Playing Career
Nathan is a product of the Huddersfield Town Academy, he began his first team career at the age of just 17 his debut came in a 1–1 draw away to Stoke City on 8 September 2001. He scored his first goal for his home club on his home debut in the game in which ended in a 4–2 loss against Blackpool. He made a total of 37 starts in all competitions during the 2001/02 season his first as a professional with the first team with 36 of them coming in the league scoring once.
Clarke was runner-up in the Huddersfield Town 'Player of the Year' 2005–06 and is vice-captain of the team going on to win the title the following year along with winning the 'players player award'. Clarke played under 8 different managers at the galpharm and was in the starting 11 for each one.
Clarke has been selected in FourFourTwo's Top 50 Football League Players at 43 in March 2006, down from 40 in the list in March 2005.
On 27 January 2011, after failing to break into Lee Clark's team, Clarke joined Colchester United on loan until the end of the season. He made 18 appearances for the U's.
On 19 August 2011, he joined Oldham Athletic on a five month loan deal, making his debut the following day, where he also scored the first goal. Clarke returned to his parent club Huddersfield Town after making 16 appearances for oldham and scoring one goal against Rochdale in the league. He then on 9 March, joined Bury on loan for the remainder of the season where he played a huge part in the clubs league survival in the league with them finishing mid table.
He left Huddersfield Town in June 2012 after playing over 300 games for his hometown club and almost 20 years at the club he has supported since he was a boy, 11 of those as pro, signing for Orient on 18 July 2012.
Read more about this topic: Nathan Clarke
Famous quotes containing the words playing and/or career:
“Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout,
But there is no joy in Mudville—Mighty Casey has struck
out.”
—Ernest Lawrence Thayer (1863–1940)
“I’ve been in the twilight of my career longer than most people have had their career.”
—Martina Navratilova (b. 1956)