Norman Clarke (footballer)

Norman Samson Clarke (born 1 April 1942) is a Northern Irish retired footballer, best remembered for his two spells as an outside left in the Irish League with Ballymena United.[1][2] He also served the club as caretaker manager during the 1966–67 season.[3] Clarke's Ballymena United spells were bisected by four years with Football League club Sunderland, where an anterior cruciate ligament injury ended his full-time career.[4]

Norman Clarke
Personal information
Full name Norman Samson Clarke[1]
Date of birth (1942-04-01) 1 April 1942 (age 82)
Place of birth Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Position(s) Outside left
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1958–1962 Ballymena United
1962–1966 Sunderland 4 (0)
1966–1969 Ballymena United
International career
1959–1961 Northern Ireland Amateurs 6 (0)
1960–1961 Irish League XI 2
1962–1963 Northern Ireland U23 2
Managerial career
1966–1967 Ballymena United (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Personal life

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Following the end of his second spell with Ballymena United, Clarke returned to Sunderland and worked for an electronics firm.[4] He later moved to London and scouted for Liverpool.[4]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sunderland 1962–63[5] Second Division 4 0 0 0 1 0 5 0
Career total 4 0 0 0 1 0 5 0

References

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  1. ^ a b "Norman Clarke". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Norman Clarke". nifootball.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Norman Clarke | Manager Statistics | Ballymena United". Ballymena United Archive. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Little, Ivan. "NI footie star of Sixties laments what money has done to the beautiful game". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Norman Clarke". Sunderland AFC – Statistics, History and Records – from TheStatCat. Retrieved 31 January 2017.