Past Player of the Week - Neil Clarke

[The Speaker]

Neil Clarke
​

DOB: 28/08/1957

Height: 177 cm

Weight: 80 kg

Playing number: 39 (1977-81); 8 (1982-1987)

Arrived: Recruited through zoning via u19s and reserves

Debut: Round 1 vs St Kilda, 1977

Games: 135

Goals: 35

Won: VFL premiership - 1984, 1985

Departed: Retired at the end of the 1987 season

Neil "Nobby" Clarke was a hard working, much loved back pocket who played in the '84 and '85 premierships. The son of Richmond player Fred Clarke, he grew up in Ringwood, where he impressed as a junior, and, thanks to zoning, found himself in the Essendon u19s and reserves, before making his senior debut in 1977. After a relatively slow beginning, playing 22 games in his first four years, Clarke's fortunes turned around with the arrival of Kevin Sheedy in 1981. He played 20 games in the back pocket that year, and was being noticed for his determination. By 1984, he had become valuable enough to be sent onto Leigh Matthews in the Grand Final - and he won that battle.

Following an equally good performance in the '85 GF, Clarke was to spend two more years on the Essendon list, unfotunately being plagued by injuries, and retiring at the end of 1987. He spent some time at Brunswick in the VFA, and coached the Footscray u19s for three years, before returning to Essendon as a recruiter. Following this, he became senior runner. But Clarke had also been struggling with depression for years, perhaps even since before playing for Essendon, and it was in 2003 that he took his own life. He was 45.

 

[yaco55]

Gotta say that Baguley shares similar playing traits as Nobby Clarke.

 

[Coldacre]

gun back pocket. tenacious, fearless and gave 110% every time he was on the field.

very sad that he departed this earth so young

 

[Pweter]

gun back pocket. tenacious, fearless and gave 110% every time he was on the field.

very sad that he departed this earth so young

You read that and there's no wonder he was a favourite of Sheedys. Not one of the stars of a star studded team but a bloke you knew would do his job all day.

Depression is a terrible illness. You have to wonder if Nobby would've been able to better deal with it today given the recognition of it as a legit mental illness and the associated support that is there for sufferers. Either way, a tragic loss.

 

[Doss]

Caro of all people actually produced a good article about Nobby and his untimely end: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/04/1048962935683.html

Bloody sad.

 

[Harlequin]

Caro of all people actually produced a good article about Nobby and his untimely end: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/04/1048962935683.html

Bloody sad.

That article was very confronting I know because my eldest son suffers from depression and I too wait for that call.
I believe that the community at large has become more educated in mental health issues and I can only commend Melbourne Football Club in their handling of Mitch Clarke earlier this year.

That said I used to like watching him play. He gave his all on the field

 

[Dave]

Loved Nobby, gutted at his passing. It's an absolute indictment on society that we don't treat mental health issues the way they should be (oh look, little jonny has a broken leg, poor thing as opposed to little johnny has anxiety or depression, stay away from him, he's crazy). The paucity of funding means only crisis cases are assisted (ie lj is about to jump off a bridge). Once they've got you past that point they're off to the next kid in the same situation, there simply isn't time or money to do anything else. You get shunted from place to place, judged eight ways from ******* sunday every step of the way. It's ******* soul destroying.

 

[Shane Hird]

In 1984, one of Sheedy's many plans for the Grand Final was to play Nobby on Russell Greene.

In the second quarter, Sheedy moved Billy Duckworth off Leigh Matthews and put him on the forward line and Nobby went to Matthews.

In later years, Matthews mentioned he had once whacked Nobby and the Essendon player had continued without complaining.

Nobby was proud of curbing Matthews in the Grand Final. He was also named best clubman.

In the 1985 Grand Final, Nobby had a completely different role: shutting down nimble rover Richard Loveridge.

Sheedy's faith in him to perform varied tasks was again vindicated. "He's one of the best players I've ever coached," Sheedy says.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/the-hardest-loss/story-e6frf9jf-1225706157815

 

[InsertPhraseHere]

Hoping that I am not talking out of school, but here it goes...

Until recently I worked with one of Nobby's brothers. He once mentioned to me that he doesn't have the fondest memories of his brother; although, he did say how tremendous the support was from the EFC in their family's greatest time of need.

Something that I found quite pleasing to hear, anyway...

 

[NAB777]

Neil & his wife & kids were very close to our family.. his issues went way back, and he was let down pretty badly by some people very close to him.

Back when I was 18, he took me for a pre-pre season - to try to get me on the list. I had never, and have never since, been as fit. And even though he'd been retired a year or so, I couldn't keep up with him.

One of the saddest things was that he dropped in to our house unexpectedly the day before he committed suicide. Apparently he went around and did this with a few close friends.

He was the definition of an honest clubman who got everything out of himself.

 

[Shane Hird]

Nobby will always be remembered by us over 40s who were there as kids in the early-mid 1980s.

Remembered as a Premiership hero who along with Shane Heard, did the negating roles that had to be done.

 

[Panna Witchy Salitou]

Wonderful player. Wonderful bloke. So sad that he suffered in silence. Those who knew him always spoke highly of his character. I knew someone who worked with him at VicRoads and he said he was a ‘real gentleman’.

Nobby was a bloody good cricketer too. Played district 1sts for Ringwood IIRC. I was watching a mate play in a Grand Final around ‘93 or ‘94 for Campbellfield. Nobby was playing for Greenvale that match and made 210 opening the batting. Obviously copped a lot of accolades, but just humbly brushed it off.

A determined, disciplined footballer who was ever reliable.

RIP Nob.

 

[Pssst]

Neil & his wife & kids were very close to our family.. his issues went way back, and he was let down pretty badly by some people very close to him.

Back when I was 18, he took me for a pre-pre season - to try to get me on the list. I had never, and have never since, been as fit. And even though he'd been retired a year or so, I couldn't keep up with him.

One of the saddest things was that he dropped in to our house unexpectedly the day before he committed suicide. Apparently he went around and did this with a few close friends.

He was the definition of an honest clubman who got everything out of himself.

I was walking my 18 month son in the beautiful sunshine yesterday and starting chatting to a a guy washing his car. I pointed to house across the street and mentioned 'that's a big block'. He said "that's where Neil Clarke lived the Essendon footballer". I had never heard of him. Wasn't long till after I got home I googled him.

I've since found out he went to primary school in Everard Rd RINGWOOD EAST. I suspect the guy washing his car was referring to Neil's parents home where perhaps Neil was staying following his separation from his wife.

A touching story / tribute.

 

[Pssst]

Neil & his wife & kids were very close to our family.. his issues went way back, and he was let down pretty badly by some people very close to him.

Back when I was 18, he took me for a pre-pre season - to try to get me on the list. I had never, and have never since, been as fit. And even though he'd been retired a year or so, I couldn't keep up with him.

One of the saddest things was that he dropped in to our house unexpectedly the day before he committed suicide. Apparently he went around and did this with a few close friends.

He was the definition of an honest clubman who got everything out of himself.

Hi NAB777,

Without going into too much detail about Neil are you implying he suffered from some sort of abuse? I doubt this was from his immediate family.

PSSST