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Post by Macmoish on May 1, 2014 21:02:50 GMT
Ex- QPR, WBA & QPR Clive Clark has died at age 73.
Played in the 1967 League Cup Final and scored two - unfortunately for WBA!
How sad
There was a famed quote from Alec Stock re he had to sell him to avoid him being kicked around by 3rd Div Wingers
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Post by Macmoish on May 1, 2014 21:29:25 GMT
Birmingham Mail
Albion winger Clive 'Chippy' Clark was "up there with the very best", says former Baggies team-mate Tony 'Bomber' Brown
Albion winger Clive Clark pictured in 1964
Tony Brown has paid glowing tribute to former West Bromwich Albion team-mate Clive Clark, who has passed away aged 73.
“He was one of the best we’ve had – he’s definitely up there with the very best,” said Brown.
Nicknamed ‘Chippy’, Clark was one of a rare breed – a wideman who was brave, quick and could score goals.
Between 1961 and ’69 he scored 98 goals for Albion in just a little over 350 appearances.
In these modern times, he’d have probably played about 35 games for Albion and would no doubt have moved on for a huge fee to one of the big-hitters.
That’s how good he was.
‘Chippy’, Albion’s record signing when he moved from Queens Park Rangers for £20,000 in 1961, is fondly remembered for a period in the final few years of his spell at Albion, when he not only played a key role in the 1966 League Cup win over West Ham, but then scored in every round in the same competition a year later – including two goals in the 3-2 Wembley defeat against his former club.
Clark also scored three times as Albion marched on to FA Cup glory in 1968.
‘Bomber’ Brown remembers his former colleague fondly.
“This is really sad news,” said Albion’s record goalscorer and appearance maker.
“Chippy was one of my all-time favourites and rightly deserves to be remembered alongside the very best to play for the club.
Mirrorpix League Cup Final Second Leg in 1966: West Bromwich Albion 4 West Ham United 1, West Brom won 5-3 on aggregate.
Clark played a key role in Albion's 1966 League Cup triumph over West Ham before going on to score in every round of the competition the following year.
“He helped me a lot when I first came to the club and as a player he had everything.
“He was lightning quick – over the first 10-yards nobody could get near him – but he was also as brave as they come and he was one of the rare wide men who stuck to the wing, but could also score goals.
“He was a great asset for us and a terrific player to have in your team.”
Bomber continued: “We had Jeff Astle up front and others in support around him but we would always look to get the ball out to Chippy – he was our outlet on the left wing.”
Bomber, to this day, has no idea how, where or why Clark had earned his ‘Chippy’ nickname.
His final hurrah for Albion came around the time of the 1968 cup win.
“We went on a tour to East Africa after Wembley and some of the teams were really hostile towards us,” recalls Bomber.
“Chippy got challenged with a really high tackle and it damaged his knee. We were so angry, the lads wanted to call the game off.
“Chippy was never the same player again after that, which is a big shame as he could have had many more years for us.
“As a player, though, he was so important to us – you couldn’t put a price on his head, he was that good.
“He was a good player, fondly remembered by us all.”
Yorkshireman Clark left The Hawthorns to rejoin QPR in 1969.
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Post by Macmoish on May 1, 2014 21:30:56 GMT
From earlier QPR Report Post by QPR Report on Sep 6, 2009 at 3:58am Edit/Bump... Fifty-Five years ago today... QPR Winger, Clive Clark, made his QPR debut: September 6, 1958 against Bournemouth, away. QPR losing 0-2. (Also playing that day, Drinkwater and Ingham). Sold to WBA by Alec Stock, reportedly to prevent him from being kicked around by Third Division defenders. At WBA, he spent a decade (including scoring twice against QPR at Wembley). Clark briefly returned to QPR in 1969, in a part-exchange for the brilliant Alan Glover, before moving on to Preston. See also Clark Stats. www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/cliveclark.htmRead more: qprreport.proboards.com/thread/6498/clive-clarks-debut-years-today#ixzz30VBD6Fvu |
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Post by Macmoish on May 1, 2014 21:31:28 GMT
Clive 'Chippy' Clark in 1959   Clive on his return to the club 1969 in pre-season training.  Sadly Clive Clark lives in a nursing home in Filey, where he receives around the clock care. |
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Post by Macmoish on May 1, 2014 21:37:32 GMT
On his return to QPR August 9 1969: First Game of Season: QPR 3 Hull 0 with Terry Venables making his QPR Debut after QPR's humiliating relegations from Div One Players of the 1969/1970:- Mike Kelly, Ian Watson, Vic Mobley, Ron Hunt, Tony Hazell Dave Clement, Terry Venables, Barry Bridges, Frank Clarke, Rodney Marsh - Others Mike Ferguson, Mick Leach, Ian Morgan, Clive Clark, Alan Harris, Framl Sibley, Alan Wilks, Turpie, Alan Spratley, Dave Metchick qprreport.proboards.com/thread/15508/years-today-venables-league-debut#ixzz30VCfY4cp |
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Post by Macmoish on May 1, 2014 21:42:57 GMT
From Bushman Division 3 1960-61 Season Back Row: left to right,
Pat Woods, John Collins, Mike Barber, Mike Bottoms, Don Tompkins.
Middle Row:
Peter Angell, Peter Carey, Ken Whitfield, Ray Drinkwater, Mike Keen, Brian Bedford, Keith Rutter.
Front Row:
Jimmy Golding, Clive Clark, Tony Ingham, Arthur Longbottom, Jimmy Andrews. Rangers came third with 60 points, 8 points behind Bury who were champions. Played 46, Won 28, Lost 6, Draw 12. Goals for 98. Against 60. Top goal scorer Brian Bedford with 33. |
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Post by Macmoish on May 1, 2014 21:45:06 GMT
And Bushman on Clark's second time at QPR |
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Post by Macmoish on May 1, 2014 22:42:05 GMT
West Bromwich Albion Official Site
Albion mourn Clive 'Chippy' ClarkPUBLISHED 16:30 1st May 2014 Club pay tribute to former winger ALBION are mourning the loss of former player Clive ‘Chippy’ Clark, who has passed away at the age of 73. The left winger was a loyal servant to the club, making 351 starts, two substitute appearances, and scoring 98 goals during eight years at The Hawthorns. He became Albion’s record signing at the start of 1961 when manager Gordon Clark snapped him up from Queens Park Rangers for £20,000. His greatest moments in a Baggies shirt came between 1966 and 1968. He scored and was instrumental in the 1966 League Cup Final victory over two legs against West Ham. The following season he topped the Albion scoring chart with an incredible 29 goals. And in 1968 he netted three times in the club’s run to lifting the FA Cup at Wembley. Our thoughts are with Clive’s family and friends at this difficult time. The club will pay tribute to his career at Sunday week’s final home game of the season against Stoke. Below is a tribute to Clive’s time at Albion, written by publications editor Dave Bowler. CLIVE CLARK (1940-2014) It is a peculiar thing but, while wingers of any kind are the sort of player that sets the pulses racing and the spirit soaring, it is the left winger who has traditionally captured the imagination most of all. Perhaps it is because the bulk of us favour our right side and find those who are of the southpaw – or southpeg – persuasion to be some kind of sorcerer. Whatever the reason, wearing the number 11 shirt in those pre-squad numbering days was always a badge of particular honour. Wingers have always been a focal point of Albion tradition, going all the way back to Billy Bassett, through the likes of Tommy Glidden and Stan Wood, then George Lee and Frank Griffin, FA Cup-winning combinations both. But those were from the days when all teams had wingers, two of them, by Act of Parliament. By the time Clive Clark was embarrassing defenders, the footballing world had turned, Alf Ramsey had won the World Cup with the ‘wingless wonders’ and a puritanical era of utilitarian midfielders was upon us. Clark had of course been dazzling the Throstletariat before that 1966 watershed and was so deeply entrenched as a pivotal part of the Albion that no mere whim of fashion could see him out of the side. Chippy had become Albion’s record signing at the start of 1961 when manager Gordon Clark snapped him up from Queens Park Rangers for £20,000. As befits a man on whom so much cash was expended, Clark went straight into the side, making his debut on 14th January 1961 in a 3-1 win over Preston North End, then on their way to relegation in the first season after the great Tom Finney had hung up those alchemic boots – that is the difference a great winger makes to a team. If Clark was no Finney – who, barring Matthews, has been? – he repaid every penny of that fee a hundred times, a thousand times over during his stay at The Hawthorns for as outside lefts go, Clive was just a little bit different. Most of them during his era were creators of goals, belting to the by-line and smacking in crosses for the big centre-forward – in Albion’s case the likes of Derek Kevan, John Kaye and Jeff Astle – to get on the end of. But that was not enough for Chippy, because he liked to get involved in the goalscoring stakes as well. He might cut inside, blazing past the full-back on his wrong side before smashing a shot past the ‘keeper or, his speciality, come haring in from the wing to get on the end of a cross from the right. For a man who was anything but a giant, he was strong in the air, getting across the defender to get the crucial touch – of more recent vintage, Zoltan Gera is a reasonable comparison in that regard. Clark’s contemporaries in the Albion team remained in awe of the man, not just for his talent but for his courage under what was withering fire. ‘Brave as a lion’ is Tony Brown’s assessment of his cup-winning colleague, for not only would he throw himself at the ball to win those decisive headers, he played in the day when the phrase ‘put it in row Z’ referred to the winger, not the ball. The tackle from behind was not outlawed, it was compulsory, while teams thought little of doubling up against the likes of Clark, happy to hack him down whenever he got the ball, willing to concede free-kicks rather than run the risk of him undressing them with a surging dart down the flank. But time and again, back would come Chippy to taunt and tease with his talent, skipping past lunge after lunge, digging the ball out of the cloying muddied fields of yesteryear, dribbling with it as though playing on a bowling green. He formed a critical part of the Albion team that emerged from the shadow of the majestic team of the ‘50s to create their own slice of history. Clark was crucial to the balance, the more so once Jimmy Hagan came in and really began to get the best from him. With 17 goals from the wing – no penalties – Chippy top scored in 1963/64, a feat he repeated with 11 in 1964/65, by which time a couple of chaps called Astle and Brown were settling into the team and would go on to dominate those charts through the rest of the 1960s, a bit like The Beatles and the Stones. In 1966/67, a League Cup winner’s tankard already in the sideboard after helping the Throstles dismember West Ham United in the second leg of the final, Clark completed a quite extraordinary feat for an outside-left. Over that one campaign, he scored 29 goals. 29. Even Astle only exceeded that number in two seasons, Bomber just once. That in itself is a measure of Clark’s genuine greatness. Remember how people slavered over Cristiano Ronaldo’s goalscoring exploits when he was only nominally a winger at Manchester United, often playing more centrally? That was the kind of prolific form Clark was in. Ironically it came in a season that carried his greatest disappointment. Holders of the League Cup, the Throstles had destroyed all and sundry before them on the way to the first Wembley final in the competition’s history. There we met QPR, Chippy’s first club, then in the Third Division. A formality for Albion? It seemed that way when we led 2-0 at half-time, both goals from Clark. A controversial second half ensued with Rangers mounting one of the great Wembley comebacks to win 3-2, leaving Albion, Clive especially, stunned. Recompense was gained twelve months later when Albion lifted the FA Cup after beating Everton, following a cup run where Clark had been immense again, not least in the punishing three games it took to overcome Shankly’s Liverpool in the sixth round, Clark getting the winner. After Wembley, the Throstles jetted off for an ill-starred tour of East Africa. Facing some, at best, rudimentary tackling from the local sides, Clark found himself on the wrong end of an appalling tackle that ended not only his tour but, to all intents and purposes, his top flight career. The zip, the devil had gone from his game when he returned and he was soon on his way, back to QPR after 351 starts, two substitute appearances and 98 goals. Ill health scarred his later life but he remained an Albion man through and through until the last. Clark will be forever remembered at The Hawthorns, one of the finest of all the stars in stripes, an architect of our greatness, our history, our birthright. Rest easy Clive. (A full tribute to Clive ‘Chippy’ Clark will be published in the Stoke edition of 'Albion News’). www.wba.co.uk/news/article/albion-mourn-clive-chippy-clark-1521818.aspx#7kIwObMPUMqoKUio.99
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Post by Macmoish on May 1, 2014 22:43:24 GMT
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Post by Macmoish on May 2, 2014 6:54:43 GMT
Clive Clark Stats Born: Leeds d.o.b: 19 December 1940 Position: Left Wing Teams Seasons Apps. Gls. Source : Juniors Leeds United 57-58 0 0 Queens Park Rangers 58-61 58 7 West Bromwich Albion 60-69 301 80 Queens Park Rangers 69-70 8 1 Preston North End 69-73 72 9 Southport 73-74 8 1 Washington Diplomats (USA) 74 8 0 www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/cliveclark.html |
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Post by Macmoish on May 2, 2014 12:04:19 GMT
From the QPR Official Site, 14 Years Ago Today
May 2, 2000
FORMER R'S STAR'S ILLNESS
FORMER Rangers and West Brom star Clive Clark is suffering from a serious mental illness which affects his short-term memory and he now needs 24 hour care.
He gets plenty of help from his elder sister Norma. But she finds the work tiring and longs for a break.
As a result, the West Brom Supporters' Club have decided to hold a Clive Clark Night this coming Thursday. They hope to raise enough money to send Clive and Norma away on holiday. Any R's fans who would like to contribute should contact W.B.A. Football Club.
Clark, now 59, made 72 appearances for Rangers in two spells between 1958 and 1970 and scored eight goals.
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Post by kerrins on May 2, 2014 14:14:55 GMT
The nearest thing to George Best you will ever see in a QPR shirt...and he was THAT good
We could not hold on to such talent and it cost us promotion to Division 2 in 1961.
RIP our will o the wisp wonder winger. I am working on a tribute article for the Independent R's website and hope to have it posted up in the very near future.
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Post by Macmoish on May 2, 2014 14:29:02 GMT
Thanks Kerrins: Please post a link here when you've done it.
By the time I saw Clark play in the hoops, wasnt so great ...and he shortly after went to Preston...
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Post by Macmoish on May 2, 2014 14:37:24 GMT
Nice tributes from WBA...From QPR 24 hours later, as far as I've seen: not even a tweet.
(And even if they're preparing a "In Memoriam" for the website, a tweet to start with..
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Post by Macmoish on May 2, 2014 14:43:10 GMT
More non-QPR footage
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Post by Bushman on May 2, 2014 15:54:33 GMT
Very sad news.
RIP Clive Clark.
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Post by Macmoish on May 2, 2014 16:01:16 GMT
Also from Bushman's Archives: The Man we sold to WBA in the summer of 1969: Clive Clark coming in part exchange Rangers give debuts to 19 year-old goalkeeper Alan Spratley & 18 year-old forward Alan Glover (outside Villa Park) against Aston Villa in the FA Cup 3rd Round 4th January 1969. Tommy Docherty was the new manager at Villa.Ranger lost 2-1. Scorer: I . Morgan |
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Post by Macmoish on May 2, 2014 16:13:13 GMT
Preston North End Official (Preliminary) Statement
Former Preston North End winger Clive Clarke has died aged 73 in Scarborough.Known for his lightening quick pace, ‘Chippy’ made his debut in professional football with QPR, later representing West Bromwich Albion before signing for the Lilywhites in January 1970. He became a pivotal part of North End’s Division Three championship winning team with some wonderful crosses for the likes of Gerry Ingram and Bobby Ham to get on the end of. In total, he made 83 appearances for the Club, scoring 12 goals. Preston North End would like to pass on our sincerest best wishes to Clive’s family and friends at this time. A full obituary will be provided by Preston North End Club historian Ian Rigby in due course. www.pnefc.net/news/article/clive-clarke-dies-aged-73020514-1522565.aspx
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Post by terryb on May 2, 2014 16:43:17 GMT
Very sad news.
Like mac, I didn't see Clive play for Rangers until his return in 1969, but I know he was a real star at West Brom.
Best wishes to all his family & friends.
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Post by Macmoish on May 2, 2014 20:55:24 GMT
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Post by Bushman on May 2, 2014 21:33:27 GMT
His 1968 FA Cup Final winners medal is coming up for auction towards the end of this month.
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Post by Bushman on May 2, 2014 21:38:06 GMT
Auction Estimate £8000-£9000   |
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Post by Macmoish on May 3, 2014 6:40:23 GMT
Lancashire Post
Ex-PNE favourite Clark passes away Preston North End's Division Three champions in 1970-71. Clive Clark is pictured on the front row third from right Former Preston North End winger Clive Clark, pictured above, has passed away at the age of 73. Clark, nicknamed ‘Chippy’, was a fans’ favourite and a key member of the Lilywhites side which won the Third Division title under Alan Ball Snr in the 1970/71 campaign. Born in West Yorkshire, he started his career at Leeds United before joining Queens Park Rangers. It was at West Bromwich Albion where Clark really made his name, signing for £20,000 - then an Albion club record fee - and playing 351 games for the Baggies between 1961 and 1969, scoring 98 goals. He helped Albion win the League Cup in 1966 and the FA Cup two years later. In June 1969, Clark went back to QPR, but by January 1970 he was on the move again, signing for North End. Bobby Seith was the manager who brought him to Deepdale, Seith losing his job at the end of that season when Preston were relegated. They were revived by the arrival of Ball Snr as manager, with Clark making 36 appearances and scoring four goals as North End pipped Fulham for the title in a dramatic finale. In the penultimate game of the season, PNE beat Fulham 1-0 at Craven Cottage, Clark’s corner headed home by Ricky Heppolette. A few days later, Clark scored in the 3-0 win over Rotherham at Deepdale which clinched the championship. With PNE back in the Second Division, Clark played 25 games the following season, scoring seven goals. Not a player who liked to wear shinpads, he got plenty of rough treatment from opposition defenders and injury limited his appearances at Preston. Clark left North End to join Southport in 1973. After a short spell there, he played for Telford and then for Washington Diplomats and Philadelphia Fury in the United States. www.lep.co.uk/sport/pne-news/ex-pne-favourite-clark-passes-away-1-6593730
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Post by Macmoish on May 3, 2014 7:24:41 GMT
Finally - Possibly because of all the posts and tweets? Who can say? |
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Post by Macmoish on May 3, 2014 9:28:14 GMT
And now on the Official Site itself. Would they have posted without "Nodging"? Who's to say. Certainly they posted not a word on Thursday or Friday.
QPR OFFICIAL SITE
FORMER QPR WINGER CLIVE CLARK PASSES AWAY07:00 3rd May 2014 by @officialqpr The club is saddened to hear of the passing of former QPR winger Clive Clark THE club is saddened to hear of the passing of former QPR winger Clive Clark, at the age of 73. Clark, who joined Rangers in September 1958, made over 60 appearances in his first spell for the R's, scoring eight goals. He moved to West Bromwich Albion in 1960, spending nine years with the Baggies, and played in the 1967 League Cup Final between the two sides, scoring twice, as the R's triumphed 3-2 at Wembley Stadium. He returned to QPR briefly in 1969, making a further eight appearances before signing for Preston North End. Our thoughts are with Clive's family and friends at this difficult time. Clive Clark 1940-2014 www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/030514-clive-clark-passes-away-1524171.aspx |
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Post by kerrins on May 3, 2014 9:30:58 GMT
My tribute article to Clive Clark has just been posted off to the Independent R's website editorial team.
It should appear very soon. I will of course post up the link on here
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Post by Macmoish on May 3, 2014 9:34:19 GMT
Thanks Kerrins.
If there are 5 or 10 pre-1967 Players that every QPR Fan should be able to name (or at least has heard of the name), Clive Clark is indisputably one of them.
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Post by bp on May 3, 2014 11:00:47 GMT
That side Mac' is the first team I really got to love.
I remember my dad being very upset when Clive was sold and even then bemoaning our clubs lack of finances. All meant very little to me as we still had our goal machine Brian Bedford.
Could write a book about my dads rants and raves about us then but not the time and place.
RIP Clive.
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Post by Macmoish on May 4, 2014 9:45:27 GMT
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Post by Macmoish on May 18, 2014 7:40:54 GMT
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