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Hungerford hope experienced keeper can provide safe pair of hands next term




Hungerford Town announced the signing of veteran goalkeeper Ryan Clarke ahead of their return to the Southern Premier League South.

The Crusaders used a staggering 11 goalkeepers last season and on more than one occasion boss Danny Robinson found himself frantically phoning up all his contacts in search of a new stopper just days before a game.

The likes of Marcus Beauchamp and Mark Scott set the tone in leaving almost as soon as they’d arrived and while the impressive Jed Ward provided some stability, a succession of injuries as well as an unexpected recall by parent club Bristol Rovers meant a goalkeeping headache was never far away.

Clarke with Hungerford Town boss Danny Robinson. Picture by Jeff Youd Photography
Clarke with Hungerford Town boss Danny Robinson. Picture by Jeff Youd Photography

That meant that a reliable number one was right at the top of Robinson’s wish list as Hungerford plot an immediate return to the National League South – and they don’t come much more dependable than Oxford United legend Clarke.

The 41-year-old made well over 200 appearances and was a fan favourite in a memorable six-year spell with the U’s, helping them return to the Football League in his first season in yellow.

Clarke, who is based near Hungerford, will be hoping he can repeat the feat and inspire the Crusaders to promotion at the first time of asking at Bulpit Lane.

In his fifth and final season at his most recent club, Bath City, Clarke found himself playing a supporting role to Cheltenham Town loanee Max Harris, while also taking up a coaching position, but admitted the lure of regular first team football was too good to resist.

“I just want to play football again,” he said.

“I had five fantastic years at Bath and it was a tough decision to leave, but I want to keep playing for as long as I can.

“The move makes perfect sense, I’ve missed playing and it all fell into place.

“I love the feeling of waking up on a Saturday knowing you’ve got a game and I didn’t get to experience that as much last season.

“I know it’s going to come to an end at some point, but I have still got at least a couple more years in me.

“I think having had a bit of a break will actually do me some good and I think now I’ll have a bit more longevity.

“I’m looking to give it a right good go this season.”

Clarke smiles with a club scarf as he checks out the Bulpit Lane pitch. Picture by Jeff Youd Photography
Clarke smiles with a club scarf as he checks out the Bulpit Lane pitch. Picture by Jeff Youd Photography

Clarke said he hasn’t spoken to Robinson about targets for their return to the Southern Premier League but insists that he will give his all to help the Crusaders finish as high as possible.

He said: “The mindset has to be that we can get promoted.

“We know it’s going to be difficult but the chance to win another promotion was one of the reasons I signed.

“I’ve had a few promotions in my time and I think I’ve got at least one more in me.”

As well as some 230 appearances for Oxford and 121 for Bath, Clarke has over 80 appearances for Salisbury, more than 40 for Forest Green and 30-odd for boyhood club Bristol Rovers.

And the veteran plans to put his experience to good use and help some of the squad’s younger players as Hungerford look to bounce back from last season’s relegation, when, at times, a natural leader looked to be lacking.

“I think we’re going to have a spine of experience in the team,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to helping some of the younger players just as much as I am to playing.

“As experienced players we can be solid and reliable and that can free up some of the other lads to go and do their thing and provide some quality.

“I think we’ve got the makings of a really good team.”

Clarke cut his teeth as an apprentice at Bristol Rovers, where he went out on loan three times and worked with former England wicket-keeper Jack Russell at Forest Green, before making more than 30 appearances for the Gas.

He said: “I had six amazing years at Bristol Rovers.

“I loved doing the apprenticeship, it’s not around now but it gave me such a good grounding.

“Those are some of my favourite days.

“I was fortunate enough to get in and around the first team and to do that for the club that I grew up supporting was a dream come true.”

After being released by Rovers, Clarke dropped down the leagues and spent three years at embattled Salisbury, including a season long-loan to then-Conference side Northwich Victoria.

“It was a matter of taking a step back to try and go forward,” he said.

“It was a lot of hard work, I had to make a lot of sacrifices and I had to change a lot of things.

“Fortunately I had a couple of great seasons with Salisbury and it paid off when I got a move to Oxford.”

Following two stellar seasons in Wiltshire, Clarke broke his metatarsal after slipping on a rock while on his summer holiday, which led him to being loaned out to Northwich Victoria to take the pressure off Salisbury’s wage bill, with the club in financial turmoil at the time.

In a roundabout way, that holiday mishap proved advantageous as Clarke found himself lining up against Chris Wilder’s Oxford United, with the U’s needing to win on the final day to maintain their chances of a play-off place.

Clarke then put in a man-of-the-match performance as relegated Northwich upset the promotion contenders and impressed Wilder so much he convinced him to sign him.

Clarke said: “When I managed to get back fit the club had gone into administration and had to offload all their full-time players.

“That gave me the opportunity to go up to Northwich and I had a bit of an up-and-down time but I came good at the end.

“I’d already spoken to Oxford before the last day of the season but I had a really good game and we ended up beating them 2-1.

“Thankfully, it didn’t affect their play-off push because they needed Stevenage to lose, but they won.

“The manager was still undecided about signing me and I think my performance that day sealed the deal.”

Wilder challenged the newly-arrived Clarke to win the shirt from established number one Billy Turley, which he duly did after an impressive pre-season.

In his first year with Oxford, Clarke was voted player of the season as he inspired the Yellows to promotion back into the Football League, beating York City 3-1 in the play-off final at Wembley.

“It was the perfect season for me,” he said.

“Billy Turley was a real fans favourite and one of the best goalkeepers in the league.

“Pre-season went really well and I got the nod on the first day.

“I had a bit of an iffy start but I came through it and we had a fantastic season and went up in the best possible fashion.”

“It’s a year that I’ll never forget and it still seems like it was only yesterday.”

Clarke spent six memorable years at Oxford and is regarded as a legend at the club, leaving in 2015 after falling out of favour under new management and moving to Northampton.

Off-field issues affected his time at the Cobblers and moves to Wimbledon, Torquay and Eastleigh followed before he found a new home at Bath.

During that difficult period Clarke spoke openly about his struggles with mental health and emerged a stronger person because of it – on and off the pitch.

He said: “It was a tough time, I said at the time I was struggling with depression and I almost take that back a little bit.

“I think I was in a depressed state because I had a lot going on and I went from playing football week-in, week-out to not playing at all.

“That said, I was glad I spoke out because I had so many good people around me and I’d always encourage others to do the same because football is as tough on the mind as it is on the body.”

Now, Clarke is preparing for his 24th pre-season and admits he relishes the challenge just as much as he did when he was a fresh-faced apprentice at Bristol Rovers.

“I’m looking forward to getting in and around the lads,” he said.

“I have to be realistic and manage my body so that I can do what I need to do on a Saturday.

“I can’t wait for the new season.”



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