James Clarke “thankful for the opportunities” as the full-back heads into next season full of confidence

The 21-year-old has been at Mansfield Town since June 2019 and has had experiences he’ll never forget. In this article, we’ll roll back the years and discover the journey of the full-back.

Many Stags fans will know that James Clarke signed for the Stags on the same day as fellow Burnley youth prospect Aidan Stone.

This journey started way before the Clarets snapped him up, and in a sense, it was quite lucky that he found himself moving to the Lancashire club’s youth academy.

Clarke has a family which is football mad and it was obvious that from a young age he would be pushed into playing football. The full-back grew up in the environment with his older brother and always wanted to get involved.

“I think everyone as a kid was football mad really. I’ve got an older brother so I grew up in that kind of environment and always wanted to get involved so I always ended up playing with him and his mates when I was growing up and I fell in love with the sport straight away.”

The full-back was involved in pre-academies before he was able to sign up for a club and was bouncing around several clubs and even playing at Sunday League level.

“From the age of four, I was involved at Liverpool’s pre-academy and that lasted for two years. Then I decided to play with my mates in Sunday League and went on trials at Tranmere and Everton before signing for Wrexham at the age of 10.

“I was in their academy for three years before returning back to Sunday League as I got to a stage where I wasn’t enjoying playing football at all. I got selected to play for Wirral Council which is a district team and we were playing in a Cup game against Liverpool Schoolboys where there was a scout watching.”

Fortunately for the youngster, he had one of the best games of his life and the scout that was watching coincidently spoke to his father after the match.

“The Burnley scout that was watching the Liverpool lads was impressed with my performance and he spoke to my dad as he wanted me to go on trial at Burnley and that is how the move there came about.”

Moving onto Burnley, Clarke began his Scholarship at the club and even won Scholar of the Year in 2018. The full-back looked back on the achievement being “massive” at the time.

“It was massive as the award did not entail just the football side of things as we did a BTEC alongside it so it recognised things on and off the pitch and for someone to recognise my hard work it was amazing.

“For the whole presentation, we got to go down to Wolverhampton Wanderers’ stadium and it was really good to experience that.”

Clarke was called up to the Republic of Ireland under-18’s squad that faced Romania after he showed that he deserved the appearances after his hard work coming back from an injury.

“I broke my foot so I missed the summer but as soon as I was able to, I hit the gym and was absolutely flying.

“Playing regular under-18’s and under-23’s matches, I just got the call from the manager at the time to say that they’ve been watching and that they have been impressed and for me to come to the camp.

“At the time, I thought it was just a training camp but we went over to Dublin for 10 days and played two games against Romania. Luckily, my family was able to come over to see me play and it was good that they were able to do so.”

He featured a lot for the under-23’s at Burnley but the 2018/19 campaign saw the right-back struggling with injuries once more.

“We were playing Crewe at the time and I rolled over my ankle which saw me strain all my ligaments. I was out for six to eight weeks but during that time a new manager came in and I didn’t get the chance to make a real first impression.

“By the time I was fit again, everyone had been playing games and impressing already and it was hard as a manager for him to throw me in because of how well everyone else was performing.”

Unfortunately, soon after the right-back was told that he would not be kept on at the club and was subsequently released from the club.

Clarke was devastated after he was told about the decision of the club but it motivated him into finding an opportunity elsewhere.

“When I got told the news, I got home and cried but after two or three days I was ready to go again as I was more motivated than ever before and working harder.

“The season had not quite finished then so everything I was doing in training was for myself and preparing me for a new chance elsewhere.

Signing a professional contract at Burnley was significant as Mansfield Town signed the right-back in June 2019 as he explained the high-level that he was at during his time at Burnley helped secure him a deal.

“Having signed a pro contract at Burnley, that is a high level to be at and there were plenty of opportunities but my agents managed to get me a trial at Mansfield Town before the 2018/19 season had finished.

“I trained and played a friendly against Port Vale where I must have impressed as they offered me a one-year contract with an option to extend the deal.

“When I was on trial, David Flitcroft was in charge but when I actually signed it was John Dempster and he took me on board well and was very accommodating.”

His EFL debut came not long after as he was substituted on for Hayden White in Mansfield’s 3-2 defeat to Leyton Orient back in August 2019.

“It was crazy! I appeared on the bench on a few occasions throughout the season and I knew that Hayden [White] had a few issues but it was good and it was a big day for me and my family being able to make my debut.”

Only four days later, he was able to make his full debut as Clarke played a full 90 minutes in a 0-0 draw against Stevenage. The full-back reminisced on what an experience it was for him.

“Leading up to that game, I thought I’d be on the bench again but on the Friday before the game Hayden White picked up another injury and John Dempster pulled me to one side and said ‘Look I want you to be ready because you may be starting tomorrow’ and I was like I may be on the bench and may have to come on earlier and play the last 30 minutes or so.

“I let my whole family know so they were all down to support me and they were prepared that I may get some minutes, but it gets to the game and I flip over the teamsheet to see that I will be starting. I was excited and nervous at the same time and was feeling every possible emotion possible.

“To be fair, the weather was glorious, the sun was shining and that’s all you ask for as a defender really. I don’t think I put a foot wrong all game and it was a brilliant day for me.”

In his short spell at the Amber and Blues, Clarke has played under three different managers: John Dempster, Graham Coughlan and Nigel Clough. The defender spoke about what the trio have been like as football managers.

“John Dempster was very technical and it was enjoyable. The lads worked hard and as he came from the Academy job, a few of the senior professionals saw him as the Academy manager and it was tough for him in that sense. I saw him as the manager because that’s all I knew him as so I enjoyed everything I did under him.

“Graham Coughlan is a hard worker. His pre season was hard and involved a lot of running and working hard. He brought different styles of play as it was more direct than playing on the floor and the style combined with the run of games didn’t go well for him in the end.

“Nigel Clough has been good with all the lads. Even if he has not played me, he keeps me in and around the first-team and he’s not tried to put me to one side. The way he works, the way he trains and the way he communicates with the players is something I have really enjoyed.”

After making four appearances during the 2020/21 season, the right-back has taken the season as one off experiences and has been able to learn from it.

“It has definitely been a season of learning and with Covid this season it has made it even weirder in that regard. I was looking to go out on loan but I didn’t know whether the lower leagues were going to get null and voided so I didn’t want to make that risk.”

Ahead of the new season, the 21-year-old was thinking of going out on loan, but currently, it looks like he’ll stay put at the club.

“Currently, I am just thinking ahead of the new season with Mansfield Town. It all depends on what the manager brings in, but I want to fight for a place in the first-team and I will do my upmost best to do so.

“If that doesn’t work out though, I’ll look to get some minutes elsewhere and show that I am good enough to be in the Mansfield Town side.”

The right-back will certainly be willing to fight for a place in the Mansfield Town XI next season and gaining extra experience and learning as much as possible.

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