Billy Clarke

William Charles Clarke (born 13 December 1987) is an Irish football coach and former footballer who is the assistant manager of Hull City under 18's team.

It was the first hat-trick scored by a Cobblers player since 2002.

Clarke joined Brentford on loan in the run-in to their attempt to win promotion out of League Two.

He was recruited mainly to cover for the absence of fellow Ipswich loanee Jordan Rhodes, who was injured.

Clarke scored his first goal for the Bees in the 1–1 draw at Bradford City.

He ended his loan spell scoring six goals in eight games.

While at Brentford, he scored twice against former club Darlington in the game that Brentford clinched the league two title.

He had scored 18 goals overall during his three loan spells that season with Darlington, Northampton and Brentford.

He was nominated twice during the season for the League Two Player of the Month.

As a player Clarke was predominantly a striker as well as playing in midfield in a career that lasted from 2003 until 2021.

Born in Cork, Clarke is a product of the Ipswich Town Academy and signed professional for the club in May 2005.

He made his professional début as a substitute against Cardiff City in late November 2005.

He won the Irish Examiner Junior Sports Star of the year award for Soccer in 2005 and was nominated for the Irish Under-19 Player of the Year award in 2006.

He also made a big contribution to Ipswich's youth team in winning the FA Youth Cup in 2005.

At the end of the 2005–06 season he was sent on loan to Colchester United to gain first team experience, playing six league games.

During the January 2008 transfer window, he joined Scottish side Falkirk on loan.

He scored his first goal, a late winner, in a crucial match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

After returning to Ipswich Clarke scored his first league goal in the 2–1 victory over Southampton and followed it up three days later with the winning goal in the 2–1 victory over Coventry City.

He also scored in a 3–1 victory over Southend United.

Clarke was transfer-listed and on 8 August 2008 went to Darlington on one month's loan, which was extended to January 2009.

He scored four times against Macclesfield Town on 30 August 2008.

He also scored a vital goal in the League Cup against Walsall, knocking the League One side out of the cup.

He joined Northampton Town on a month's loan in January 2009.

He scored a hat-trick on his debut in a 5–1 victory over Crewe Alexandra.

Clarke was released by new Ipswich manager Roy Keane on 8 May 2009.

On 26 June 2009, Clarke signed for fellow Championship side Blackpool on a two-year contract with an option for a further year; his contract starting on 1 July, once his Ipswich contract expired.

Clarke said of the move, "It happened very quickly. I met the manager (Ian Holloway) on Tuesday and I had my medical this morning. I am delighted to be here and I can't wait for the season to start," adding "It is brilliant for me to be still playing in the Championship.

His first game for the Seasiders was a pre-season friendly against non-league side Burscough on 11 July.

Two days later he scored the second goal as Blackpool beat Barnstaple Town 5–0 in a 2009 South West Challenge Cup group stage match.

On 8 August Clarke made his league début as a 73rd-minute substitute as Blackpool started the 2009–10 season with a 1–1 draw with Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.

He scored his first goal for the Seasiders in a 4–3 defeat to Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium in the third round of the 2009–10 League Cup on 22 September.

His first league start came in the 2–0 win over Plymouth Argyle at Bloomfield Road on 17 October.

His first league goal came after just 23 seconds of the West Lancashire derby 1–1 draw with Preston North End on 30 November.

He also won the Sky Sports "Man of the Match" award for his performance.

He most notably had three spells with Bradford City and was also part of the Blackpool team that played in the Premier League during the 2010–11 season.

Clarke also had spells with Ipswich Town, Crawley Town, Charlton Athletic, Plymouth Argyle and Grimsby Town as well as spending time on loan with Colchester United, Falkirk, Darlington, Northampton Town, Brentford and Sheffield United.

He played for Ireland at various levels up to under-21.

After three months out through injury, Clarke made his return to action as a 78th-minute substitute in the 1–0 home win over his former club Ipswich Town on 6 March 2010.

During pre-season for the 2010–11 season, which was Blackpool's début in the Premier League, Clarke suffered a knee injury that would, it was initially thought, keep him out of action for three months; however, on 26 July it was revealed that Clarke had ruptured his right anterior cruciate ligament and could miss the whole campaign.

This was confirmed when, on 2 February 2011, he was left out of Blackpool's 25-man squad for the remainder of the campaign.