Career
After progressing through the Bristol Rovers youth system, Clarke joined the professional ranks at The Pirates in 2009, alongside fellow youth team graduates Eliot Richards, Neikell Plummer, Dan Cayford, Mark Cooper, George Booth, Steve Kingdon and Jack McKenna. Of this group only Clarke and Richards made any senior appearances. Clarke failed to make any first team appearances in his first year as a Bristol Rovers player, so early in his second season he was sent out on loan to injury-stricken Gloucester City.
Shortly afterwards he was loaned to Southern League side Mangotsfield United, who he joined on Christmas Eve 2010 initially for a month.
He remained there for the maximum 3-month period permitted by Southern League rules after the spell was extended and he made a total of 15 appearances, all in the league, and scored three times. He eventually made his debut for Bristol Rovers in their final game of the 2010-2011 season, when he came on as an 88th-minute substitute for Harry Pell against Colchester United at the Colchester Community Stadium.
His hopes of continuing to play first team football after the 2011 summer break were dashed however when he suffered a rupture to his anterior cruciate ligament on his first day back in training, leaving him unable to play for several months while he recovered from reconstructive surgery. On 18 March 2014, Clarke signed a new two-year contract extension with the Pirates.
He scored 4 goals in this successful season.
Playing style
Clarke can play on the left or right-hand side, but plays predominantly in centre midfield.