anyone remember Colin Clarke? (1963-65)

ArsenalSooner · Post by **ArsenalSooner** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:41 am

I was wondering if the name Colin Clarke rang a bell to any of you Gooners. I attend university at the University of Tulsa (Tulsa, Oklahoma) here in the states and lo and behold Colin is the assistant manager for the schools soccer (that's what it's called here sorry!) team. Colin was in the Arsenal reserves from 1963-65 but never played in the senior sqaud. he is from glasgow and went on spend considerable time at oxford and plymouth with a short stint in between with the LA Aztecs playing with the likes of george best. I've gotten to meet Colin and am pleased to be able to announce he is still absolutely mad about football and still has nice things to say about Arsenal. he said he wished he had gotten to Arsenal when he would have been a bit older instead of when he was so young (he was age 17-19 during his afc days). anyway, i just thought a few of you would find that interesting. anyone have any questions or comments you'd like me to ask him next time i see him?

here is his wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Clar ... born_1946)

Post by **QuartzGooner** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:55 am

Please ask Colin if the players were aware what an honour it was to play for Arsenal compared to other clubs?

Never Outgunned · Post by **Never Outgunned** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:02 am

QuartzGooner wrote:Please ask Colin if the players were aware what an honour it was to play for Arsenal compared to other clubs?

Oh come on Quartz.

The side in recent years have been below par but do you really think the side during 1963-66 was any better?

If playing for the Arsenal was an honour they certainly never lived up to it.

And do I remember Colin Clarke? Yes I believe he lost his place in the Southampton side to a young Alan Shearer. Can't remember him playing for us though!

Post by **flash gunner** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:10 am

Never heard of Colin Clark till i read this but he was basically the JET of his day, did he ever play for Palace? .... Some things never change

Bergkamp-Genius · Post by **Bergkamp-Genius** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 7:20 pm

Never Outgunned wrote:
QuartzGooner wrote:Please ask Colin if the players were aware what an honour it was to play for Arsenal compared to other clubs?
Oh come on Quartz.

The side in recent years have been below par but do you really think the side during 1963-66 was any better?

If playing for the Arsenal was an honour they certainly never lived up to it.

And do I remember Colin Clarke? Yes I believe he lost his place in the Southampton side to a young Alan Shearer. Can't remember him playing for us though!

I think the Colin Clarke your thinking of is a different one, he's younger, played for a host of clubs in all divisions and played for Northern Ireland...I use to work with his brother for a little while many moons ago, his sister was a page three girl, Karen i think her name was....

Bergkamp-Genius · Post by **Bergkamp-Genius** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 7:23 pm

Double post...

Bring Back Pires · Post by **Bring Back Pires** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 7:24 pm

Thought his son Adrian was disappointing.

JMascis666 · Post by **JMascis666** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 7:28 pm

I see he also managed Kettering Town between 79-82, my dad moved up that way sometime in the late 70s and used to go and watch Kettering a fair bit so I will ask him if he remembers him.

JMascis666 · Post by **JMascis666** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 7:33 pm

I just checked out a program I have from the 63/64 season and Mr Clarke is listed in a team that lost away to Crystal Palace 0-1 on Saturday 18th January 1964 in the Football Combination.

The team was:

McClelland
Neill
Clarke
Groves
Brown
Simpson
Anderson
Court
Radford
Sammels
Whittaker

Post by **QuartzGooner** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 7:59 pm

Never Outgunned wrote:
QuartzGooner wrote:Please ask Colin if the players were aware what an honour it was to play for Arsenal compared to other clubs?
Oh come on Quartz.

The side in recent years have been below par but do you really think the side during 1963-66 was any better?

If playing for the Arsenal was an honour they certainly never lived up to it.

But that is the point.

The mid-sixties were in the middle of what has been called "The Big Sleep", when we were a huge clubs in terms of reputation but not very good on the pitch.
Did the players feel they were at a special club?
How did that tie in with years of no trophies?

ArsenalSooner · Post by **ArsenalSooner** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:45 pm

JMascis666 wrote:I just checked out a program I have from the 63/64 season and Mr Clarke is listed in a team that lost away to Crystal Palace 0-1 on Saturday 18th January 1964 in the Football Combination.

The team was:

McClelland
Neill
Clarke
Groves
Brown
Simpson
Anderson
Court
Radford
Sammels
Whittaker

wow that's great! i knew someone would have something neat like that.

and yes there was an n. irish player by the same name so not to be confused!

ArsenalSooner · Post by **ArsenalSooner** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:46 pm

QuartzGooner wrote:
Never Outgunned wrote:
QuartzGooner wrote:Please ask Colin if the players were aware what an honour it was to play for Arsenal compared to other clubs?
Oh come on Quartz.

The side in recent years have been below par but do you really think the side during 1963-66 was any better?

If playing for the Arsenal was an honour they certainly never lived up to it.
But that is the point.

The mid-sixties were in the middle of what has been called "The Big Sleep", when we were a huge clubs in terms of reputation but not very good on the pitch.
Did the players feel they were at a special club?
How did that tie in with years of no trophies?

i will ask him what the feeling was like for the players of the club at that time. not sure exactly when ill see him next though.

JMascis666 · Post by **JMascis666** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 9:01 pm

ArsenalSooner wrote:
JMascis666 wrote:I just checked out a program I have from the 63/64 season and Mr Clarke is listed in a team that lost away to Crystal Palace 0-1 on Saturday 18th January 1964 in the Football Combination.

The team was:

McClelland
Neill
Clarke
Groves
Brown
Simpson
Anderson
Court
Radford
Sammels
Whittaker
wow that's great! i knew someone would have something neat like that.

and yes there was an n. irish player by the same name so not to be confused!

Looks like he played alongside some young players at the time that went on to achieve quite a lot in the famous red and white.

I believe out of that line up Peter Simpson, Jon Sammels and John Radford all won the Inter City Fairs Cup in 1970 and the double a year later.

He is also listed playing the in the same team as Bob Wilson in another combination game.

ArsenalSooner · Post by **ArsenalSooner** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 9:06 pm

i have a program signed by John Radford that was given to me. i'll see if i can get any stories about him or other well known players from Colin. not often an okie gooner like me gets to meet the old timers in person!

JMascis666 · Post by **JMascis666** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 5:46 pm

I asked my Dad and he was worse than useless all he remembers is that Clarke was a centre back !