![]() | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Benjamin Clark | ||
Date of birth | 24 January 1983 | ||
Place of birth | Consett, England [1] | ||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
Position(s) | Centre-back Centre midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
1999 | Manchester United | ||
1999–2000 | Sunderland | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2000–2004 | Sunderland | 8 | (0) |
2004–2010 | Hartlepool United | 162 | (6) |
2010–2016 | Gateshead | 238 | (5) |
2016 | South Shields | 4 | (0) |
Total | 412 | (11) | |
Managerial career | |||
2015 | Gateshead (caretaker) | ||
2019 | Gateshead | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Benjamin Clark (born 24 January 1983) is an English former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. During his career, he played for Sunderland, Hartlepool United, Gateshead and latterly South Shields. He has also been first-team manager and community officer at Gateshead. [2]
Clark began his career as a trainee for Manchester United, but became homesick and signed for Sunderland in August 1999.
He made his Sunderland debut in a 2–1 League Cup win away to Luton Town in September 2000. [3] However, Clark saw his opportunities at Sunderland limited and he only made 11 appearances in his first three seasons and mainly found himself playing for the reserves. Despite the lack of appearances for his league side, Clark represented England as a defender up until under-20 level and he captained the under-19s.
Mick McCarthy tipped Clark to play an important role in Sunderland's promotion campaign. However, he decided to let Clark look for new clubs to pursue his career. In the 2004–05 season, Clark was signed by Neale Cooper and moved to Hartlepool United.
Clark made his Hartlepool debut against Peterborough but a series of injuries disrupted his first season at the club and Clark found it difficult to gain a regular starting place in the team. He was commonly used as a utility player to cover injuries in defence and midfield. Despite this Clark went on to make 25 league appearances and 6 in cup competitions.
In the 06–07 season played a key role as Hartlepool won promotion from League Two alongside Michael Nelson. The pair played a major part in an 18-game unbeaten run. Clark made 35 appearances in the 08/09 season but the arrival of Sam Collins meant that Clark was moved back into midfield. After losing his place in the side Clark spent much of the 09/10 as a substitute and was released at the end of the season. [4]
On 14 June 2010, Clark signed for Conference National side Gateshead [5] and was named captain on 10 August 2010, replacing Kris Gate. [6] Clark made his debut for Gateshead on 14 August 2010 against Kettering Town. [7] Clark scored his first goal for Gateshead on 22 February 2011 in a 4–1 win against Kettering Town at Rockingham Road. [8] He made 53 appearances during his first season at the club, missing only 3 games, and won Gateshead's Player of the Year award. [9]
He agreed a new one-year contract with the club in May 2012 to cover the 2012–13 season. [10]
On 23 November 2015, Clark was named co-caretaker manager of Gateshead alongside Micky Cummins following the departure of manager Malcolm Crosby. [11]
At the beginning of the 2016/17 season, Clark became a dual registered player for both Gateshead and Northern League South Shields. He played four times for the Mariners, and then retired after suffering a groin injury in September 2016.
Club | Season | Division | League [A] | FA Cup | League Cup | Other [B] | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Sunderland | 2000–01 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
2001–02 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2002–03 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
2003–04 | Division One | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
2004–05 | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
Total | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | ||
Hartlepool United | 2004–05 | League One | 25 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
2005–06 | League One | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
2006–07 | League Two | 40 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 3 | |
2007–08 | League One | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
2008–09 | League One | 35 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 2 | |
2009–10 | League One | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
Total | 162 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 185 | 6 | ||
Gateshead | 2010–11 | Conference Premier | 44 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 53 | 2 |
2011–12 | Conference Premier | 40 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 48 | 0 | |
2012–13 | Conference Premier | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 36 | 2 | |
2013–14 | Conference Premier | 44 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 52 | 0 | |
2014–15 | Conference Premier | 33 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 41 | 0 | |
2015–16 | Conference Premier | 44 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 50 | 2 | |
Total | 238 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 280 | 6 | ||
Career total | 408 | 11 | 30 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 36 | 1 | 479 | 12 |
Team | From | To | Record | Ref | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
Gateshead (caretaker) | 23 November 2015 | 27 November 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
Gateshead | 10 January 2019 | 30 April 2019 | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 29.41 | [15] |
Total | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 29.41 | — |
Hartlepool United
Darren Williams is an English football player and manager.
Martin Brittain is an English former footballer who played as a winger. A boyhood Newcastle United supporter, Brittain progressed through the club's academy to make his senior debut for Newcastle United under Sir Bobby Robson on 3 March 2004 as a 76th-minute substitute for Michael Bridges in a 3–1 win over Vålerenga in the UEFA Cup third round. Brittain was also awarded the prestigious Jackie Milburn trophy in 2004 as Newcastle United young player of the year.
Michael John Nelson is a former professional footballer who played as a defender. He is currently the manager of Chester-le-Street United.
Timothy Deasy is an English former footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
Carl Michael Jones is an English footballer and who plays for Shildon as a defender.
Colin Larkin is an Irish professional footballer, who plays as a forward for Sunderland RCA.
Michael Thomas Cummins is an Irish former professional footballer.
Andre Christopher Boucaud is a professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder. He has played in the Football League for Peterborough United, Wycombe Wanderers, Notts County and Dagenham & Redbridge and at senior international level for Trinidad and Tobago.
Christopher Ian Porter is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Darlington and York City.
Liam Marc Henderson is an English semi-professional footballer who plays for Bishop Auckland as a striker.
Carl Ronald Joseph Magnay is a former professional footballer who played as a defender.
Nathan John Luscombe is an English former footballer who played as a winger.
Jordan Alan Cook is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or a striker for Blyth Spartans.
Ryan Mark Donaldson is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Morpeth Town.
Ryan Andrew Noble is an English footballer who is currently a free agent. Noble has played as a striker for Sunderland, Watford, Derby County, Hartlepool United, Burnley and Gateshead.
John McGinley is an English professional footballer who scored 18 goals from 131 appearances in the Football League playing on the left wing or as a forward for Sunderland, Lincoln City, Rotherham United, Hartlepool United and Doncaster Rovers.
Blair Vincent Adams is an English professional footballer who plays as a left back for South Shields. His professional career dates back to 2010 since which time he has played with teams including Brentford, Northampton Town, Coventry City, Mansfield Town, Cambridge United, and Gateshead. Over his career he has made over 100 appearances in the English Football League and played in more than 300 matches overall.
Anthony Smith is an English former professional footballer.
Charles Thomas Wyke is an English professional footballer who used to play as a forward for EFL Championship club Rotherham United, on loan from League One club Wigan Athletic.
Kenton Terry Richardson is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for National League club Gateshead.