Albert Clarke

Albert W. Clarke (25 December 1916 – 16 June 1944) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. He scored 39 goals in 84 appearances in the Football League playing for Torquay United, Birmingham and Blackburn Rovers.[1]

For those of a similar name, see Albert Clark (disambiguation).

Albert Clarke
Personal information
Date of birth (1916-12-25)25 December 1916
Place of birth Sheffield, England
Date of death 16 June 1944(1944-06-16) (aged 27)
Place of death France
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
– Mexborough Town
– Frickley Colliery
1934–1936 Torquay United 12 (9)
1936–1938 Birmingham 31 (9)
1938–1944 Blackburn Rovers 41 (21)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Clarke was born in Sheffield, and began his football career with Mexborough Town and Frickley Colliery.[2] Together with Frickley teammate Melvyn Millington, he turned professional with Torquay United of the Third Division South after a successful trial.[3] He spent 16 months with Torquay before moving to First Division club Birmingham in 1936. Before the 1938–39 season he moved again, joining Blackburn Rovers in exchange for Wally Halsall. He averaged a goal every other game for Blackburn, helping them to the Second Division title, before the Football League was suspended on the outbreak of the Second World War.[2] During the war he made guest appearances for Torquay and was a finalist in the 1939–40 War League Cup with Blackburn.[4] He died in 1944 on active service in France with the 12th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, part of the 6th Airlanding Brigade of the 6th Airborne Division.[2][5]

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData (Tony Brown). p. 54. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  3. "300 miles for a trial". Nottingham Evening Post. 2 November 1934. p. 14 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. Rollin, Jack (2005). Soccer at War 1939–45. London: Headline. pp. 260, 425. ISBN 978-0-7553-1431-7.
  5. "Clarke, Albert". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  • Profile at Frickley Athletic Museum website


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