Todd Clarke

NSL Career: Sydney City 144 (0) / 1977 - 1985

Socceroos Career: 21 (0) A Internationals / 16 (0) B Internationals

The first (and still only) South Australian-born keeper to play for the Socceroos, Todd Clarke was the premier Australian keeper when the NSL was being formed. Clarke lost his place as the Socceroo's number one after suffering an ACL injury at the peak of his powers, but recovered to help Sydney City become the most dominant side in the league. Clarke's defensive organisation and courageous goalkeeping was key in City completing the first and only three-peat in league history.

Starting his junior career at the age of 10, Clarke was an outfield player until the age of 16 when he transitioned in to a keeper and made his first team debut for Seacliff Austria (amalgamated with Azzurri in 1969) in the South Australia Division One at the age of 16. 

Clarke spent a year in the Austria first team before moving down to Division Two, joining Birkalla Rovers. Clarke moved to Beograd Woodville after a season with Birkalla and became a regular over the next few seasons, helping them win Division Two in 1971 to gain promotion back to Division One and remain in the top division. In 1975, Clarke made his full international debut in a one-nil victory over China and became the national team's first choice keeper, restricting NSW keeper Allan Maher to just five caps out of 16 A and B internationals during the year.

In 1976, Clarke moved to Sydney to join Hakoah Eastern Suburbs and continued to hold down his spot in the national team. Hakoah left the NSW First Division at the end of the 1976 season to become a foundation club of the Phillips Soccer League and Clarke remained Hakoah's and Australia's first choice keeper until an ACL injury in May 1977 saw him miss the rest of the season as Hakoah became inaugural PSL champions.

Clarke returned for the start of the 1978 season and regained his spot in the Hakoah starting eleven from Tony Pezzano and Malcolm Haynes. The talented keeper returned to form but found himself in a bigger contest for the national team position as he vied with Marconi's Allan Maher, Sydney Olympic's Gary Meier and South Melbourne's Peter Laumets - making his last Socceroos appearance in a one-all draw against Greece.

Clarke kept nine clean sheets during the 1978 season as Hakoah finished runners-up to West Adelaide before defeating Marconi four-two in the Play-Off Series Grand Final. Clarke played every game of the 1979 season and finished runner-up for the second time in the league's clean sheet standings as Sydney City (formerly Hakoah) finished third in the league before winning back-to-back Play-Off Series.

During the 1980 season, Clarke struggled with injury and competed with understudy Tony Pezzano after the former Socceroo struggled to keep clean sheets, but held his position at the end of the season as City won their second championship. City reached the grand final of the Play-Off Series where they were beaten four-nil by Heidelberg. Due to work commitments outside of football, Clarke missed the start of the 1981 season but regained his spot from Pezzano and kept eight clean sheets in 22 league games as City became the first club to win back-to-back championships after becoming the first to win multiple championships. 

Desperate for regular game time, Pezzano moved to Brisbane City for the 1982 season and Sydney City signed 1981 FIFA World Youth Championship and Socceroos keeper Glen Ahearn. Despite Ahearn's involvement in the national team, Clarke maintained his spot in the side and played in all but one game during the 1982 season, finishing second behind Jeff Olver in clean sheets kept (nine) and helped City win a three-peat of championships. 

Clarke was in goals as City played in their fourth consecutive Play-Off Series Grand Final, losing three-one to St George, before Pezzano returned to the club to challenge his mentor for the keeper position. Clarke and Pezzano shared the keeper duties during the 1983 season and kept a combined 13 clean sheets as City finished runners-up to St George. 

The South Australian keeper started the 1984 season ahead of Pezzano, but the younger keeper worked his way back in to the side and cemented his position before getting called up to the national team to play in a few B internationals. Clarke faced a similar predicament during the 1985 season as Pezzano continued to develop in to one of the best keepers in the league and City topped the Northern Conference before reaching the NSL Grand Final, in which they lost two-nil on aggregate to Brunswick. 

Pezzano left for APIA ahead of the 1986 season, however Clarke was unable to win selection over new City keepers Alex McPherson and Brett Hughes and hung up his boots at the age of 35. Clarke was the seventh keeper to be inducted in to the Football Australia Hall of Fame and just the fourth South Australian-born footballer at the time of his induction.