Nicky Clark
![]() Clark playing for Rangers in 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Nicholas Clark | |||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 3 June 1991 | |||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Bellshill, Scotland | |||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Striker | |||||||||||||||||||
Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Rangers | |||||||||||||||||||
Number | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||
2003–2006 | Rangers | |||||||||||||||||||
2006–2009 | Aberdeen | |||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||
2009–2010 | Aberdeen | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
2009–2010 | → Peterhead (loan) | 23 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||
2010–2011 | Peterhead | 24 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||
2011–2013 | Queen of the South | 66 | (32) | |||||||||||||||||
2013– | Rangers | 66 | (18) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 February 2015 |
Nicky Clark (born 3 June 1991) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Rangers as a forward.
Early and personal life
Clark was born in Bellshill, Scotland; his father is former footballer – including with Rangers – Sandy Clark.[1] While growing up, Clark once participated in the half-time entertainment during a pre-season friendly clash with Everton in 2003. At 15, Clark was released by the Murray Park youth academy before joining Aberdeen.[2]
Career
Early years
Clark began his career with the youth team of Aberdeen, where he appeared as an unused substitute in the 2008–09 season. In early 2009, Clark signed a contract extension with the club.[3] To gain first team experience, Clark joined Peterhead on loan until January.[4] Clark made his debut for the club on 19 September 2009, where he came on as a substitute in the 74th minute as Peterhead drew 1–1 with Arbroath.[5] Clark's loan spell with Peterhead was extended until the end of the 2009–10 season.[6] In the 2009–10 season, Clark would make twenty-five appearances and score four times. Clark, along with Jonathan Crawford, was released by the club after being told they wouldn't be offered a new contract.[7]
After being released by Aberdeen, Clark joined Peterhead permanently in August 2010.[8] Like his loan spell, Clark continued to be a first team regular for the club, where he made twenty-nine appearances and scored four times.
Queen of the South
He moved to Queen of the South in July 2011,[1] signing a one-year contract extension in May 2012.[9] The first season with Queen of the South was a struggle for Clark, as he failed to score his first goal, though it eventually happened in the second round of Scottish League Cup against Forfar Athletic.[10]
The 2012–13 season was an improvement and breakthrough season for Clark after his dad, Sandy, joined the club as an assistant manager[11] and he formed a striking partnership with Derek Lyle.[12] Clark would score 41 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions, including scoring two hat-tricks against Stranraer[13] and Forfar Athletic.[14] Clark also played a role in winning the Challenge Cup Final when he scored the opener before Partick Thistle equalised, leading to a penalty shootout. Queen of the South would win the penalty shootout 6–5 to lift the cup.[15] With the club also winning the Second Division, this gained the club their inaugural league and cup double.
Clark was the SFL Division 2 Player of the Year for the 2012–13 season,[16] and he also won the Ginger Boot Award for being the top scorer across all four Scottish divisions.[17] Clark was also named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year for the Second Division alongside team-mates Chris Mitchell, Mark Durnan, Chris Higgins, Daniel Carmichael and Lee Robinson.[18]
Rangers
In May 2013 he signed a three-year contract with Rangers, effective from 1 September 2013.[19][20] The move was successful after Clark started talks with Ally McCoist.[21] Ahead of the 2013–14 season, Clark expressed that playing in the Scottish League One will not be easy.[22]
Clark scored on his debut on 31 August 2013 after 30 seconds, as Rangers won 5–0 against East Fife, just one day before the end of the club's transfer embargo.[23] After the match, Clark said he believed the club could score 100 goals by the end of the season after scoring 18 goals at such an early stage.[24] Clark initially struggled to make an impact, as he was often on the bench. This led to the Evening Times questioning whether Clark should become a first team starter.[25] This continued until he scored four goals in a 6–1 win over Forfar Athletic on 3 December 2013.[26] In the second half of the season, Clark suffered a broken foot that kept him out for five weeks.[27] After his return, Clark scored in a 2–1 win over Brechin City on 23 March 2014.[28]
On 3 May, Rangers became the first side in 116 years to go an entire league season unbeaten after a 1–1 draw with Dunfermline during which they clinched the Scottish League One championship.
On 28 December 2015, Clark scored in the 65th minute in a crucial match against Hibernian, which put Rangers three points clear of Hibs. [29]
Career statistics
- As of 21 October 2015[30]
Club | Season | League | Scottish Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Aberdeen | 2009–10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Peterhead | 2009–10 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 4 |
2010–11 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 4 | |
Total | 47 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 8 | |
Queen of the South | 2011–12 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 1 |
2012–13 | 36 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 46 | 41 | |
Total | 66 | 32 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 82 | 42 | |
Rangers | 2013–14 | 23 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 9 |
2014–15 | 33 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 45 | 9 | |
2015–16 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 4 | |
Total | 64 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 90 | 22 | |
Career Total | 174 | 58 | 11 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 20 | 7 | 217 | 72 |
References
- ^ a b "Two more signings". Queen of the South F.C. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "Eleven the dream, Nicky Clark fulfils a lifelong ambition by joining Rangers". Daily Record. 29 May 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Dons midfielder Derek Young agrees new Pittodrie deal". Daily Record. 17 February 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Dons' Clark on loan to Peterhead". BBC Sport. 15 September 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Match Report – Division Two: Peterhead 3 Stirling Albion 2". Daily Record. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Players commit to the Balmoor cause". Bunchan Observer. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Dons duo moving on". Sky Sports. 28 April 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Peterhead sign Nicky Clark". Scottish Football League. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ Craig Robertson (30 May 2012). "Queens squad boosted by familiar faces". Dumfries and Galloway Standard. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "Scottish Communities League Cup: Queen of the South 3 Forfar 0". Daily Record. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Queen of the South assistant Sandy Clark eager to get new era underway at Palmerston". Daily Record. 16 May 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Nick of time: Lyle eyes deadly partnership with Clark". Daily Record. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "QoS 4 Stranraer 1: Nicky Clark treble sends Queens nine-points clear". Daily Record. 27 December 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Match Report: Forfar Athletic 0 – 4 Queen of the South". Queens of the South Official Website. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Queen of The South 1 – 1 Partrick (6–5 pens)". BBC Sport. 7 April 2013.
- ^ "Queens Duo Scoop Another Double at PFA Awards". Queen of the South F.C. 5 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "Irn Bru Phenomenal End of Season Awards". Queen of the South F.C. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "PFA Scotland Team of the Year includes four from both Celtic and Motherwell". STV. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
- ^ "Clark Agrees Three-Year Deal". Rangers F.C. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "Nicky Clark: Rangers agree deal to sign Queen of the South striker". BBC Sport. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "Transfer News: Nicky Clark confirms talks about possible move to Rangers". Sky Sports. 7 May 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Rangers striker Nicky Clark: I know the second division... it's not going to be easy". Daily Record. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Rangers 5 East Fife 0: Lee McCulloch scores a hat-trick as Rangers romp home against the Fifers". Daily Record. 31 August 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Nicky Clark nets on Rangers debut and then claims his side can hit 100 goals this season". Daily Record. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Should Nicky Clark be a starter for Rangers?". Evening Times. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Rangers 6 Forfar 1: Rampant Rangers set new post-war club record by bagging 19th consecutive win in style and hitting Forfar for six". Daily Record. 3 December 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Clark set to miss out with hurt foot". Evening Times. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Brechin 1 Rangers 2: workmanlike Gers continue 34-game unbeaten run". Evening Times. 24 March 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Rangers 4-2 Hibernian - Rangers Football Club, Official Website". Rangers Football Club, Official Website. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ^ Nicky Clark at Soccerbase