Andy Clarke
Encyclopedia
Andrew Weston Clarke (born 22 July 1967 in Islington
, London
) is an English former footballer who played for Barnet
, Wimbledon
and Peterborough United
as a striker.
, he was bought by Wimbledon
on 21 February 1991 for £250,000 – a record fee for a non league player. He left Barnet during their promotion winning campaign which gave them Football League status as credit for the GM Vauxhall Conference
title. He was immediately thrown into the Wimbledon first team, playing 12 league games and scoring three goals as they finished seventh in the First Division.
He would remain a regular feature in the first team for most of the 1990s, though often as a substitute and less so as a member of the first eleven. His best season was arguably the 1992–93 campaign, when Wimbledon finished 12th in the first ever campaign of the new Premier League and Clarke appeared 33 times, scoring five goals.
The best season for the club while Clarke was on the payroll was 1996–97, when the Dons finished eighth in the Premier League and were semi-finalists in both of the domestic cups. However, Clarke's part in that run of success was minimal, as he managed just one goal from 11 league games.
He played his final 14 league games in the 1997–98 season, failing to score, and it was soon apparent that he had no future with the Dons.
He did not play any first team games for Wimbledon in the 1998–99 season, though he remain on the club's payroll until the very end. He had goalless loan spells with Port Vale in Division One and Northampton Town in Division Two, before being given a free transfer in June 1999 and dropping from the Premier League down to Division Three with Peterborough United.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=39026
Within a year he had earned his stripes at the club, his solitary goal in the 2000 Third Division play-off Final
took the Posh to Division Two
for the 2000–01 season. In December 2001 he failed a random drugs test- the results being released in February the following year. Accepting his explanation that it was a 'one-off' he was given a four week ban. He quickly signed a new contract with the club and returned to the first team. He described the 2002–03 season as his "best ever". In May 2004 the 36 year old put pen to paper on a new one year contract. He remained popular throughout his time at Peterborough before being released in May 2005.
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is an English former footballer who played for Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
, Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
and Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
as a striker.
Playing career
Andy Clark originally started playing Sunday League football in the Greek Community League. He was introduced to Barnet as a prospect prior to Ray Clemence signing him for Barnet. His professional career Started with BarnetBarnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
, he was bought by Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
on 21 February 1991 for £250,000 – a record fee for a non league player. He left Barnet during their promotion winning campaign which gave them Football League status as credit for the GM Vauxhall Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
title. He was immediately thrown into the Wimbledon first team, playing 12 league games and scoring three goals as they finished seventh in the First Division.
He would remain a regular feature in the first team for most of the 1990s, though often as a substitute and less so as a member of the first eleven. His best season was arguably the 1992–93 campaign, when Wimbledon finished 12th in the first ever campaign of the new Premier League and Clarke appeared 33 times, scoring five goals.
The best season for the club while Clarke was on the payroll was 1996–97, when the Dons finished eighth in the Premier League and were semi-finalists in both of the domestic cups. However, Clarke's part in that run of success was minimal, as he managed just one goal from 11 league games.
He played his final 14 league games in the 1997–98 season, failing to score, and it was soon apparent that he had no future with the Dons.
He did not play any first team games for Wimbledon in the 1998–99 season, though he remain on the club's payroll until the very end. He had goalless loan spells with Port Vale in Division One and Northampton Town in Division Two, before being given a free transfer in June 1999 and dropping from the Premier League down to Division Three with Peterborough United.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=39026
Within a year he had earned his stripes at the club, his solitary goal in the 2000 Third Division play-off Final
2000 Football League Third Division play-off Final
The 2000 Football League Division Three play-off Final was contested by Peterborough United and Darlington. This was the last Third Division play-off final to be played at the old Wembley Stadium before moving to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium....
took the Posh to Division Two
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
for the 2000–01 season. In December 2001 he failed a random drugs test- the results being released in February the following year. Accepting his explanation that it was a 'one-off' he was given a four week ban. He quickly signed a new contract with the club and returned to the first team. He described the 2002–03 season as his "best ever". In May 2004 the 36 year old put pen to paper on a new one year contract. He remained popular throughout his time at Peterborough before being released in May 2005.