Ike Clarke

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Ike Clarke, born Isaac Clarke on 9 January 1915 in Tipton, England, was an English football forward and manager. His professional playing career began with West Bromwich Albion in 1937, but World War II interrupted many seasons. After the war, he moved to Portsmouth in 1947 and stayed for six years. Clarke helped Portsmouth win back-to-back league titles in 1948–49 and 1949–50, including scoring the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Bolton that clinched Portsmouth’s first-ever First Division title. He made 116 league appearances for Portsmouth, scoring 49 league goals (129 appearances and 58 goals in all competitions).

In 1953 Clarke shifted into management while still playing, becoming Yeovil Town’s player-manager. He led Yeovil to a third-place finish in his first season and then to a Southern League title and Southern League Cup double. He left Yeovil in 1957 and went on to manage Sittingbourne (1957–1961), where he won multiple local honours and helped the club reach the Southern League Division One, and Canterbury City (1961–1968), becoming their longest-serving manager. Clarke later retired to Herne Bay, Kent, and died there on 2 April 2002 at the age of 87.