LEST WE FORGET

[Ultra]

From the Mockery (which couldn't even get his name right.. )

'I FEEL LUCKY TO BE ALIVE,' SAYS EX-CITY DEFENDER COLIN CLARKE

On Tuesday, May 6, a new employee started work at Beswick's solicitors in Stoke-on-Trent. By rights, a fresh face at a legal firm 50-odd miles away from here would merit precisely nothing in the pages of the Leicester Mercury.

But this - despite his modest protestations, despite the fact that he'd rather be meeting his new colleagues than talking to a journalist - is no normal new employee.

It's Clive Clarke, the former Leicester City defender who stared death in the face, after suffering a half-time heart attack in a cup match at Nottingham Forest.

This week, Clive, 28, a former Republic of Ireland international, begins a new job as a football agent. He has been taken on by Beswicks, the firm of his former agent, Gary Mellor.

When Clive finally decided he couldn't play football again, becoming an agent seemed a natural progression.

"It just seemed to make sense," says the softly-spoken Dubliner, calling from his new office just outside Newcastle-under-Lyme, near Stoke.

"Gary was not just my agent but my mate. When they were looking for a new agent, he asked me if I fancied it. I thought about it and it just seemed right. I wanted to stay in football, so this was a good way of doing that. ''

On August 16, last year, former City boss Martin Allen brought Clive on a three-month loan spell from Premier League Sunderland. For Clive, who had previously spent 12 years at Stoke and was struggling to break into Roy Keane's Sunderland side, it was nice to feel wanted.

"I was keen to go to Leicester," he says. "I thought it was a good move for me. I was back in the Midlands - where I wanted to be - the club seemed ambitious, the stadium and the training facilities were first class. I was happy."

There was something, however, which wasn't quite right at Filbert Way; something Clive couldn't quite pin down. He put it down to the fact there were so many new players.

What he didn't realise, in those heady, optimistic, early days of last season, was that Martin Allen was already on his way out.

On his first day at City, Allen put Clive through a rigorous medical. "It's a tough test," the City boss said, "but he passed with flying colours."

Clive then made his debut in a 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace. A week later, he was part of the City side which trounced then-league leaders Watford 4-1 at home.

"I was settling in quite nicely," he recalls. "I didn't know all of the lads, but the atmosphere was good after that Watford win and I was sure I'd made the right decision."

Three days later, City travelled to play local rivals Nottingham Forest in the second round of the Carling Cup.

Clive remembers very little of the game that finished his career. "I remember they came at us in that first half," he says. "They seemed fired up and we were a bit lacklustre."

Clive, in particular, seemed off the pace. "I just felt so tired," he says. "I thought it was due to the Watford game. I remember thinking to myself, 'I need to work on my fitness'."

At half-time, with City 1-0 down, and Martin Allen looking as if he might explode with finger-jabbing rage, Clive took his place for a half-time rollicking. He remembers sitting between Darren Kenton and Patrick Kisnorbo taking a cup of water.

"I took a drink and I remember Patrick trying to tell me something and... well, that's it," he says. "That's all I can remember. "The next thing I knew, I woke up in the ambulance."

Clive's heart stopped beating for four minutes. The Leicester City medical staff, who, thankfully, were at the ground, set to work.

Once, twice, three times, they sent a controlled electric shock through his body. There was no reaction. Clive was motionless. Technically, he was dead.

There was panic in the dressing room. The players, not knowing where to look, ran out and into the tunnel. Finally, after the fourth shock, Clive's body convulsed into life.

"All I remember is waking up in the ambulance," he says. "It all felt surreal, like a dream. I could see all these people standing around me. They looked worried. Then I saw a man with a defibrillator. Then I kind of realised it was serious."

On the same day Clive suffered his cardiac arrest, Seville defender Antonio Puerta died after suffering a series of heart attacks during a Spanish La Liga game.

On December 29, Motherwell midfielder Phil O'Donnell collapsed and died during a game. He'd suffered a heart attack. He had a wife and four children.

For Clive - back at Sunderland and nursing dreams of a football comeback - O'Donnel's death was a cruel wake-up call. The dream was over.

"It just put what happened to me in perspective," he says. Phil O'Donnell had the same thing as me. I'm fit and healthy now. I have an internal defibrillator fitted - for my own peace of mind, really - and I'm here. I think about what happened to me every day. I feel very lucky to be alive.

Today, he lives with his wife, Sally, and 19-month-old daughter, Erin, a short distance away from his new office. They remain his first priority. "It was Erin who made up my mind to quit," he said. "I thought, 'She's more important to me than my career.' "

On Sunday, he was watched the Stoke vs Leicester game with mixed feelings; hoping Stoke, his team, would get promoted, while Leicester would not get relegated.

"It was a tricky one for me," he laughs. "Stoke are my club, I was a schoolboy there and had 12 good years there.

"I wanted them to be promoted, but I didn't want Leicester to go down. I will always have a soft spot for Leicester. The club were brilliant to me.

"I remember sitting up in hospital not long after the incident and Stephen Clemence (City captain) came in with a bag of letters and e-mails from fans.

"I was touched. I was only there five minutes. I thought it was lovely."

There have been more since then. The Mercury receives letters asking about Clive to this day.

"I can't believe it," he says. "Can you say thank you very much from me. I want to let the Leicester fans know how much that means to me. It's very touching. Tell them I'm doing well."

I hope we will have a chance next season to pay Clarke our respects.

In a season where too many who soiled the shirt clearly couldn't give a toss for what it stood for, he nearly made the ultimate sacrifice for us.

Best of luck to him in his job (as long as he doesn't try to flog us another Akinbiyi or DJ..)

[ROB-THE-BLUE]

'I FEEL LUCKY TO BE ALIVE,' SAYS EX-CITY DEFENDER COLIN CLARKE

Who the hell is Colin Clarke???!

But in all seriousness this report really brings home the horror of that night and shows how close he came to actually passing away. Best of luck with your new career Clive

[BigGibbo]

Well I wish there was no such thing as football agents but he'll be the only football agent I do like so good look to him.

[Corky]

I really hope we invite him back to the Walkers next season for a match so we can show our appreciation towards him.

In a turbulent season on the field, it was very nearly a tragic one as well. We must never forget Clive Clarke.

[Durnerz]

I really hope we invite him back to the Walkers next season for a match so we can show our appreciation towards him.

In a turbulent season on the field, it was very nearly a tragic one as well. We must never forget Clive Clarke.

We don't want to give the poor bugger another heart attack!!

In all seriousness though fair play to Clarke, its never easy giving up something you love but hopefully it leads on to something of equal value, especially with a wife and daughter in the equation you're health is the most important thing in the world along with them.

[The Stig]

Great to see he's still involved with football and I just hope he gets some enjoyment out of it. I know it will never compare to playing, but I hope he gets some enjoyment out of it.

[General Smuts]

I took to Clive Clarke during the Watford game and was upset that he didn't get further chance to prove himself whilst obviously glad he pulled through. Even in 2 games he hands down shat all over Claphams performances in all the games he played for us.

Im glad hes back on his feet and still in the football industry in some way. The best of luck to him.

[Guest]

I was just talking to someone about this a couple of days ago, and it just seems like such a long time ago, hard to believe all the stuff that's happened this season.

All the best to Clive

[Ultra]

I took to Clive Clarke during the Watford game and was upset that he didn't get further chance to prove himself whilst obviously glad he pulled through. Even in 2 games he hands down shat all over Claphams performances in all the games he played for us.

Im glad hes back on his feet and still in the football industry in some way. The best of luck to him.

Yeah, it's a real shame we'll never know how the Clarke-Sheehan combination would have turned out in the long-term..

But at least our current pain is slightly eased by knowing that Clarke's still doing OK for himself and his family.