Background
Clarke was born in Leicester and after playing youth football with Leicester Nomads, he signed for Leicester City in February 1936.
Clarke was born in Leicester and after playing youth football with Leicester Nomads, he signed for Leicester City in February 1936.
Although he was included in City"s team photograph at the start of the 1936-1937 season, Clarke failed to break into the first-team and in the following summer he moved to join Exeter City of the Football League Third Division South. At The Dell, Clarke was again only a reserve team player and it was not until 15 April 1939 that he made his first-team debut, in a 3–0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers. His second and last appearance came in the final fixture of the 1938-1939 season, away to Plymouth Argyle.
In the summer of 1939, Clarke was offered a free transfer and joined Cheltenham Town in the Southern League but the outbreak of the Second World War brought his professional football career to an education