol Rovers

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2007). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2007–08. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 82. ISBN 978-1-84596-246-3.
  2. ↑ "Hartlepool sign trio". BBC Sport. 15 July 2001. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  3. ↑ "Hatters set to net Clarke on loan". BBC Sport. 12 January 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  4. ↑ "Injury to end Clarke loan spell". BBC Sport. 17 January 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  5. ↑ "Vale sign Pools midfielder Clarke". BBC Sport. 27 September 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  6. ↑ "Vale sign Pools' Clarke on loan". BBC Sport. 29 September 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  7. ↑ "Dale complete Clarke loan swoop". BBC Sport. 28 July 2006. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  8. ↑ "Salisbury bag midfielder Clarke". BBC Sport. 3 July 2007. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  9. ↑ "Clarke proud of Salisbury season". BBC Sport. 27 April 2009. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  10. 1 2 "Salisbury City name Darrell Clarke as new manager". BBC Sport. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  11. ↑ "Grimsby 2–3 Salisbury". BBC Sport. 13 December 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  12. ↑ "Manager Darrell Clarke wants youth at Salisbury City". BBC Sport. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  13. ↑ "Salisbury City sign Matt Clark and Abdulai Bell-Baggie". BBC Sport. 16 January 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  14. ↑ "Robbie Matthews leaves Newport County for Salisbury". BBC Sport. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  15. ↑ "Charlie Knight leaves as Salisbury City put trio on transfer list". BBC Sport. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  16. ↑ "Board delighted with new Darrell Clarke deal". Salisbury City F.C. 5 April 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  17. ↑ "Darrell Clarke flattered by Hartlepool United link". Sunderland Echo. 27 October 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  18. ↑ "Salisbury City 3–2 Dover Athletic". bluesqsouth.com. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  19. 1 2 "Salisbury manager Darrell Clarke named Bristol Rovers assistant". BBC Sport. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  20. ↑ "John Ward Becomes Director of Football". Bristol Rovers F.C. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  21. ↑ "Bristol Rovers 1–0 Morecambe". BBC Sport. 29 March 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  22. ↑ "Bristol Rovers boss Darrell Clarke takes relegation blame". BBC Sport. 3 May 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  23. ↑ "Matty Taylor: Bristol Rovers sign Forest Green Rovers striker". BBC Sport. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  24. ↑ "Bristol Rovers 7 - 0 Alfreton". BBC Sport. 25 April 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  25. 1 2 Mitchell, Brendon (17 May 2015). "Bristol Rovers 1–1 Grimsby". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  26. 1 2 "Vanarama manager of the month for September". nonleaguebets.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  27. 1 2 "Bristol Rovers boss Darrell Clarke scoops Manager of the Month award". Western Daily Press. 10 January 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  28. 1 2 McNamara, James (6 March 2015). "Bristol Rovers boss Darrell Clarke lands manager of the month award". Bristol Post. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  29. ↑ "Does back-to-back promotions warrant Darrell Clarke place among post-war greats?". Bristol Post. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  30. 1 2 "Darrell Clarke named Sky Bet League 2 Manager of the Month". football-league.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  31. ↑ "Darrell Clarke: 'Exhausted' Bristol Rovers boss 'needs break' after dramatic promotion". BBC Sport. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  32. ↑ "Leeds United rebuffed as Darrell Clarke signs lucrative new deal with Bristol Rovers". Yorkshire Evening Post. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  33. ↑ Rollin, Glenda, ed. (1996). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1996–97. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 228–229. ISBN 978-0-7472-7781-1.
  34. ↑ "Games played by Darrell Clarke in 1996/1997". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  35. ↑ "Games played by Darrell Clarke in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  36. ↑ "Games played by Darrell Clarke in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  37. ↑ "Games played by Darrell Clarke in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  38. ↑ "Games played by Darrell Clarke in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  39. ↑ "Games played by Darrell Clarke in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  40. ↑ "Games played by Darrell Clarke in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  41. ↑ "Games played by Darrell Clarke in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  42. 1 2 "Games played by Darrell Clarke in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  43. 1 2 "Games played by Darrell Clarke in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  44. 1 2 "Games played by Darrell Clarke in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  45. ↑ Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2008). Non-League Club Directory 2009. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 130–131. ISBN 978-1-869833-59-6.
  46. ↑ Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2009). Non-League Club Directory 2010. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 40–41. ISBN 978-1-869833-66-4.
  47. 1 2 "D. Clarke". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  48. ↑ "Darrell Clarke season details 2009/2010". Tottenham Hotspur Mad. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
    "Farnborough 0 Salisbury City 0 (FA Cup)". Salisbury Journal. 28 October 2009. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
    "Salisbury City 4 Farnborough 2 (FA Cup replay)". Salisbury Journal. 28 October 2009. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  49. ↑ Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2012). Non-League Club Directory 2013. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 314–315. ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0.
  50. ↑ Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2011). Non-League Club Directory 2012. Tony Williams Publications. p. 308. ISBN 978-1-869833-70-1.
    Williams; Williams (eds.). Non-League Club Directory 2013. p. 314.
    Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2013). Non-League Club Directory 2014. Tony Williams Publications. p. 53. ISBN 978-1-869833-72-5.
  51. ↑ "Managers: Darrell Clarke". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 August 2016.

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