Steve Clark

Steven Thomas Clark (born April 14, 1986) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Houston Dynamo.

Lightly recruited out of high-school, Clark was a crosswalker at his local school.

Clark walked-on for the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies.

After red-shirting his first season, Clark made 2 appearances in the 2005 season.

During his 2nd season at Oakland, Clark was evicted from his apartment.

With just $400 to his name, he bought a tent and set it up in the woods, using his car as a closet.

After living in the woods for a few months, he moved in with a teammate.

He won the Grizzlies starting job in 2006.

From 2006 to 2009, Clark played with Premier Development League side Michigan Bucks, helping the PDL club to its first league championship in 2006, where he was named championship MVP.

From 2006 to 2008, Clark also helped the Bucks to three-straight Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup appearances.

In all, the Mason, MI native appeared in 75 matches over four seasons with the Pontiac-based side.

He helped Oakland make back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2007–08, making the All-Summit League 1st team both seasons.

In 2007, the Bucks returned to the title game, but fell on penalties to the Laredo Heat.

Clark won the Summit League's Defensive Player of the Year award in 2008 and was named to the All-Midwest Regional First Team.

In 2008, Clark helped the Bucks to the club's second regular season championship and first since 2000, en route to winning the Paul R. Scicluna trophy, awarded annually to the club's Most Valuable Player.

After going undrafted in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, Clark went on trial with MLS club Real Salt Lake, but was released before signing a contract.

After unsuccessful trials with other lower league clubs around the US, Clark returned to play for the Michigan Bucks.

In August 2009, Clark signed with USL-1 club Charleston Battery, making just $30 a day.

He was released by Charleston following the season, having made no appearances.

With little money in his bank account, Clark sold most of his belongings so he could afford to travel to Europe in an attempt to find a club.

In December 2009, Clark was offered a trial by 4th-tier English club Bradford City, but he eventually left due to being unable to obtain a UK work permit.

He then went on trial at Norwegian Tippeligaen club Stabæk.

Clark came close to signing, but the club opted for somebody else.

On what was scheduled to be his last night in Norway before returning to America, Clark was hanging out with some friends when one of them called Hønefoss BK, a 2nd tier club that had just won promotion to the top flight for the first time in club history, and was able to convince the club to give Clark a trial.

In January 2010, Clark signed a one-year contract with Tippeligaen club Hønefoss BK after impressing the coaches during his 1 day trial.

He made his debut for the club on April 5 in a 5–1 loss to FK Haugesund.

After the 2011 season, Clark signed a two-year contract extension with Hønefoss, keeping him at the club until December 2013.

Clark enjoyed a good season in 2012, playing in all 30 league games and keeping 9 clean sheets for Hønefoss, helping the club finish in 13th, 2 places and 3 points above the relegation zone.

He led the league in saves and was 3rd for clean sheets He was named to the Tippeligaen Best XI by TV 2 and was named Hønefoss BK "Player of the Year" by local newspaper Ringerikes Blad.

2013 saw Clark start all 30 league games again, however this time he was not able to save HBK, as they finished bottom of the league.

His contract with Hønefoss expired following the season.

On December 16, 2013, Clark was acquired by the Columbus Crew in a sign-and-trade deal with Seattle Sounders FC.

Clark made 4 appearances during the season as Hønefoss finished in 14th place and were relegated to the Adeccoligaen after losing in the relegation playoffs.

Clark was named first-choice keeper for HBK after beating out long-time starter Thomas Solvoll.

Clark helped lead Hønefoss to the Adeccoligaen title, appearing in all 30 games and keeping 12 clean sheets.

HBK finished the season with a league best 28 goals against.

He made his Crew debut on March 8, 2014, helping Columbus to a 3–0 win against D.C. United.

He played every minute of all 34 league matches in 2014, as well as both Open Cup matches, as Clark helped the Crew finish 3rd in the Eastern Conference, returning to playoffs after failing to qualify the previous two seasons.

The Sounders received a 2015 MLS SuperDraft fourth-round selection in exchange for sending Clark's rights to Columbus.

In preseason, Clark beat out Matt Lampson for the starting spot.