Clarke: James Henry (Harry)

1947-1947 (Player Details)

Centre Forward

Born: Broomhill, Sheffield: 27-03-1921

Debut v Wolverhampton Wanderers (h): 22-02-1947

5’6 1/2” 10st 2lb (1947)

Clarke began with Mexborough, Bradford City and Goole Town, and then joined Rotherham United in May 1937 as a speedy Outside-Right. A much travelled winger, he had scored twenty-one goals to help Goole Town to the Yorkshire League championship the season before he joined the Millers. He didn't force his way into the Rotherham side until Christmas Day in his first season, but was then an ever-present after making a tremendous early impact. Although he was small in stature he helped to lay on a many goals for Arnold Bramham and was no stranger to the scoresheet himself and added nine goals to his own account. That included a sequence of scoring in six out of seven games starting with one on his debut, a 3-2 win at Chester City and he continued to link up well with Bramham once again in his second season. He scored nine goals in twenty-four League games in his first season of 1937-38 and four goals in thirty League appearances in 1938-39, together with another three games in the F.A. Cup. He stayed at Millmoor and played through most of the War Years. He made eleven appearances in 1939-40, five in 1940-41, and then scored six times in eighteen appearances in 1941-42, five goals in twenty-nine games in 1942-43 and played four times in 1943-44. After a spell with Gateshead where he had one game in 1942-43 and four games in 1943-44, without scoring, he moved to Darlington in April 1946, after having scored one goal when he guested twice for the Quakers in 1943-44 and then scored twenty-five goals in thirty-three games in 1944-45 and forty-six goals in thirty-five games in 1945-46. When the Football League recommenced after the end of the War he had already rattled in seventeen goals in nineteen games, when he was transferred to Leeds United in February 1947 as his goalscoring record suggested he might be the answer to Leeds United’s problems. Leeds paid £4,000 to boost their flagging attack for the free scoring Darlington centre-forward. In his words here is what happened, "We were all going on the train to Tranmere and Billy Forrest was the manager,” he said. “He came down the passageway of the coach and told me, ‘We’re getting off at Leeds.’ I said, what are we doing, going for a dance or something? Something daft. They were bottom on the league then and they hoped I’d get them out of it and I was talked into it and signed at 4.30 on the Saturday morning – I was playing against Wolverhampton that afternoon!" The deal misfired and in fourteen appearances, he managed only one goal and never finished on the winning side. He returned to Darlington in November 1947 and began scoring again, amassing twenty-four in thirty-seven appearances. In late November 1949 he went to Hartlepool United, where he made his debut on 3rd December 1949 at home to Tranmere Rovers in a 2-0 win and he scored once in seven League appearances and once in two F.A. Cup appearances before playing his final game for the Monkey-hangers in a 1-3 home defeat by Mansfield Town on 18th March 1950. He later joined Stockton in July 1950, before returning to Darlington for a third time in September 1952. He stayed at Feethams until retiring at the end of the 1952-53 season in June 1953 having scored twelve times in fourteen games in his third spell with the Quakers. Clarke had always been a keen cricketer, indeed he openly professed to cricket being his favourite game. So it came as no surprise when he continued to play cricket after his retirement from football. An accomplished cricketer, he made forty-six Durham County appearances, hit one thousand and ninety runs including a half century against New Zealand and took twenty-four wickets, his best being seven for thirty-four against Northumberland, and also played in 1945 against an Australian RAF side that included Keith Miller. The score card remains his only sporting memento. He represented Durham from 1948 to 1953 and North Yorkshire and South Durham League Durham XI in 1939 and was the Professional with Darlington Cricket Club in 1949. He played cricket professionally until about 1960. He also worked as an engineering draughtsman at Darlington Forge, until he was made redundant in 1968 and then got a job as a draughtsman for Northumberland County Council. On 18th April 2006, he was honoured with Life membership of the Darlington Football Club, after just celebrating his eighty-fifth birthday.