Gordon Clark (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Gordon Vincent Clark was an English
professional footballer who played as a full back. He later undertook various managerial, coaching and scouting positions.
Born in Guisborough
, Clark came from a sporting family as he was the cousin of Ernie Applegarth (1920–2004), who played football for Wycombe Wanderers (1949–51), Peterborough United (1946–47) and Southend United (1948–49) and the nephew of Willie Applegarth, an athlete who held the World 100yds record and won the Olympic Gold for 4 x 100yds relay at Stockholm 1912
and Bronze for 220yds at the same games.
Clark played football for Manchester City
but had his career cut short by the Second World War. He turned to management after the war, taking charge of Distillery
of Belfast
from 1946 to 1949. He went on to manage Aldershot
from 1950 to 1954 before taking charge of West Bromwich Albion between 1959 and 1961. It was rumoured that he was offered the post of Team Manager at Juventus F.C.
in Italy
after leaving The Baggies, but instead managed Peterborough United from 1964 to 1967 before ending his football career as Chief Scout at Arsenal
until his retirement in 1980.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional footballer who played as a full back. He later undertook various managerial, coaching and scouting positions.
Born in Guisborough
Guisborough
Guisborough is a market town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England....
, Clark came from a sporting family as he was the cousin of Ernie Applegarth (1920–2004), who played football for Wycombe Wanderers (1949–51), Peterborough United (1946–47) and Southend United (1948–49) and the nephew of Willie Applegarth, an athlete who held the World 100yds record and won the Olympic Gold for 4 x 100yds relay at Stockholm 1912
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
and Bronze for 220yds at the same games.
Clark played football for Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
but had his career cut short by the Second World War. He turned to management after the war, taking charge of Distillery
Lisburn Distillery F.C.
Lisburn Distillery is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1880, originated in west Belfast, where it was based at Grosvenor Park at Distillery Street off the Grosvenor Road until 1971...
of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
from 1946 to 1949. He went on to manage Aldershot
Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
from 1950 to 1954 before taking charge of West Bromwich Albion between 1959 and 1961. It was rumoured that he was offered the post of Team Manager at Juventus F.C.
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
after leaving The Baggies, but instead managed Peterborough United from 1964 to 1967 before ending his football career as Chief Scout at Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
until his retirement in 1980.