*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Ben Clarke
Appearances: 7+4 Goals: 2
Date / Year of birth: 25th January 1990
Position: Winger
Season of first appearance: 2009/10
Season of last appearance: 2009/10
Also played for: Milton Keynes Dons (0), Northampton Town (0), Rugby Town, Buckingham Town, Wealdstone, Aylesbury United, Carshalton Athletic, Histon, Walton & Hersham, Irchester United and Stewarts & Lloyds Corby
Flying winger who started his career as part of MK Dons' junior set-up and later had a spell in Northampton's youth ranks too.
By the start of the 2006/07 campaign Ben was playing in Rugby's youth team and later in the season he moved on to Buckingham of the United Counties League and broke into their first team aged 17.
Early in the 2007/08 campaign Ben signed for Isthmian League Premier Division outfit Wealdstone and made his debut as a substitute in a 3-2 win at Molesey in the Isthmian League Cup on 2.10.07.
In December 2008 Wealdstone loaned him back to Buckingham and once Ben returned to the Stones he found first team opportunities hard to come by.
In November 2009 he signed for Margate having scored once in a career total of 33 outings (mostly as a substitute) for Wealdstone.
Ben made his first appearance for Margate as a substitute in an Isthmian League Premier Division game at Waltham Abbey on 17.11.09 and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said it was an "impressive cameo debut". The paper described him as being "unbelievably quick" and said that Ben's introduction "caused pandemonium in the Waltham ranks". He eventually won an injury-time penalty with his trickery that was converted by Lloyd Blackman to give Margate a 4-3 win.
After making one more sub appearance Ben was allowed to turn out for Southern League club Aylesbury as they lost 2-1 at home to Bedworth on 2.12.09 but it was strictly a one-off and three days later he came on for Margate in a 2-2 draw with Harrow at Hartsdown Park.
Ben made his third sub appearance in a game at Bognor Regis on 12.12.09 and registered his first Margate goal to level the scores at 3-3 in the third minute of injury-time. He then made his first start as a right wing-back in a 3-2 defeat at Sittingbourne in the Isthmian League Cup on 16.12.09 before playing from the start in five of the next six matches, always in the number 11 shirt.
The Isle of Thanet Gazette said he "caused havoc with his pace down the left" in a 1-0 win over Maidstone at Ashford on 26.12.09 and the Thanet Times then said Ben was the "pick of" Margate's players in the return game at Hartsdown Park on 2.1.10. Maidstone won 1-0 but the paper described Ben as being "a bundle of pace and energy down the left, whose direct running had Maidstone worried all day". The Times continued "you don't see too many around these days prepared to get the ball down and have a go at people but Clarke never stopped trying and will get his rewards on other days".
On 23.1.10 Ben got his second goal in a 3-3 draw with Horsham at Horsham YMCA but after a 2-0 defeat at Kingstonian on 31.1.10 he missed five games due to injury. He returned to the starting line-up as Margate lost 3-0 at home to Tonbridge on 2.3.10 but Ben was released immediately afterwards. He'd scored twice from a total of 11 appearances (four as sub) before his departure and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said he'd "made a flying start to his Gate career before injury".
A few days after leaving Margate Ben signed for Carshalton but he only played twice in the Premier Division for them before the end of the 2009/10 season.
In the summer of 2010 he joined Conference club Histon and at that time Ben was living in Milton Keynes. He made four appearances (two as sub) before difficulties with travel led to him being released by Histon in November 2010.
Later in November 2010 Ben linked up with Walton & Hersham and made his debut for them in a 0-0 draw with visitors Chatham in the Isthmian League Division 1 South on 20.11.10 but he only played once more before leaving the club.
After a spell out of senior football Ben signed for United Counties League Premier Division outfit Irchester in March 2011 and stayed there till November 2011 when he joined Stewarts & Lloyds Corby.
Stewarts were also in the United Counties League Premier Division and on 8.11.11 Ben got the only goal of the game on his debut in a 1-0 home win over his previous club Irchester. He went on to make seven appearances (one as sub) and scored once more before leaving Stewarts in December 2011.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
ILC |
KSC |
||
|
2009/10 (MFC) |
7 (51) |
4 |
2 |
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (19TH OF 22) |
1QR |
1QR |
3R |
QF |
|
Margate finished in
relegation position but were reprieved and remained in the Isthmian League
Premier Division. | |||||||||