Growing up Peel Road, Bootle, Liverpool,[2] Clarke started his football career in local amateur side Red Triangle before being signed up by Everton.
Amidst the high-flying side dubbed the 'Mersey Millionaires' he never made his mark and, aged 20, moved to Southport in January 1966, winning promotion to the Third Division with them at the end of that season.
In five and a half years at Haig Avenue he was a virtual ever-present, making 197 league appearances and scoring four goals.
Skem were having something of a heyday, having won the FA Amateur Cup in 1970–71[3] and been accepted into the Northern Premier League.
He finished his playing career with Littlewoods Athletic in the Liverpool County Combination before retiring from football and launching a driving school.