[2] Clare played his early football with Talke Rangers, Goldenhill Wanderers and Burslem Port Vale before becoming Stoke's first professional player in 1883.

He played 21 of Stoke's 22 Football League matches and was part of a defence line that achieved three clean sheets whilst restricting the opposition to a single goal on four occasions.

He helped the side lift the Staffordshire Senior Cup later in the year as he "inspired a confidence never before approached" in his teammates in the win over West Bromwich Albion.

The match was played at Anfield, then the home of Everton, and the selectors made eleven changes to the side that had beaten Wales a week before with nine new caps, including Clare's Stoke teammate, Bill Rowley in goal.

Clare's next England appearance came three years later, also against Ireland, at the Solitude Ground, Belfast, when he was joined by his Stoke teammates, goalkeeper Bill Rowley and left-back Alf Underwood.

[14] Harry Daft of Notts County was awarded the captaincy for the last of his five England appearances and marked the occasion by scoring twice, either side of half-time, in an "unconvincing victory".

[17] Clare stood at 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) tall and weighed 12 stone 10 pounds (81 kg), giving him a physical edge over opposition forwards.

[4] Another source described Tommy Clare as an inspirational player; he was a splendid header of the ball, was quick off the mark, strong and purposeful in the tackle and ever-reliable, always working for his team.