Allan Clarke (footballer born 1946)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 31 July 1946 | ||
| Place of birth | Short Heath, Willenhall, Staffordshire, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1963–1966 | Walsall | 72 | (41) |
| 1966–1968 | Fulham | 86 | (45) |
| 1968–1969 | Leicester City | 36 | (12) |
| 1969–1978 | Leeds United | 273 | (110) |
| 1978–1980 | Barnsley | 47 | (15) |
| 1981 | Townsville Kern United | ||
| Total | 514 | (223) | |
| National team | |||
| 1970–1975 | England | 19 | (10) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1978–1980 | Barnsley | ||
| 1980–1982 | Leeds United | ||
| 1983–1984 | Scunthorpe United | ||
| 1985–1989 | Barnsley | ||
| 1990 | Lincoln City | ||
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
Allan John Clarke (born 31 July 1946 in Short Heath, Willenhall, Staffordshire), nicknamed "Sniffer", is a former footballer who played in the Football League for Walsall, Fulham, Leicester City, Leeds United and Barnsley, and won 19 international caps for England.
Starting his career at Walsall, Clarke made his debut as a 16-year-old in 1963. He moved to Fulham in March 1966 in a transfer deadline deal. Such was his early promise that Leicester City then paid £150,000 for Clarke in 1968. He spent just one season at Leicester City, in which he scored the winning goal in the 1969 FA Cup semi final, knocking out the team he had supported as a boy – West Bromwich Albion. He also starred in the final, which Leicester City lost 1–0 to Manchester City.
On 24 June 1969, Leeds United manager Don Revie paid £165,000 to Leicester City for Clarke's services. Clarke scored 26 goals in his first season at Leeds and earned the nickname "Sniffer", because of his predatory instincts in front of goal – if there was even the remotest goal scoring opportunity, Clarke would "sniff" it out. Leeds United chased a dream "treble" of League championship, FA Cup and European Cup though ultimately they won nothing. Clarke hit the post in the FA Cup Final at Wembley (with strike partner Mick Jones following up to score the rebound) and then went on a run through several Chelsea defenders in the replay to set up a goal for Jones again, but Leeds United still lost. The title had already gone to Everton who had clinched the title several weeks before the end of the season, and the European Cup campaign ended with defeat to Celtic in the semi-final.(0–1 at Elland Road and 1–2 at Hampden Park)
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