Graham Clarke (footballer)

Graham Clarke
Personal information
Full name Graham Peter Clarke
Date of birth (1935-08-11)11 August 1935
Place of birth Nottingham, England
Date of death 27 April 2010(2010-04-27) (aged 74)
Place of death Southampton, England
Playing position Full back
Youth career
Nottingham Boys
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1953–1959 Southampton 3 (0)
1959–1961 Ashford Town
1961–1963 Heanor Town
1963–1966 Arnold St Mary's
1966–19?? Totton
National team
1951–1953 England youth
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Graham Peter Clarke (11 August 1935 – 27 April 2010) was an English professional footballer who played as a full back for Southampton in the 1950s.

Football career

Clarke was born in Nottingham, where he made a name for himself playing for Nottingham District as a wing-half. At 16, he was capped for England in the 1951 youth internationals going on to captain the side twice in the following season.[1]

Despite his father's wishes that he should continue his apprenticeship as a motor mechanic, Clarke signed for Southampton as a part-time professional in 1953. He made his debut for the reserve team on 26 December 1955, replacing former England international Bill Ellerington, playing at right-back against Watford.[2] By the start of the 1957–58 season, Clarke was a regular in the reserves and on 19 October 1957 he made his first team debut, becoming the fourth right-back in as many games with first-choice Len Wilkins out with a broken wrist. Despite the "Saints" holding Shrewsbury Town to a 2–2 draw, Clarke was replaced by John Page for the next match.[3]

The form of Wilkins and then Ron Davies at right-back restricted Clarke to two further first-team appearances, against Colchester United on 1 May 1958 and at Rochdale on 4 April 1959.[4] He was released in the summer of 1959 into non-league football.[1]

Later career

Clarke returned to Nottingham to live, taking up employment with the Raleigh Bicycle Company before moving back to Southampton where he worked for the General Post Office.[1]

Clarke died in Southampton on 27 April 2010, survived by his wife, Phyllis, and three children.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (2003). In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. Hagiology Publishing. pp. 495–496. ISBN 0-9534474-3-X.
  2. ↑ In That Number. p. 440.
  3. ↑ In That Number. pp. 48, 51.
  4. ↑ In That Number. pp. 54–55.
  5. ↑ "Obituaries". Saints official matchday programme: 47. 7 August 2010.
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