Quotehttp://www.pnefc.net/page/NewsDetail...636071,00.html
http://www.lep.co.uk/pnenews/St-Ledg...tay.5192356.jp
More awards for St Ledger!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletc...ng.html#075814
Billy Clarke
Billy Clarke hates driving, so this must obviously be one of those cruel twists of fate that life sometimes throws up. That's because the 21-year-old is currently on his third loan spell of the season and racking up the miles behind the wheel.
First Darlington, then Northampton and now Brentford - no wonder the Irishman has developed an intimate knowledge of the motorway system. In the course of my entire interview with him he only swore once, it was almost an instinctive reaction and came immediately after I asked Clarke how many miles his car has done.
An added complication, though a very welcome one, is that Clarke's girlfriend is heavily pregnant and so he is coming to the end of one of the more unusual and hectic campaigns a lower league player is ever likely to encounter.
Or, as Clarke puts it: "You might say that I have been around the block."
Billy Clarke in action for Northampton TownClarke, technically, is an Ipswich Town player, has been since he came over to these shores from his native Cork at the age of 15. Having represented the Republic of Ireland at a range of junior levels, he was seen as a player with immense potential.
He made his first-team debut for the Tractor Boys as a 65th-minute substitute in a 2-1 defeat at Cardiff in late November 2005, replacing current boss Jim Magilton. A first start came the following month before Clarke was loaned out shortly afterwards to nearby Colchester to gain some first-team experience. He may not have known it then but it was the shape of things to come.
The forward played fairly regularly for Ipswich in the 2006-07 campaign, opening with three goals in five games, and again during the early months of last season. He slipped out of the picture after Christmas and was loaned out to Scottish side Falkirk for the final three months.
After failing to score in his previous 43 appearances for Town, Clarke realised at the start of the current campaign that he would be unlikely to play much of a role this season.
"I kind of knew from day one I wouldn't be getting a game," he told me.
Clarke was not about to sit around in the reserves. And if he felt like a young man with a point to prove, he has certainly put the miles in to change people's perception of him.
First up came Darlington, too far from Ipswich to commute so the club put him up in the same hotel as another new arrival, Liechtenstein international Franz Burgmeier.
Clarke scored eight goals in 20 appearances as Darlington started the season strongly. He often played in the hole between midfield and attack, earning rich praise from Steve Claridge, who did a scouting report on the player for The Guardian newspaper. Clarke's loan expired at the end of 2008 and Darlington's promotion hopes have since hit the buffers. Then again, many things at Darlington haven't worked out as anticipated. For example, entering administration wasn't part of the blueprint when the season started back in August.
Clarke did not hang around and joined League One side Northampton on loan at the end of January. The club put him up in a flat owned by a former player and he was able to train at Ipswich in the early part of the week before linking up with his new team-mates as matchday approached.
He made a breakneck start for the Cobblers, scoring after two minutes of his debut and notching a hat-trick in the 5-1 demolition of Crewe. "I seem to settle in and adapt quite well, which is obviously a good thing," he said.
His final stop this season was Brentford, joining in late March to help ease a striker crisis at the club after injuries to Jordan Rhodes and Nathan Elders. Charlie MacDonald, a key player at Griffin Park over the previous months, also suffered a season-ending injury shortly after Clarke's arrival.
Billy Clarke celebrates scoring for Brentford
As with Northampton, Clarke has trained with Ipswich on Monday and Tuesday before motoring down to London to train with the Bees on Thursday and Friday. He is staying in a hotel just a couple of minutes walk from the ground and seems to be genuinely enjoying his time with the club.
If the pressure was on Clarke when he arrived he has definitely responded, with three crucial goals in five games so far. All of his goals have come in different games and Brentford are now all but promoted. A win against Dagenham on Tuesday will ensure Andy Scott's team move into the (relatively) fast lane of League One football next season.
Should that happen, Clarke will once again end the season celebrating promotion. It was the same back in 2006, when he played the last six games for Colchester. The Essex club secured a place in the Championship and Clarke even got a medal. But talking to him about the experience, I got the impression that he felt a little like a gatecrasher at someone else's party. It may well be the same again this season.
"It is good to be part of something every footballer wants and it is good to see all the lads getting the rewards for the hard work they have put in," said Clarke.
More than anything, I got the feeling Clarke would like to celebrate a promotion having spent an entire season with a club, having been through the highs and the lows and done all the hard yards.
As it turns out, he will be released by Ipswich at the end of the season, which means his future is up in the air.
The Irishman says he has enjoyed his time at Brentford and would seriously consider an offer from them. He hopes his form has done enough to get him noticed, to earn him a permanent deal somewhere.
In the meantime, he will become a dad in July and, after spending a season on the road, living out of suitcases and continually meeting new team-mates, he is ready to settle down.
"I want to play for a good club that has a chance of doing well whatever league they are in," he said. "Fingers crossed, I'll have a baby by next season and I don't want to be moving around, leaving the missus to look after him all the time."
It is time for the lower league wanderer to find a permanent place to park.
Always look on the bright side of life
http://www.pnefc.net/page/NewsDetail...636071,00.html
http://www.lep.co.uk/pnenews/St-Ledg...tay.5192356.jp
More awards for St Ledger!
Thanks for the update doc, let's hope he gets a run in the Nigeria friendly.
O'Shea's injury shows us just how desperate we are at centre-half right now.
He certainly deserves an opportunity.Originally Posted by irishfan86
Caleb Folan starts for Hull today against Liverpool.
Alex Bruce taken off after 27 minutes and replaced by Jonathon Stead
Alan Bennett(captain) and Billy clarke both scoring for Brentford to send them up as champions.
That might be it for Caleb Folan. I see him playing in the Championship at best next season, even if Hull do manage to stay up. He needs a good run of thirty or forty first team starts, even at a lower level.
Irish Abroad for Monday, 20th April 2009: http://www.chatsoccer.net/irishabroa...ate=2009-04-20
Stephen Quinn was substituted for the second game running, that hasn't happened to the Dubliner since November
Irish Abroad for Tuesday, 21st April 2009: http://www.chatsoccer.net/irishabroa...ate=2009-04-21
Shane Long scored his seventh goal of the season
Diarmuid O'Carroll scored his fifth goal of 2008/2009
Matt Holland came of the bench for the second consecutive game. He hasn't started a game since March 14th
Irish Abroad for Wednesday, 22nd April 2009: http://www.chatsoccer.net/irishabroa...ate=2009-04-21
John O'Shea is the fifth Irish player this season to be introduced from the bench, and then substituted. The others are Cillian Sheridan, Lee Trundle, Karl Moore and Anthony Stokes
Darren Potter scored a cracker of a free kick in 88th minute to give Shef Wed draw against Bristol City. Still think this lad could improve to be a regular in Premier League and Ireland team.
Always look on the bright side of life
Heard Stokes was very unlucky to get on the scoresheet for Palace at the weekend with a couple of efforts.Hopefully he will continue to move in the right direction.
Fair play to Billy Clarke on helping Brentford to their promotion.
Didn't feel sorry for himself for it not happening at Ipswich and is graudually building a career for himself.
That might change now that Keane is in charge and might give a fellow Langer a chance to impress.
Always look on the bright side of life
More on Billy Clarke and Keane in today's Times (and a mention for Alan Bennett)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle6174645.ece
Billy Clarke aiming high after another double for Brentford
Darlington 1 Brentford 3
Alex Davidson at The Darlington Arena
Roy Keane, the new Ipswich Town manager, is already taking an interest in the goalscoring abilities of the diminutive Billy Clarke, a fellow man of Cork whose reputation has grown during three spells away from Portman Road this season.
Two more goals from the 21-year-old confirmed that Brentford will go up as the champions of Coca-Cola League Two and improved his chances of winning a new deal at Ipswich.
Clarke recalls trying to speak to Keane a decade ago, walking to his house in Cork with the intention of telling him about his desire to become a professional footballer. Keane was not at home, but the pair finally met last week at Portman Road. “It was just a quick chat,” Clarke said. “I’d like to have a chance there. Ipswich has been my club since I was 15.”
Clarke’s goalscoring talents, which produced nine goals at Darlington during his loan spell at the club this season, were evident in the quality of his two finishes. The first was a clever header from David Hunt’s free kick in the 43rd minute and the second was a solo effort, completed with a pinpoint shot in the 54th minute.
“He’s a natural goalscorer and he deserves all the credit,” Andy Scott, the Brentford manager, said.
The sour edge to Brentford’s post-match celebrations was provided by an injury to Damian Spencer, who was taken off on a stretcher after 70 seconds with a suspected fractured cheekbone. The striker was the victim of a violent aerial challenge from Alan White, which earned the defender his second red card of the season.
Alan Bennett, the Brentford captain, claimed his first goal of the season before Clarke’s contributions and the only second-half surprise came when the margin of their supremacy was cut with Pawel Abbott’s strike being fumbled over the line by Ben Hamer, the Brentford goalkeeper, in the 59th minute.
Keiren Westwood, Stephen Hunt, and Joe Murphy were all named in their respective leagues' teams of the season. Kyle Naughton was as well, not sure we're counting him, though because he has as far as I know only played friendlies for the England u21s here still eligible (and of course he's still under 21).
Last edited by theworm2345; 27/04/2009 at 7:35 PM.
My Guarantee
Am looking for old Irish matches on VHS, PM me if you have some and I'll upload them here
A few Irish* playing in the important Norwich vs Reading game live now on SKY. 0-0 at HT.
Long is Reading's only Irish starter. S. Hunt came on for Glen Little just before HT.
Doherty & Lee start for Norwich, though no Mooney.
Shane Long is looking really sharp and lively. Very quick and agile, winning a lot in the air too.
Doherty's doing quite a good job at CB.
I think Doyle and N. Hunt are on the bench.
Remind me, isn't Julian Kelly (not playing) Irish?
* Before EG and others intervene Clingan is playing for Norwich, quite well too!
Duff is playing left back for Newcastle tonight, the regular LB going off injured. From what I hear on the radio he's had a good chance.
Long with two, both headers as far as I've gathered so far... Good man yourself.
Hopefully many Reading fan realise they shouldn't have written Long off. He has some strength and heading ability for someone that looks so small.
Did I hear the commentator say Coppell may retire after this season?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo....html?ITO=1490
he originally planned to retire a year ago, but felt he owed reading after their relegation
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