Flynn Clarke
Scottish footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Flynn Clarke (born 19 December 2002) is a semi-professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Lowestoft Town and the Scotland U21 national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Flynn Clarke[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 19 December 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Peterborough, England | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Lowestoft Town | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2019 | Peterborough United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2021 | Peterborough United | 4 | (0) |
| 2021–2024 | Norwich City | 0 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Walsall (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Dagenham & Redbridge (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Scunthorpe United (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 2024– | Lowestoft Town | 9 | (2) |
| International career | |||
| 2022– | Scotland U21 | 1 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13:53, 6 October 2024 (UTC) | |||
Career
Clarke joined the Peterborough United academy at the age of 9.[2] The midfielder featured for a Posh XI in a pre-season friendly against Deeping Rangers in July 2019,[3] before making the bench in EFL Cup ties against both Northampton Town[4] and Arsenal U21s.[5] He went on to sign his first professional contract on his seventeenth birthday, with manager Darren Ferguson stating Clarke "was someone that [he] really liked. He plays as a 10 predominantly, is a good size, an athlete and can get you a goal."[2] He made his first team debut in a 1-0 loss to Cheltenham Town in the first round of the EFL Cup in September 2020.[6] In his second appearance for Peterborough, an EFL Trophy tie against Burton Albion, he scored his first goal for the club.[7] His league debut came in Peterborough's opening game against Accrington Stanley in September 2020.[8]
He was selected for the Scotland under-19 squad in October 2020.[9]
On 24 June 2021, Clarke signed for Norwich City for an undisclosed fee.[10] Clarke went into the Norwich City under-23s team for the 2021/22 season and impressed in the Premier League 2 scoring twice in the opening 10 games from central midfield. He also netted twice in a 3–1 win over Reading in the Premier League Cup in January 2022.[11]
On 11 July 2022, Clarke joined EFL League Two club Walsall on a season-long loan.[12] He was recalled from his loan in September after making three appearances for Walsall.[13]
On 2 September 2023, Clarke joined National League club Dagenham & Redbridge on a season-long loan.[14]
On 13 February 2024, following his release from prison, Clarke joined National League North club Scunthorpe United on loan until the end of the season.[15]
He signed for Lowestoft Town in August 2024. A club director told the BBC that Clarke deserved a "second chance" following his release from prison.[16] On 28 September 2024, Clarke broke his tibia and sustained ligament damage in an FA Cup third round qualifying game against Haringey Borough.[16]
Personal life
On 15 September 2023, Clarke was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment for dangerous driving after injuring three people in a car crash in Thorney, Cambridgeshire in April 2022.[17]
Clarke was disqualified from driving for 30 months. Clarke's barrister, Tommy Dominguez KC, said the crash had occurred due to a "momentary lapse of concentration" and added that Clarke had shown "significant remorse".[18]
Clarke was released from prison on an electronically monitored tag under a Home Detention Curfew in December 2023, having served three months of his sentence.[16]
Career statistics
- As of match played 9 March 2024
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Peterborough United | 2019–20[19] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020–21[19] | League One | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5[a] | 3 | 11 | 3 | |
| Total | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 3 | ||
| Walsall (loan) | 2022–23[20] | League Two | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Dagenham & Redbridge (loan) | 2023–24[21] | National League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Scunthorpe United (loan) | 2023–24[22] | National League North | 2 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 18 | 4 | ||
- Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy