Jump to content

Lee Clark is the old Blackpool manager


Recommended Posts

Guest Craig-NUFC

What a Huddersfield fan I know told me:

 

When he first came we played nice attacking football with young up and coming players, then we got beaten by Millwall in the playoffs and the football slowly went downhill. Got a lot of 'experienced' players on pretty horrendous wages. Clark froze out players if he had a disagreement with them (Jamie McCombe first choice centre back got sent off with 15 minutes to go, ended up drawing 2-2 from a 2-0 lead, didn't play for 5 matches then got sent out on loan when that was one of our weakest points, Donal McDermot got given a chance every 4 matches, played well then got frozen out of the squad until his next game, ended up selling him to bournemouth in jan. Joey Gudjonnson hasn't seen inside the squad this season.). Started playing pretty defensively away last season, and played the play off finals with his away tactics. Meaning Jordan Rhodes played 5 minutes and an 18 year old arsenal loanee was playing as a lone forward, which definately wasn't his strongest position.

 

During the unbeaten run we started playing to not lose, as oppose to win. 2 wins and a loss is better than 3 draws but clark didn't seem to care about that. Seemed to start feeling the heat in the past few years, some of his press interviews post match have been very defensive/having a go at the interviewer.

 

I do like Lee Clark, but I trust Dean Hoyle. A lot of fans think he should have been sacked after last seasons play off defeat, he was given more than enough time to assemble a squad for automatics. We have one of the top 4 wage/transfer budgets in the league, and have had for the past 3 seasons. This is all the chairmans money he doesn't expect to get back. He's a lifelong Town fan and his aim was to get us into a positions where town was a healthy investment for someone else in the championship and then to start watching the games from the stands again.

 

I think the final straw was Clark's name being touted for most managerial positions and never ruling himself out. After the MK Dons match as opposed to saying 'no im the Town manager' it was 'I'm 100% comitted to whichever club is hiring me', and sounded more of a come and get me. The quite quick sacking from the chairman apparently came when it came to light it was clark putting his name out there for the Leeds job as opposed to Leeds enquiring to him.

 

We gave a young inexperienced manager 3 years, it's not like he only had 1 season. Half the people in the media know fuck all of what they are talking about when it comes to this, and Rooney sticking his oar in made me laugh. As if he has any clue whats going on outside the Premiership.

 

Grayson has experience getting 2 seperate teams out of this league so I'm happy with the appointment. While i think the sacking was ill timed I and most Town fans agree it was the right thing for our aims. I don't think our aims are particularly outrageous either, considering we have the most prolific striker outside the premiership and 2 of the best wingers in the league(though one not on the best form). And about 10 central midfielders as Lee Clark couldn't figure that position out in 3 years.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Guest dogbeak

nice little pen portrait of clarky from wsc in 2002:

 

Black and white and red

 

Ken Sproat looks at why Lee Clark left Newcastle United – for local rivals Sunderland

To the sort of people who produce WH Smith adverts, and Bobby Davro, Paul Gascoigne is the living embodiment of the typical Geordie. More representative of the area, however, inasmuch as every estate seems to have dozens, are charvers – image obsessed teen­agers standing outside 8-til-late shops comparing tracksuits, trainers and baseball caps. Though some cause a nuisance they are, after all, sons and daughters who love their mams and dads.

 

In the late Eighties and early Nineties, when relegation and poverty made it unavoidable, Newcastle Uni­ted threw young players into the first team. One of these players was the England Schoolboys captain Lee Clark. He looked every inch the charver you’d seen loitering around the Metro station on your way to St James’ Park. As his ability caught the attention on the field, interviews revealed an honest and personable but shy young man who supported Newcastle as much as anyone in the Gallowgate End. If anyone could do something to pull round a desperate team performance with some skill or, more likely, an incisive pass, it would be Clark.

 

He impressed, even though the drawback of an in­experienced and somewhat cavalier defence behind him tended to blow all his good work. However, when the arrival of Kevin Keegan invigorated the ailing team, Clark enjoyed a quantum leap in form. Instead of car­ving out consolation goals, his busy but smooth talents were used to superb effect as the Magpies raced away with the First Division title.

 

Lee Clark’s motivation was simple – to play, and play well, for his home town team. Though a bit of a reluctant hero when in contact with fans, and hardly the dirtiest player on the field, his com­mitment to his ideal meant that most of his fellow players had had oc­casions to scuffle with him in training. Such was his tenacity he would square up to any­one apart from the ex-soldier (and un­armed combat expert) Pavel Srnicek. If any player was going to throw the proverbial teacup in a dressing room if his team was getting beat it would be Lee Clark, no doubt feeling exactly the  same way about the performance around him as the fans at the match.

 

This side of Clark tended to remain hidden from public view until he impudently kicked the magic sponge bucket on being substituted by Keegan in front of a national TV audience. Like a dem­anding charver being ticked off by a worn-out parent in the Metro Centre he was very publicly admonished. Things were never really the same again and, with Keegan gone, there was a sickening inevitability about his transfer from the club. Clark was never a regular at Dalglish’s Newcastle and it was seen as a bitter tragedy when he left – for Sunderland. As Dalglish filled his team with huffers, puffers and fluffers it was always at the back of the mind that a few miles down the road was a player Newcastle could desperately do with.

 

Dropping down a division added to the opinion that perhaps he wasn’t top-flight material. How­ever, Sun­derland fans quickly began to appreciate what the Newcastle fans knew well – Clark’s pas­sing and running could be at the core of an attractive, successful side. Sun­der­land gained promotion but Clark didn’t get to play for them in the Prem­iership. Supporting Newcastle at the 1999 FA Cup final he was photo­graphed wearing a T-shirt some United fans had just given him. Big deal? It was when it displayed the slogan “Sad Mack­em Bastards”. Clark regretted the in­cident but is honest enough to say it had been a mistake to go to Sunderland in the first place.

 

“Everyone knows I’m Newcastle through and through. When I left, the prospect of staying in the north east, close to my family, was the big pull in going to Sun­derland. But when we went up it dawned on me what that really meant. I would have to go to Newcastle the following sea­son as a Sunderland player. I couldn’t do that.”

 

Although he committed what in theory should be the ultimate “bet­rayal” in moving to Newcastle’s clos­est rivals, Clark has not lost his  following at St James’ (possibly the T-shirt helped). Unlike some locally born players who leave Newcastle – Chris Waddle in particular and Paul Gas­coigne to a certain extent – Lee Clark will always be welcome back.

 

reminds me of the depression i had when we sold him. same with elliott, watson, howey..

Link to post
Share on other sites

nice little pen portrait of clarky from wsc in 2002:

 

Black and white and red

 

Ken Sproat looks at why Lee Clark left Newcastle United – for local rivals Sunderland

To the sort of people who produce WH Smith adverts, and Bobby Davro, Paul Gascoigne is the living embodiment of the typical Geordie. More representative of the area, however, inasmuch as every estate seems to have dozens, are charvers – image obsessed teen­agers standing outside 8-til-late shops comparing tracksuits, trainers and baseball caps. Though some cause a nuisance they are, after all, sons and daughters who love their mams and dads.

 

In the late Eighties and early Nineties, when relegation and poverty made it unavoidable, Newcastle Uni­ted threw young players into the first team. One of these players was the England Schoolboys captain Lee Clark. He looked every inch the charver you’d seen loitering around the Metro station on your way to St James’ Park. As his ability caught the attention on the field, interviews revealed an honest and personable but shy young man who supported Newcastle as much as anyone in the Gallowgate End. If anyone could do something to pull round a desperate team performance with some skill or, more likely, an incisive pass, it would be Clark.

 

He impressed, even though the drawback of an in­experienced and somewhat cavalier defence behind him tended to blow all his good work. However, when the arrival of Kevin Keegan invigorated the ailing team, Clark enjoyed a quantum leap in form. Instead of car­ving out consolation goals, his busy but smooth talents were used to superb effect as the Magpies raced away with the First Division title.

 

Lee Clark’s motivation was simple – to play, and play well, for his home town team. Though a bit of a reluctant hero when in contact with fans, and hardly the dirtiest player on the field, his com­mitment to his ideal meant that most of his fellow players had had oc­casions to scuffle with him in training. Such was his tenacity he would square up to any­one apart from the ex-soldier (and un­armed combat expert) Pavel Srnicek. If any player was going to throw the proverbial teacup in a dressing room if his team was getting beat it would be Lee Clark, no doubt feeling exactly the  same way about the performance around him as the fans at the match.

 

This side of Clark tended to remain hidden from public view until he impudently kicked the magic sponge bucket on being substituted by Keegan in front of a national TV audience. Like a dem­anding charver being ticked off by a worn-out parent in the Metro Centre he was very publicly admonished. Things were never really the same again and, with Keegan gone, there was a sickening inevitability about his transfer from the club. Clark was never a regular at Dalglish’s Newcastle and it was seen as a bitter tragedy when he left – for Sunderland. As Dalglish filled his team with huffers, puffers and fluffers it was always at the back of the mind that a few miles down the road was a player Newcastle could desperately do with.

 

Dropping down a division added to the opinion that perhaps he wasn’t top-flight material. How­ever, Sun­derland fans quickly began to appreciate what the Newcastle fans knew well – Clark’s pas­sing and running could be at the core of an attractive, successful side. Sun­der­land gained promotion but Clark didn’t get to play for them in the Prem­iership. Supporting Newcastle at the 1999 FA Cup final he was photo­graphed wearing a T-shirt some United fans had just given him. Big deal? It was when it displayed the slogan “Sad Mack­em Bastards”. Clark regretted the in­cident but is honest enough to say it had been a mistake to go to Sunderland in the first place.

 

“Everyone knows I’m Newcastle through and through. When I left, the prospect of staying in the north east, close to my family, was the big pull in going to Sun­derland. But when we went up it dawned on me what that really meant. I would have to go to Newcastle the following sea­son as a Sunderland player. I couldn’t do that.”

 

Although he committed what in theory should be the ultimate “bet­rayal” in moving to Newcastle’s clos­est rivals, Clark has not lost his  following at St James’ (possibly the T-shirt helped). Unlike some locally born players who leave Newcastle – Chris Waddle in particular and Paul Gas­coigne to a certain extent – Lee Clark will always be welcome back.

 

reminds me of the depression i had when we sold him. same with elliott, watson, howey..

 

Yeah, I was gutted when we sold him and Watson, Elliot and Howey not so much.

Link to post
Share on other sites

He said on Football Focus he had mates in a few clubs across Europe (including Inter  :lol:) and so was gonna watch a few clubs, don't think it means much.

 

Aye, think I can remember Pardew saying he did similar in his time out of work. Nice to seem him though.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Lee Lends A Hand

By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter

 

There was a familar face at Newcastle United's training centre on Friday morning: former player Lee Clark.

He was invited to the Magpies' Benton base by manager Alan Pardew and coaches John Carver and Steve Stone after his surprise sacking by Huddersfield Town last month, so that he could watch the way they prepare for games.

Ironically, Clark was assistant manager of United's next opponents, Norwich City, before he took up the role of manager at the Galpharm Stadium, where he stayed for three years before his departure with the team fourth in League One.

Carver explained that it was only a flying visit from the Wallsend-born 39-year-old, who had two spells as a player with Newcastle and also started his coaching career on Tyneside under Glenn Roeder.

"I know what it's like when you're out of work," Carver told nufc.co.uk.

"Sometimes you're forgotten about, so it was myself, the manager and Steve who invited him in because it's a lonely place out there when you're out of work.

"Myself and Steve go back a long way with him, having worked with him when he was a player, and I actually almost started working with him when he was manager of Huddersfield.

"It's great that he's coming in here and this is what managers and coaches do when they lose their jobs. It's important to spend a little bit of time going out to watch other clubs working, because you're always learning, you're always trying to improve things for the next job that you get.

"We've had him in the video room showing him how we prepare for games, he's watched training this morning and he'll be coming in tomorrow to watch some of our preparation for the game on Sunday against Norwich.

"It might be six months, six years down the line when I'm out of work and I need to go and pay a visit. He could be manager of another club and he'll reciprocate that offer.

"He's a character. He's a great lad and we've just been talking about some of the stories in the past that I can't repeat!

"He's a jovial guy and it's not good what happened to him. It's a bit unfair what happened if I'm being honest but he's big enough to deal with it and take it on his shoulders, and I'm sure he'll be stronger and better for it."

But Assistant Manager Carver emphasised that it was not a permanent new role for Clark, who is looking to get back into management in the near future.

"This is what managers and coaches do when they're out of work," said Carver. "It's the norm. I know that he's going over to FC Twente and Manchester United soon.

"That's what we do. It's important to keep our finger on the pulse."

http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20120316/lee-lends-a-hand_2281670_2662597

Link to post
Share on other sites

nice little pen portrait of clarky from wsc in 2002:

 

As Dalglish filled his team with huffers, puffers and fluffers it was always at the back of the mind that a few miles down the road was a player Newcastle could desperately do with.

 

Rewriting history somewhat. Dalglish bought Hamman and Speed.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest neesy111

The article makes out we were rueing the day we sold Clark. Like fuck were we. We outgrew him.

 

Did we fuck, we sold Lee Clark and replaced him with John fucking Barnes.  Great step forward that.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Clark was second fiddle to Lee and Batty who barely missed a game in 97-8, we then, as mentioned, signed Speed and Hamann within 12 months, and then replaced Hamann with Dyer. Didn't miss him at all imo, and Barnes was decent that season tbf.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest BooBoo

Barnes did well tbh, decent Indian summer. Pearce had a good year too but the less said about Ian Rush the better.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...