Background
Clarke was born in Sheffield, and began his football career with Mexborough Town and Frickley Colliery.
Clarke was born in Sheffield, and began his football career with Mexborough Town and Frickley Colliery.
He scored 39 goals in 84 appearances in the Football League playing for Torquay United, Birmingham and Blackburn Rovers. Together with Frickley teammate Melvyn Millington, he turned professional with Torquay United of the Third Division South after a successful trial. He spent 16 months with Torquay before moving to First Division club Birmingham in 1936.
Before the 1938-1939 season he moved again, joining Blackburn Rovers in exchange for Wally Halsall.
He averaged a goal every other game for Blackburn, helping them to the Second Division title, before the Football League was suspended on the outbreak of the Second World War. During the war he made guest appearances for Torquay and was a finalist in the 1939-1940 War League Cup with Blackburn.
He died in 1944 on active service in France with the Devonshire Regiment.