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Josh Clarke

Joshua Joseph Jason Ishmel Clarke (born 5 July 1994) is an English former professional who played primarily as a right back or winger. He joined in 2011 after being spotted playing park and progressed through the 's academy, making first-team appearances before departing in 2020. Clarke subsequently featured for in the lower tiers of English , including loan and permanent spells at , , and Leyton Orient, accumulating experience across League Two and levels without achieving promotion to higher divisions or notable individual awards. Since 2022, he has been without a .

Early life and youth career

Upbringing and entry into professional football

Joshua Joseph Jason Ishmel Clarke was born on 5 July 1994 in , . Prior to entering structured youth football, Clarke primarily played park football in non-professional settings. Clarke was scouted by Brentford's Head of Youth Recruitment Shaun O'Connor while attending , where he was participating in a college course that included football activities. In the summer of 2011, at the age of 17, he joined Brentford's after being spotted in these informal or college-level games, marking his entry into professional development. He signed a two-year with the club shortly thereafter, transitioning from park to the academy environment, though he later noted the need to adapt quickly to higher training standards. During his scholarship period from 2011 to 2013, Clarke progressed through Brentford's ranks, playing in the under-18 and development squads, which laid the foundation for his breakthrough into senior football. This rapid elevation from grassroots play to a professional academy underscored Brentford's scouting of non-traditional talents outside elite pathways.

Professional club career

Brentford academy and breakthrough (2011–2014)

Clarke joined on a two-year in the summer of 2011 at the age of 17, having been scouted while playing non-league park . During the 2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons, he progressed through the club's youth ranks, initially competing in the under-18 team before transitioning to the development squad (under-21s) for the latter campaign, where he contributed to a strong overall performance by the group. Upon completing his in June 2013, Clarke signed a one-year professional contract alongside fellow product Aaron Pierre, securing his place in the development squad with potential for first-team exposure. His breakthrough came during the 2013–14 season when, at age 19, he made his senior debut for as a substitute in a 5–0 second-round defeat to Derby County on 27 August 2013. He followed this with substitute appearances in the Football League Trophy against Oxford United on 8 October 2013 and in the first round against Staines Town on 16 November 2013, accumulating three senior outings that season prior to any league involvement. In 2014, Clarke earned promotion to the first-team training squad, reflecting his growing promise as a versatile right-sided player. This culminated in his league debut as a substitute during a 1–0 win over on 21 April 2014, marking his transition from academy prospect to competitive senior squad member. By the end of the 2013–14 campaign, these experiences solidified his breakthrough, positioning him for further opportunities in subsequent seasons.

First-team appearances and loans at Brentford (2014–2020)

Clarke joined Dagenham & Redbridge on a 28-day youth loan from on 22 August 2014, but the spell was injury-hit and yielded limited playing time before his early return. Later that season, on 18 October 2014, he moved on loan to in League Two, where he featured as a under manager until November. Upon returning to , Clarke received sporadic first-team opportunities in the 2014–15 campaign, contributing to a squad dealing with promotion aftermath, though exact match counts remained low amid competition for right-back and wing positions. In the 2015–16 season, Clarke made a appearance on 11 August 2015 against Oxford United, marking his return to senior action after over a year. He accumulated four first-team outings for by October before securing a to League Two side on 15 October 2015, lasting until 3 January 2016, during which he played 10 matches and scored three goals. Returning on 4 January 2016, Clarke featured further for in the latter half of the campaign, totaling 12 appearances across all competitions for the club that season. Clarke signed a contract extension with in July 2016, reflecting his versatility as a right back or winger, and earned starts such as in the tie against Hull City later that year. Another extension followed in February 2017, but he remained a fringe player in the , with opportunities curtailed by squad depth and injuries across the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons. By 2018–19, usage dwindled further, prompting a loan to Burton Albion on 11 January 2019 until the season's end, where the versatile defender contributed in amid Burton's relegation battle. In the 2019–20 season, Clarke made just five first-team appearances for before his contract was terminated on 31 January 2020, ending a period marked by inconsistent senior integration despite prior promise in lower-tier loans and cup outings.

Post-Brentford moves and decline (2020–2022)

Clarke mutually terminated his contract with on 31 January 2020, ending a nine-year association with the club that began in the academy. Following his departure, he spent over 18 months without a club, during which time persistent injury concerns from prior seasons— including foot problems that had hampered his progress earlier in his career—prevented consistent training or competitive play. On 11 September 2020, Clarke signed a short-term contract with side Athletic, who were operating under administration at the time. Despite participating in pre-season activities and training with the squad, he made no first-team appearances during his brief stint, which ended in October 2020, underscoring ongoing fitness limitations that restricted his involvement. Clarke remained unattached for over a year after leaving , reflecting a sharp drop from EFL level to prolonged inactivity amid recovery efforts. In November 2021, he joined non-league club in the , marking a significant step down in competitive standard. At , he featured in only six matches, starting five, with no goals or assists recorded, as limited opportunities highlighted his diminished physical condition and adaptability to regular senior . His contract with expired on 26 February 2022, after which Clarke became a , having failed to regain the form that earned him over 80 appearances at . This period exemplified a career trajectory hampered by recurrent injuries, resulting in scant playing time across lower tiers and an inability to secure stable employment at professional levels.

Current status as (2022–present)

Clarke departed on 26 February 2022, becoming a thereafter. Prior to this, he had joined the club in late 2021 following a period without a club, during which he trialed unsuccessfully at Leyton Orient and had a non-playing stint with Wigan Athletic. His time at yielded limited appearances, with records indicating participation in non-League fixtures but no significant goal or assist contributions post-2020. Since leaving , Clarke has not secured a with any professional or semi-professional club, as confirmed by transfer tracking databases up to October 2025. No competitive senior appearances have been recorded for him in this timeframe, marking a prolonged hiatus from organized at age 31. This status aligns with a career trajectory involving multiple loans and lower-tier moves after his Brentford release in 2020, suggesting challenges in maintaining consistent professional employment.

Playing style and career assessment

Positional attributes and strengths

Clarke primarily operates as a right-back, a position in which he featured extensively during his time at , making 71 appearances in and the combined. His right-footedness supports effective delivery from the right flank, though detailed crossing statistics remain limited in lower-tier competitions. A key strength lies in his positional versatility, enabling deployment at left-back—as necessitated by injuries such as Rico Henry's season-ending absence in 2017—and occasionally in right midfield roles to provide width and dynamism. At 1.73 meters tall, Clarke's compact build facilitates agility and recovery pace in transitional play, attributes suited to covering expansive flanks in promotion-chasing sides. This adaptability proved valuable in squad rotations, with loans to clubs like highlighting his utility across defensive lines.

Criticisms and limitations

Despite his pace and attacking contributions from the right flank, Clarke's defensive positioning has drawn criticism for lacking maturity and solidity. In a September 2015 match against North End, he was notably caught out of position, allowing the opposition to exploit Brentford's right side early in the game. Observers have described him as raw and not particularly robust in one-on-one defending, which limited his reliability as a full-back despite versatility to wing roles. A persistent issue throughout Clarke's career has been recurrent injuries, particularly affecting his consistency and progression at . Reflecting on the 2017-18 season, Clarke admitted that injuries hampered his involvement, contributing to an "up and down" campaign with irregular starts. Niggling problems, including an abductor strain, further sidelined him during pre-season preparations in prior years, exacerbating challenges in maintaining fitness. These setbacks played a role in his release from in January 2020 after nine years, during which he struggled to become a regular starter despite breakthrough appearances. Post-departure, Clarke's inability to overcome these limitations manifested in short stints at lower-tier clubs like Oldham Athletic and Bradford City, followed by no professional contract since February 2022, underscoring a career trajectory hampered by physical fragility and defensive shortcomings rather than a lack of initial potential.

Personal life

Background and off-field interests

Joshua Joseph Jason Ishmel Clarke was born on 5 July 1994 in , . He developed an early passion for , playing in local park games without formal academy exposure prior to his teenage years. In a 2014 , Clarke recalled his childhood drive: "As a young boy growing up I wanted to play . I didn't know where I would go, I got my head down and it happened." Scouted by while participating in informal park at age 17, Clarke joined the club in the summer of 2011 on a two-year , marking his entry into organized . This opportunity arose outside traditional pathways, reflecting his origins rather than elite youth systems. Public details on Clarke's off-field interests remain limited, with available accounts emphasizing his dedication to self-improvement through video analysis of his own performances during off-seasons to refine technical aspects like finishing. No broader hobbies or non-football pursuits have been widely documented in professional profiles or interviews.

References

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    Club career ; 10/2015 - 01/2016. Barnet FC. Midfielder ; 11/2014 - 10/2015. Brentford FC. Midfielder ; 10/2014 - 11/2014. Stevenage FC. Forward.
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