What is ex-Sheffield United player Leon Clarke up to these days? | OneFootball

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Football League World

·27 March 2023

What is ex-Sheffield United player Leon Clarke up to these days?

Article image:What is ex-Sheffield United player Leon Clarke up to these days?

Joining the club when they were still in League One, and departing when they were a Premier League side, Leon Clarke had quite the ride at Sheffield United.

Arriving from Bury in 2016, it was a relatively quiet first campaign at Bramall Lane as the Blades went on to win promotion to the Championship.


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In League One that season, Clarke had appeared in just half of their matches, 23, and scored seven times.

Whilst this was still a meaningful contribution, it was nothing compared to what he would offer the club on their return to the second tier.

Playing 39 games in 2017/18, Clarke fired in 19 goals, and turned creator on five occasions with five assists, to help Sheffield United to a 10th place finish on their return to the second tier.

It was to be his best season at Bramall Lane as the following year, he scored just three goals in 24 games before exiting the club on loan.

Clarke played twice in the Premier League for the club, but at the end of 2019/20, finally departed on a free transfer to join Shrewsbury Town.

In total, Clarke appeared 96 times for Sheffield United, during which he scored 32 goals and registered 10 assists.

With all of the above in mind, we thought we'd take a look at what the former Blades striker is getting up to these days.

What is he getting up to?

Interestingly, despite currently being 38-years-old, Clarke was very recently playing in the EFL once again.

Indeed, following his time at Shrewsbury, he spent last season at Bristol Rovers, and this campaign, he spent a period with Hartlepool United having joined them in February.

That deal was supposed to last until the end of the season. However, he played just three times, before exiting the League Two side earlier this month.

Curiously, he has now signed for non-league side Rushall Olympic.

"THE PICS have added plenty of experience to our front line with the loan signing of Leon Clarke from League Two outfit, Hartlepool United, until the end of the season." a Rushall Olympic club statement earlier this month read.

"The 38 year-old has enjoyed a 20-year career in the professional game since emerging through the ranks at Wolves."

As part of that same statement, Rushall Olympic manager Liam McDonald said: “I am delighted to be able to bring him to the football club and I look forward to working with him,”

“His career speaks for itself; he has played for some massive clubs and scored a lot of goals along the way.

“It’s an opportunity for us to use his vast experience between now and the end of the season. “He was keen to come here, which was important; the move is right for him and he is relishing the challenge. “The lads can only learn from him during what is a big end to the season for us with plenty to play for.”

Clarke has so far made two appearances for the club, and got his first start this past weekend in the club's clash versus St. Ives Town.

Having been on the books in the EFL, it seems an interesting decision to drop down to non-league instead, but Clarke has made the decision nevertheless.

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