Town winger Jack Clarke feels he has continued to improve throughout the course of the season despite an inconsistent run in the Blues’ starting XI.

Since arriving from Sunderland for an initial £15 million last August, Clarke has started just nine of Town’s 32 league matches this season and is yet to taste victory in a Premier League match he has started.

Clarke is in his debut campaign in the top flight and while it appears likely it will end in relegation to the Championship, the winger believes he has made positive strides in adapting to the level and his new role in Kieran McKenna’s side.

“Since we last spoke I feel like I’ve made improvements but that’s just in the case of time,” he said. “Every week I’m trying to improve in training, but every team we play against poses a different test and you’ve got to adapt to the game at the weekend whilst also trying to learn the new role as a benchmark.

“It’s taken a bit of time but I feel like I’m better equipped now than what I was at the start of the season. Hopefully that can show in some good performances.

“The more you play, the more confidence you have and the more things you can feel like you can try. It’s a results-based industry, if you’re playing and you’re not winning then other people deserve opportunities.

“Whether my opportunities have come in bits and bobs, I’m still grateful to be on the pitch and playing regardless.

“You’ve just got to be ready. You never know when the opportunity is going to come, what games you’re going to play and what games you’re not going to play.

“People get injured and the team changes, so you’ve always got to be ready. You’ve got to train every week as if you are playing, sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t, that’s just part and parcel of football.”

Much of the change has been due to the increased competition in Clarke’s preferred area of the pitch, with plenty of names in contention to play the on the left of the Blues’ frontline.

The presence currently injured duo Sammie Szmodics and Jaden Philogene, alongside Nathan Broadhead, have provided traffic for Clarke to navigate in order to get minutes on the pitch.

However, Clarke is in the camp of hoping whoever puts on the shirt succeeds and helps the team perform as best as they possibly can.

“Everybody wants the best for each other in terms of who’s playing on the weekend,” he said. “There’s no bitterness towards anybody else, everybody wants the best for the person who’s playing.

“It’s quite a heavily stacked position and we’ve got a lot of talented players there, so we all want the best for each other and everybody hopes they can do the business.”

While Clarke is still waiting for his first Premier League goal, he has played his part with four league assists, while only Liam Delap has more goal involvements across all competitions than the Yorkshireman.

Clarke said: “A few of them have been other people’s good work but I’m always happy to assist and I’m always happy to score when the opportunity comes. It’s a very tough league, other teams don’t give you as many chances as what Championship teams do.

“That’s just the level we’re playing at now so you’ve got to be clean and composed when the opportunity comes. I feel like I have been on some occasions and not on other occasions, but that’s just about trying to strive to be as consistent as possible when the opportunity comes.”

One of those assists was for Jens Cajuste’s goal against Nottingham Forest last month, a strike that ultimately ended up winning the Premier League’s Goal of the Month award.

“That one’s probably right at the top. It goes down as an assist but I don’t think I did too much towards it, but it looks good on paper,” Clarke said.

The 24-year-old also took time to reflect on his first experience of Premier League football, a scenario that is not unique among his teammates with many of the Town squad also playing at the level for the first time.

He said: “It’s hard to know what to expect when you’ve never done it before. Sometimes you do get a little bit starstruck when you’re lining up against the top teams and you’re looking left or right seeing certain individuals and you’re going to these prestigious stadiums.

“Weirdly, it’s probably been one of the most enjoyable seasons without actually winning that many games, just in terms of the experience and the level that we’re competing against.

“Whether it’s for one season or for numerous seasons down the line, it’s been one of them that we’ll appreciate much later on in our lives.

“Maybe starstruck is the wrong word, but sometimes when you’re playing against [Manchester] City and you’re standing in the tunnel next to [Erling] Haaland, you don’t realise how big he is until you’re stood next to him.

“You get used to watching these players on TV and then all of a sudden you’re lining up next to them and it becomes reality but you’ve got to concentrate on the game. I don’t think the TV does justice how big some of them are.

“You’re not trying to get distracted going into the game but sometimes when you’re playing these top talents it’s hard not to be because you’re used to watching them in big games on TV. That would be part of the learning curve, if and when it was to happen again.”

With six matches remaining, it is a matter of when not if the Blues are relegated back to the Championship. The gap currently sits at 14 points ahead of the weekend visit of Arsenal, and Town’s fate could be confirmed as early as Sunday if results go against them.

With there being an air of acceptance that relegation will happen, there has been talk of Town perhaps being able to play with more freedom than previous matches where there was so much at stake.
Clarke disagrees, however, instead suggesting that the aim has been to exhibit the spoken approach all season long.

“The manager and all his staff express to us to play with as much freedom when the weekend comes anyway,” he said. “Whether we put more pressure upon ourselves come game time I’m not too sure.

“Nobody had really played at this level before and it’s a case of learning, seeing what works and what doesn’t work. That’s just come with time if anything, it’s hard to dwell on previous games when you know you’ve got another big game coming up in seven days.

“For everybody it’s just been a learning curve and hopefully we can be better for it.”

He added: “The club and everyone who is here, whether you were signed or were part of the journey getting to the Premier League, probably deserves the shot in the Premier League.

“For how long it goes on I’m not sure, but this season especially we’ve been there or thereabouts in every game and that’s credit to how we’re working and the players that are here.”

Clarke is an alumni of Archbishop Holgate's School in his home city of York, where Town loanee Ben Godfrey also attended.

“It was nice to see a friendly face come through the door,” Clarke said. “I think it helped him knowing a couple of the boys before making the move. It’s probably easier to settle in knowing that you’ve got some familiarity around the building. It was a nice addition.”

Finally, there has been much talk on social media surrounding Clarke’s on-field fashion sense, with his large, baggy shorts being a significant focus of attention.

On his kit choices, he said: “It’s more of a comfort thing, to be honest. I’ve always done it wherever I’ve been and I’ve got used to it now. I don’t know how strange it looks from an outside perspective but for me it’s what feels comfortable with the low socks.

“If I feel comfortable then hopefully I’ll play a little bit better. Whether they make any relevance or any difference, I’m not sure.”

TWTD

victorysquad added 06:29 - Apr 19 Keep at it Jack, the goal os to bounce back next year and have another crack at this league in 12 months time, as you say, with this years experience under our belts.
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Len_Brennan added 07:13 - Apr 19 He has definitely improved as the season went on & I hope we keep hold of him for the next season in the Championship, because he will be a massive threat for us at that level & far better prepared for another crack at the PL come August 2026. I think there will be interest in him from other sides, but it would be a shame to lose him before we've seen the best of him, particularly when so much work has gone in to adapt & mature his game. At worst, maybe a season long loan, with options should we fail to get promoted, could be considered I guess.

6

Leejames99 added 07:22 - Apr 19 We have amazing left wingers the one he didn't mention who has been the bain of his season is Davis who also thinks he plays on left wing.
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Broadbent23 added 07:38 - Apr 19 We are like an impossible jigsaw. Loads of colourful pieces but trying to get the right pattern isn't correct. I think JC has changed his style from the championship. He seems to be providing the ball to the player who is ready to assist our goal scorer. More of a team player. Whereas he was a rampaging winger in the championship. KMc has coached him into a better player. So next season our forward line whatever the selection will be immense. 100 goals and over 100 points.

3

SouperJim added 08:11 - Apr 19 My thoughts on Clarke have been a bit of a rollercoaster, and not unlike how I've felt about the team as a whole. Really excited and optimistic for what he could do when he signed, underwhelmed and frustrated by his performances while he found his feet, but gaining confidence in him now and excited to see what he can do in the future.
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Linkboy13 added 09:17 - Apr 19 Got to admit starting to win me over after a slow start looking much stronger than at the start of the season . He has the ability to create a chance when not playing well.
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stocktractor added 09:33 - Apr 19 Going to be a baller in the championship for us next year ..
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ThaiBlue added 09:48 - Apr 19 To lightweight for me to be honest,if psv want him let him go for 25mill.
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blues1 added 10:19 - Apr 19 Thai Blue. Hes not lightweight. It's just hes had to try to adapt to a totally different role here. Was always and out and out winger bit now having to play that slightly narrower role as part of the front 3. To sell him now would be ridiculous, bcse in the championship, he will be a top player. Only way he should be sold is if he wanted to go. Otherwise we have to keep him.

3

trevski_s added 12:08 - Apr 19 I will admit Clarke was one I was unsure of at the start mainly because of the high price we bought him for. But I do like to be proven wrong and even though he has probably taken a little bit longer to click into place he is starting to win me over. Our front line is going to be a force to be reckoned with next season with the likes of: Left wing: Broady, Clarke and maybe Harness Right wing: Burns, Ogbene and Hutchinson Number 10: Chappers and Szmod (with Broady also able to go here) Striker: Hirst, hopefully still Delap and one more

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billlm added 12:10 - Apr 19 I like the lad he will rip it up next year that's a given, Don't write him off,
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Gforce added 17:42 - Apr 19 @trevski.......You can also add Philogene to that left wing list.As others have said,if we can keep hold of them all,we'll have one hell of strike force next season.Strenghen central midfield and they'll be no stopping us. As for J Clarke, he's already proven in the championship and he will be a tremendous asset for us next season.
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trevski_s added 19:34 - Apr 19 @geforce yea if it is it probably will be Jaden over Harness sadly. As great as Harness was last season and had a good year with Derby this season, Harness is the older of the two and Jaden can play both sides if need be (also taking into account squad size). I'm just still on the fence with him at the moment, he shows promise sometimes just not getting the minutes he needs and came in later then the others so still yet to show what he could do. Once he's recovered and had a good preseason, then we will tell

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