Clarke slaps in transfer demand - February 23, 2001
Republic of Ireland u21international Clive Clarke has slapped in a transfer request at high-flying Stoke City. The Dublin-born defender has been peripheral to Stoke's promotion challenge in recent weeks and has told manager Gudjon Thordarson he wants away from the Britannia.
Clarke, included in Don Givens' squad for Tuesday's u21 friendly against Denmark, has racked up 21 first-team appearances this season. But he has started just three of the last eleven games, with gnarled and wrinkled former England international Tony Dorigo being preferred at left wing-back.
Dorigo has already announced his intention of quitting the game at the end of he current season - but that's beside the point as far as the Irishman is concerned, since his preferred position is at centre back and he has not been able to win his place there.
He's the second young Irishman to ask for a transfer from Stoke this season. Earlier, midfield star and u21 international colleague James O'Connor out in a similar demand after Thordarson dropped him. On that occasion the manager insisted that Stoke were not prepared to sell any of their rising stars and O'Connor has since re-established himself in the first team.
Thordarson has slated a meeting with Clarke for tomorrow morning and will try to persuade the youngster to change his mind.