The Longside Reference

Name: Clarke Carlisle

A local lad, born just down the M65 in Preston, Clark Started his career as a tangerine, at rivals Blackpool where he gradually made the centre half spot his own. His powerful performances in the seasiders side, got him noticed a £250k bid from QPR would be accepted and Carlisle would be moving south.

Three seasons in London were enough for this Lancashire lad, and on a bosman free moved back up north to Yorkshire and Leeds United, but 38 league games later Clarlisle would again be on the move this time to promotion chasing Watford. he proved a snip at £100k when he was instrumental as Watford finished 3rd then beat former team Leeds United in the play-offs and, off he went to the Premiership.

The Premiership was to big a call after Carlisle got an Injury early on, he went on to make just 4 premiership appearances, being loaned out th Luton Town towards the end of the season, both Watford and Luton got relegated.

And on to Burnley as direct replacement for south coast bound Thomas, on 16 August 2007, Steve Cotteril made an offer of £200,000 for Carlisle, who signed a three-year contract,  Helped along by the club captain Steven Caldwell, Carlisle settled in well at Burnley.

 Two days after signing, he made his debut for his new club in the 0–2 defeat away to Scunthorpe United, Carlisle scored his first league goal for Burnley on 22 September 2007, netting a late equaliser in the 2–2 draw with Bristol City at Ashton Gate, Carlisle and Caldwell were the mainstays of Burnleys defence until the latter stages of the season where Carlisle was given suspensions after being sent off twice in his last four games of the season, first in the 1–2 loss to Preston North End and then in the last match of the season, a 0–5 defeat at Crystal Palace. Carlisle ended the 2007–08 season with two goals in 33 league appearances.

The 2008–09 campaign was Burnley's first full season with Owen Coyle as manager. Carlisle managed to keep his place in the side under the new regime and was a regular fixture in the team for the first six months of the season.

However, he was dropped from the side for the match against Charlton Athletic on 31 January 2009 due to a lack of form. He remained out of the team for the whole of February 2009. He made his return to action on 3 March 2009, starting in the centre of defence in the 1–0 win over his old team, Blackpool, at Bloomfield Road.

On his next league appearance he scored Burnley's first goal in a 4–2 victory against Crystal Palace at Turf Moor. He went on to score three further goals in the last two months of the season, getting his name on the scoresheet against Nottingham Forest, Southampton and his former team, Queens Park Rangers. His goals helped Burnley to a fifth-placed finish in the Championship, and a place in the play-offs. He played in both legs of the semi-final against Reading as the side won 3–0 on aggregate to secure a place in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium. Carlisle was handed the man of the match award for his performance as Burnley triumphed 1–0 against Sheffield United to earn promotion to the Premier League for the 2009–10 season.

"I'm privileged to be a member of this magnificent team. What a season, words can't describe how brilliant and awesome an achievement this is. I thank God so much, I'm blessed to be a part of this team. It's just unbelievable, what an awesome day."

Clarke Carlisle on Burnley's promotion in 2009.

Prior to the start of the campaign, Carlisle stated his belief that Burnley could avoid relegation back to the Championship. He was selected in the team to play Burnley's first top-flight match in 33 years on 15 August 2009, when the side were defeated 0–2 by Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium.

He also played in the following match as Burnley recorded their first ever Premier League victory, a 1–0 win over reigning champions Manchester United at Turf Moor. During the early part of the season, he formed a defensive pairing with new signing André Bikey. He was reunited with Caldwell in the centre of defence for the 2–1 victory over Birmingham City on 3 October 2009.

In the away loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers on 20 December 2009, Carlisle suffered a groin injury which kept him sidelined over the Christmas period.After over a month out of the Burnley side with the injury, he made his first start under new manager Brian Laws in the 0–1 defeat to Bolton Wanderers on 26 January 2010.

Although the team was relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season, Carlisle was one of several players offered a new contract, and he signed a two-year extension in May 2010.

In the first away match of the 2010–11 season, he scored an injury-time equaliser against Ipswich Town, After serving a three-match suspension in October 2010 following a red card in the 1–1 draw away at Millwall, Carlisle returned to the side for the League Cup tie against Aston Villa and scored a late goal to take the match to extra time.

 He made a total of 41 first-team appearances during the campaign but was not deemed a first-choice player by new manager Eddie Howe, and in July 2011 he joined his hometown club Preston North End on loan for the duration of the 2011–12 season. Clarke Carlisle was on of a number of reported high earners alowwed to leave as Eddie Howe put his own stamp on the club.

 On January 31 2012, Clarke Carlisle signed for League 2 side Northampton on loan for the remainder of the season.

Clark Carlisle the brainiest man in soccer's Turf Moor career ended in a wimper, but will be remembered by all at Burnley a classy centre half with as much brawn as Wayne Thomas and with the intelligence of John McGeal, whom ever take on Clarke will have a first rate centre half, and who will win them the odd pub quiz.