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Posted by: FC Halifax, July 13, 2018, 3:04pm
Thoughts...seems like he has come home this summer...!
Posted by: LH, July 13, 2018, 3:05pm; Reply: 1
Deepest sympathies.
Posted by: lee65, July 13, 2018, 3:07pm; Reply: 2
Well, I think his best days are well behind him, but if you have a young quick player alongside him then his experience could work for you
Posted by: pizzzza, July 13, 2018, 3:07pm; Reply: 3
Found his level, maybe...
Posted by: FC Halifax, July 13, 2018, 3:12pm; Reply: 4
Quoted from lee65
Well, I think his best days are well behind him, but if you have a young quick player alongside him then his experience could work for you
Thought same when Paul Futcher left us for you and he got player of season next couple of years..

Posted by: Maringer, July 13, 2018, 3:17pm; Reply: 5
Clarke did well during the run in when we managed to turn things around but was a bit hit and miss for the rest of the season. More miss than hit, though he wasn't the only player in what was a dismal season for us. No problems with his fitness and he's still decent in the air, but his decision-making and concentration was sometimes a bit iffy which is surprising because that's what you expect an experienced player to keep.

I expect he'll do quite well for you in the Conference.
Posted by: Abdul19, July 13, 2018, 3:24pm; Reply: 6
He did alright towards the end of the season after MJ organised us. Think he could be a decent signing at non league level.
Posted by: Cloudy, July 13, 2018, 3:29pm; Reply: 7
I think Nath got bad press from many of our fans. I certainly didn't see him as a weak link, he was decent enough and better than many of his teammates.
Wins lots in the air and generally reads the game well. Obviously not the quickest but not the liability some seem to see him as imo
Posted by: Lincoln Mariner 56, July 13, 2018, 3:34pm; Reply: 8
Quoted from Maringer
Clarke did well during the run in when we managed to turn things around but was a bit hit and miss for the rest of the season. More miss than hit, though he wasn't the only player in what was a dismal season for us. No problems with his fitness and he's still decent in the air, but his decision-making and concentration was sometimes a bit iffy which is surprising because that's what you expect an experienced player to keep.

I expect he'll do quite well for you in the Conference.


Would tend to agree with Maringer. Not many dominate him in the air and he wins far more headers then he loses. On the floor he can be caught a bit flat footed and when he is tends to dive in giving away free kicks in dangerous areas and the odd penalty. Was always going to struggle to get affection from town fans as he replaced a cult figure in Pearson, but his form did not help until those last five games and his very important goal v County.

Think he will do a good job and he will always give 100% commitment.
Posted by: Les Brechin, July 13, 2018, 3:36pm; Reply: 9
Quoted from FC Halifax
Thought same when Paul Futcher left us for you and he got player of season next couple of years..



First time I've seen Nathan Clarke compared to the late, great Paul Futcher.

Clarke is ok, nothing more and as others have said he's probably found his level now.
Posted by: Kris2, July 13, 2018, 3:57pm; Reply: 10
Probably be okay down a level where bad decisions get punished less. Tends to get caught out too often and makes rash decisions to cover himself. Is quite strong though and decent in the air so will be good against the many hoof it to the big lump forward teams down there.
Posted by: forza ivano, July 13, 2018, 4:00pm; Reply: 11
think the latter comments are the ones you should go with halifax. was never going to be liked - replacing pearson he'd have had to be a lower league sergio ramos to win over the fans! add in the fact that russell slade was hated and nathan clarke has followed slade around meant that he was doomed from the start!
captain material and whole hearted think he was just a year too old to be any good for us. Should handle the conferece without a problem
Posted by: LH, July 13, 2018, 4:35pm; Reply: 12
Quoted from forza ivano
replacing pearson he'd have had to be a lower league sergio ramos to win over the fans!


Replacing a legend with an absolute twit wouldn’t win the fans over would it?
Posted by: sonofmadeleymariner, July 13, 2018, 4:42pm; Reply: 13
You'll be defending deep, very deep
Posted by: Garth, July 13, 2018, 4:49pm; Reply: 14
Good centre back, tainted at Town because of his former connections with Slade, was never going to win any of credit here for that alone.
Posted by: jonnyboy82, July 13, 2018, 4:52pm; Reply: 15
Love it how when he was playing for us 99% on here said he is a liability he needs dropping etc.

Now he gone and got a club and that clubs fans come and ask for an opinion and the same people say not a bad signing mate gives everything etc..



Only on the fishy.
Posted by: lew chaterleys lover, July 13, 2018, 5:20pm; Reply: 16
"Found his level..." This makes me cringe. We were a team in the a**e end of league 2, and he has dropped down a few places in the pyramid.
Posted by: Grantley, July 13, 2018, 5:31pm; Reply: 17
Pros: wins headers, tries his best, is ok on the ball.

Cons: incredibly slow, prone to a mistake and diving in, turning circle of an aircraft carrier.
Posted by: ginnywings, July 13, 2018, 5:44pm; Reply: 18
Not as bad as some are saying. He played at a decent level most of his career, so he must have had something about him. Typical of a player coming to the f@g end of his playing days, but he should handle the Conference without too much trouble. I'll always remember him for his very cool finish against Notts County, a goal that won't get remembered like the Nathan Arnold Wembley goal, but for me was just as important.
Posted by: livosnose, July 13, 2018, 6:07pm; Reply: 19
Slow , didn’t care and a really really squeaky voice . He was also full cliches in interviews . Oh and had chippie mammaries
Posted by: MuddyWaters, July 13, 2018, 6:43pm; Reply: 20
Quoted from jonnyboy82
Love it how when he was playing for us 99% on here said he is a liability he needs dropping etc.

Now he gone and got a club and that clubs fans come and ask for an opinion and the same people say not a bad signing mate gives everything etc..



Only on the fishy.


At least with Shaun P  & him playing in the same league you'll be able to compare them
Posted by: Mighty_Mariner, July 13, 2018, 7:37pm; Reply: 21
Quoted from livosnose
Slow , didn’t care and a really really squeaky voice . He was also full cliches in interviews . Oh and had chippie mammaries


Any need to get personal?

May be limited ability wise at this stage of his career but always gave his all in the black and white shirt!!
Posted by: livosnose, July 13, 2018, 7:39pm; Reply: 22
Quoted from Mighty_Mariner


Any need to get personal?

May be limited ability wise at this stage of his career but always gave his all in the black and white shirt!!

I don’t think he did mate and yes he was fat and that was why he was slow. Massively personal but so what !
Posted by: diehardmariner, July 13, 2018, 8:31pm; Reply: 23
Honest view:

Dreadful until the run-in.   Actually very decent in the air, especially if the ball is put within ten feet of his head.  But lack of movement made him very, very limited.  I thought he was a terrible captain and spent far too much of his time pointing at other players rather than working on his own short-comings.

In the run-in he was fine, was actually pretty flawless once he came back in the side after the Lincoln game.

Looking back, he was in a side that clearly did no work on defending at set-pieces (or at all really).  He was paired with Danny Collins who isn't the quickest himself.  Collins can get away with his lack of pace because of his exceptional reading of game, Clarke doesn't have that and it was a bad move pairing them together.  Not only was he in a poor defence but he was also in a poor side that just invited pressure all the time.  The run-in proved just how he can operate if he's in a defence that has been coached and some sort of order drilled in.

Am I disappointed he's gone?  Not at bit.  But hindsight is wonderful and now easier to see that there was a lot of other factors (namely Slade and his sheer incompetence) that made him look worse than he was.

Against the stereotypical Conference brute defenders, he'll be fine.  Just has to have some pace alongside him because he will be exposed with anyone who can run.
Posted by: arryarryarry, July 13, 2018, 9:59pm; Reply: 24
Quoted from livosnose
Slow , didn’t care and a really really squeaky voice . He was also full cliches in interviews . Oh and had chippie mammaries


Sounds just like the wife.
Posted by: Mendonca1995, July 13, 2018, 10:40pm; Reply: 25
Think he gave away 4-5 penalties last season including derby game from being too slow or rash,but having said that there wasn’t many times he got beat in the air and he did improve last few games will be a decent enough signing for you
Posted by: Mighty_Mariner, July 14, 2018, 1:16am; Reply: 26
Quoted from Mighty_Mariner


Any need to get personal?

May be limited ability wise at this stage of his career but always gave his all in the black and white shirt!!


All about opinions I suppose fella. I always thought he tried but admittedly I only got to around 15 or 20 games last season.

Posted by: Mallyner, July 14, 2018, 8:03am; Reply: 27
Quoted from FC Halifax
Thoughts...seems like he has come home this summer...!

Halifax sounds to be a good place to have his last tango, all the best Nathan.  :)
Posted by: dapperz fun pub, July 14, 2018, 8:51am; Reply: 28
Consistently poor imo poor positionally not very athletic and how anyone can put him in the same sentence as the great futch beggars belief
Posted by: livosnose, July 14, 2018, 9:08am; Reply: 29
He will be playing alongside Scott ‘ writes a good letter’ Garner  :)
Posted by: sam gy, July 14, 2018, 10:55am; Reply: 30
He was ok, nothing more, nothing less. . He was one member of what was, overall a poor and unbalanced squad assembled by Slade.

I’m sure he’ll do well for Halifax...he’s experienced and has played most of his career at a higher level than us.

Despite what some might say, he was not a ‘twit’, and he certainly is not fat or overweight (an absurd notion, given all the tests etc that professional players have to do these days).
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