Ex-Premier League and EFL player joins 22nd club of his career in Kettering Town

Ex-Premier League and EFL player, Leon Clarke, joins the 22nd club of his career in Kettering Town, who currently play in the 7th tier.

The 38 year old striker started his career with Wolves but then played for as many as eleven different clubs – in both permanent and loan deals – over the subsequent years after leaving Wolves for Sheffield Wednesday in 2007.

He went back to Wolverhampton in January 2014 having topped the League One goalscoring table while at Coventry City but only scored three goals during an 18-month spell before being released.

These days he is playing down in non league, with his love for the game still there despite limited playing appearances in recent years.

His new club currently find themselves sitting 20th in the Southern League – Premier Central standings, with 7 points from 10 games played, winning just once, drawing four and losing 5.

LEON CLARKE IS A POPPY!

We are delighted to announce the signing of experienced striker, Leon Clarke!

He becomes available straight away and can be chosen for FA Cup duty tomorrow.

Welcome, Leon!#KTFC

— Kettering Town FC (@KTFCOfficial) September 29, 2023

CLUB STATEMENT:

We are delighted to announce the signing of experienced striker, Leon Clarke.

As well as hundreds of appearances in the EFL across teams such as: Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield Wednesday, QPR, Preston North End and Wigan Athletic to name just a few, Leon has also appeared in the Premier League during his time at Sheffield United.

Leon last played for Rushall Olympic last season, and now joins The Poppies.

Welcome, Leon!

Andy Leese: “I am delighted to get Leon on board, he is someone I have been chasing for quite a while. He is vastly experienced at higher levels and it is an area of our game I think we need to strengthen giving us a different dimension to our game and I feel he can provide that for us.

“He is in good shape and hungry to play which is something really important for me, I feel he will be a valuable asset to the squad”.

CLARKE’S CAREER:

Youth career
–2003 – Wolverhampton Wanderers

Senior career
2003–2007 Wolverhampton Wanderers – 83 games (15 goals)
2004 → Kidderminster Harriers (loan) – 4 games (0 goals)
2006 → Queens Park Rangers (loan) – 1 game (0 goals)
2006 → Plymouth Argyle (loan) – 5 games (0 goals)
2007–2010 – Sheffield Wednesday – 87 games (18 goals)
2007 → Oldham Athletic (loan) – 5 games (3 goals)
2007–2008 → Southend United (loan) – 16 games (8 goals)
2010–2011 – Queens Park Rangers – 15 games (0 goals)
2011 → Preston North End (loan) – 6 games (1 goal)
2011–2012 – Swindon Town – 4 games (0 goals)
2011 → Chesterfield (loan) – 16 games (9 goals)
2012–2013 – Charlton Athletic – 7 games (0 goals)
2012 → Crawley Town (loan) – 4 games (1 goal)
2012 → Scunthorpe United (loan) – 15 games (11 goals)
2013 → Coventry City (loan) – 2 games (0 goals)
2013–2014 – Coventry City – 45 games (28 goals)
2014–2015 – Wolverhampton Wanderers – 32 games (3 goals)
2015 → Wigan Athletic (loan) – 10 games (1 goal)
2015–2016 – Bury – 37 games (18 goals)
2016–2020 – Sheffield United – 95 games (32 goals)
2019 → Wigan Athletic (loan) – 15 games (3 goals)
2020–2021 – Shrewsbury Town – 10 games (1 goal)
2021–2022 – Bristol Rovers – 11 games (2 goals)
2023 – Hartlepool United – 3 games (0 goals)
2023 → Rushall Olympic (loan) – 9 games (1 goal)

Honours

Wolverhampton Wanderers
League One: 2013–14

Sheffield United
Championship runner-up: 2018–19
League One: 2016–17

Bristol Rovers
League Two third-place promotion: 2021–22

Individual
PFA Team of the Year: 2012–13 League One, 2017–18 Championship
Championship Player of the Month: November 2017
League One Player of the Month: April 2017

This is how fans reacted as the ex-Premier League and EFL player joins the 22nd club of his career in Kettering Town…

@SamuelCope13: Looks happy about it 😂😂 #UTP

@RedCoatChicago: Looks thrilled

@nerans1: Great to see the youth coming through.. 😬

@andyhoj: Give it a month!

@finlxy07: looks absolutely buzzing he does

Declan Clarke: hopefully a decent striker that can score some goals

Jon Kyte: Great signing. All the best in a poppies shirt 👍👌

Alexander Morgan: Decent striker, more famous for running away from Paulo Di Canio

Jason Sharpe: Very good signing! Up the poppies ❤️🖤❤️🖤

Michael Carvell: Excellent signing

Mike Rogerson: His legs had gone 3 years ago

Dave Haynes: Mike Rogerson more like 5

Matthew Royle: LEON…. LEON… LEON…. ⚔️⚔️

Gary Smith: He’s a great striker Kettering done well to sign him