Alan D
13 Mar 2006, 04:34 PM
I don't really know this ex-City player because he played way before my generation but I have seen some of his football on clips before and it is sad that he has died. Here is a piece on him from the MCFC website:
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It is with great sadness that the Club has to report today the passing away of Roy Clarke. A classic winger, Roy made a total of 369 appearances for City, scoring 79 goals. He was also capped 22 times by Wales.
Born in Newport on June 1, 1925, Roy joined the Blues in the 1946/47 season. When he first arrived at City many claimed he was too frail to make the top grade. People quickly realised though, that appearances could be deceptive. Clarke, often with his head down, would charge forward looking up at the crucial moment before body-swerving an opponent then producing a perfect centre.
He scored in the 1955 FA Cup semi-final, against Sunderland at Villa Park, to give City a place at Wembley, but injury prevented him from featuring in the final, which City lost to Newcastle.
The following year, City were back at Wembley and Roy Clarke was a valuable member of the side that defeated Birmingham 3-1.
At the end of his footballing career, Roy took up a coaching position at Stockport County, followed by a brief stint as manager at Northwich Victoria. However he soon returned to his beloved Maine Road to manage the City Social Club with his wife Kath. Here he was to remain as manager for some 25 years, helping bring success of a different kind to the Blues. Roy was also instrumental in the establishment of the Development Association and the Junior Blues.
City General Secretary, Bernard Halford, said today, “Roy Clarke will rightly be remembered not only for the great effort and enjoyment he gave on the pitch, but also for the enormous efforts he made off the pitch to turn City into one of the country’s friendliest and approachable clubs. Roy was a true gentleman and ambassador and will be sadly missed. ”
Roy was recently given a Life Time Achievement award and inducted into the City Hall of Fame in January 2004, which he collected with his wife Kath. On accepting his award Roy boasted proudly to the audience, ‘We love City. We really love City!”
Roy Clarke’s life will be celebrated with a minutes applause prior to the FA Cup 5th round replay against Aston Villa on Tuesday.
http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?pageid=115&pagegid=%7BDBD12D53%2D8346%2D431D%2DA04F%2D5D0F8664DE80%7D&newsid=313171&siteid=&pageno=&newscategory=1051&frommonth=1&fromyear=2006&tomonth=3&toyear=2006
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It is with great sadness that the Club has to report today the passing away of Roy Clarke. A classic winger, Roy made a total of 369 appearances for City, scoring 79 goals. He was also capped 22 times by Wales.
Born in Newport on June 1, 1925, Roy joined the Blues in the 1946/47 season. When he first arrived at City many claimed he was too frail to make the top grade. People quickly realised though, that appearances could be deceptive. Clarke, often with his head down, would charge forward looking up at the crucial moment before body-swerving an opponent then producing a perfect centre.
He scored in the 1955 FA Cup semi-final, against Sunderland at Villa Park, to give City a place at Wembley, but injury prevented him from featuring in the final, which City lost to Newcastle.
The following year, City were back at Wembley and Roy Clarke was a valuable member of the side that defeated Birmingham 3-1.
At the end of his footballing career, Roy took up a coaching position at Stockport County, followed by a brief stint as manager at Northwich Victoria. However he soon returned to his beloved Maine Road to manage the City Social Club with his wife Kath. Here he was to remain as manager for some 25 years, helping bring success of a different kind to the Blues. Roy was also instrumental in the establishment of the Development Association and the Junior Blues.
City General Secretary, Bernard Halford, said today, “Roy Clarke will rightly be remembered not only for the great effort and enjoyment he gave on the pitch, but also for the enormous efforts he made off the pitch to turn City into one of the country’s friendliest and approachable clubs. Roy was a true gentleman and ambassador and will be sadly missed. ”
Roy was recently given a Life Time Achievement award and inducted into the City Hall of Fame in January 2004, which he collected with his wife Kath. On accepting his award Roy boasted proudly to the audience, ‘We love City. We really love City!”
Roy Clarke’s life will be celebrated with a minutes applause prior to the FA Cup 5th round replay against Aston Villa on Tuesday.
http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?pageid=115&pagegid=%7BDBD12D53%2D8346%2D431D%2DA04F%2D5D0F8664DE80%7D&newsid=313171&siteid=&pageno=&newscategory=1051&frommonth=1&fromyear=2006&tomonth=3&toyear=2006
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