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'Sniffer' Clarke was signed by Don Revie for a British record fee
of £165,000 from relegated Leicester in 1969 to build on the
strength of Revie's first championship-winning squad. "Who put the
ball in the Arsenal net?" is the question: in May 1972, the answer was
most definitely "Allan Allan Clarke", his powerful header being the
only score in the FA Cup Final. Clarke was a strong and skilful player
and his tally of just 19 caps for England is a shamefully low count
for a man who was top scorer with one of the leading clubs in England
for four seasons. He linked up with Mick Jones to form the most
formidable front line of the early 1970s, and with the addition
of "Hot-shot" Lorimer's goals, he provided the powerhouse that
drove Leeds on to win so many games.
With his best years as a player behind him, he joined Barnsley as
player-manager in 1978 and his efforts in leading them to promotion
stood him in good stead when Leeds came looking for somebody to
reinvigorate an aging side in 1980. Sadly, Clarke failed to turn the
team around and with Leeds relegated, he resigned.
Sudhaman.n says: Allan is a great player, he was my idol. When I
played for my schools my favourite jersey no. was 8, because it was
Allan's jersey no. at Leeds, which is my favourite club since 1972 and
I still support them.
Steve says: Quite simply the most gifted striker I've seen. And I'm
from Lancs! Some his elegance when scoring was unbelievable. He was
an artist with the ball. Everything about him was class. I'm only
33, but I remember his stunning goal against Zurich on the way to the
75 Euro final, and sod Villa, Whiteside and the rest. The 72 diving
header was a masterpiece of football, like oil on canvas. Even the
streamlined look with the cold eyes in the white strip was bloody
fantastic. I'm surprised a whole video has not been made of him,
there are so many classic examples of his goals on film. If England
would have got to the 74 finals we would have been talking here about
a truly world class player as he never got chance to prove it on the
world stage. True, he could be a bit nasty off the ball, but the
balance and skill of the man were terrific. I can never understand
why Revie, who knew him better than most, didn't pick him for England
more than once. Allan would be chuffed to bits if he knew how much he
was idolised by us lads from near Manchester when we were kids. Even
now I find everything about the guy magnetic, and he should still be
involved in the game instead of selling ventilators!! Best goal?
Either v Leicester in 75 or against Liverpool in the cup run in 72,
when he took the mickey out of Smith and co. A truly classic goal
which is hard to find on film. Allan was a true winner. He got the
winner in the Fairs cup final, the FA cup final, the 73 Cup winners
cup semi final and the 75 Euro semi final. With Bremner and Giles,
unquestionably, in my my view, the finest player to play for Leeds
United. Even the name and the nickname are bloody marvellous. You
look at some of the goals and have to think, how the bloody hell did
he manage that one?
Mike Egan says: Allan Clarke was my favourite player at Walsall and
I was devastated when he left the Saddlers. Although I probably didn't
know what devastated meant then. I remember skipping off from my
cousin's wedding just to see Allan and the lads in action. His strike
partner at the time was George Kirby who later moved on to Halifax and
eventually became their Manager.
Peter Sapsed says: I used to watch Allan play home & away when
he played for FULHAM when he moved to LEEDS UTD after LEICESTER CITY,
I (much to my Father's Disgust) changed my team (I was 15 at the time)
and I have supported LEEDS UTD ever since - though coming from SURREY
I don't get to matches so thank whoever for LIVE games on TV. I too
used to wear No8 when I played and tried to play like him as he was
the GREATEST goal scorer I have ever seen and would give some of
today's strikers a run for there money.
Ed Holford says: As a Fulham supporter saw "Twiggy" as we called
him (as he was so thin)play at the cottage with the likes of Johnny
Haynes, and George Cohen. A truly great player who's distinctive
elbows raised and pointing out as he ran with the ball. He terrorised
defences and I think he was top scorer one season with 29
goals. Played out of position at Leicester he finally blossomed and
hardened at Leeds (well you had to)and was a great servant to
them. Happy memories..
Richard Norman says: I will always remember back page photographs
of the great Allan Clarke as he was walking off the pitch after an
international match having scored a hat trick for England. I believe
he was playing alongside Mick Channon and Martin Chivers at the time
and the press referred to them as the 'C' Men! The magnificent way in
which he scored his goals at all levels and the one fingered salute
that generally followed is an inmage that will stay with me
forever. Allan was one of my early footballing heros and I remember
buying his biography many years ago and being totally absorbed with
the inside stories about Leeds United and the tips he included about
tucking the ball away into the net. Thanks Allan for for some
tremendous memories and although I come from Surrey the
Leeds/Liverpool fixture in those days was a meeting my wife and I
always looked forward to in the early '70's hoping to see you carrying
out your craft superbly. You rarely let us down and it was great to
see you tuck that penalty away a few days ago when some re-runs of
World Cup matches were shown on the TV. Cool or what!
Chris Lancaster says: My brother-in-law was digging through his
garage and found a boxed Allan Clarke Sondico Soccer Ball. The ball
was still deflated had never been used and still had the free gifts
inside the box of an Allan Clarke Soccer skills wallchart and a
carrier bag. Before my son (aged 10) starts to kick the ball around
the park is it woth anything ?? contactable at
MPC3591Lancaster@aol.com
Laura Clark says: My dad works with the great man himself and I
have to say he's a top bloke, as well as being a great (ex) player! I
can't believe that someone as good as him still has to work for a
living.
Tim Lyttle says: Like some of your other contributors I also had to
have number 8 on my back in my school days. Allan Clarke was always my
absolute hero. I remember my brother had a fantastic poster on his
wall of the moment the ball went over the line in the '72 cup
final. The picture was shot from the other end of the ground looking
down the pitch & Sniffer is still in mid air ! It's a superb shot & I
would love to find a copy of the photograph, anybody seen it ? If you
have I would willingly give you my house & all it's belongings for a
copy ! (Well maybe !)
Gary Brant says: I come from Walsall and Sniffer was my hero. I
remember seeing him score a hat trick v Norwich City at Villa Park in
an FA Cup 3rd Replay - he came off injured before half time. What a
genius !!! How much would he be worth at todays prices ?
linda says: Allan was my absolute heart-throb when I was 13. I used
to buy "Shoot" in case there were any photos of him, amd hide it so my
sisters wouldn't tease me. I cried when Leeds lost to Sunderland in
the FA Cup final. Later on, when I was at Hull Uni around 76 or 77 I
saw him in Clifford Dunns supermarket in Hull with Paul reaney
promoting Lyons cakes, and I pushed my trolly past several times but
couldn't work up the courage to talk to him and say "You are still the
man of my dreams..." He still is...
Mick Ball says: Does anyone have any kind of address where Allan
can be contacted. I would like to try and get my Sniffer book
autographed if I can.
Dave Brownhill says: Just returned from Leeds v West Brom. We went
in the Hospitality club where we met Allan, wot a great bloke, loved
to talk to you, being from the midlands he lots of stories to tell,
together with Paul Reaney & Peter Lorimer they really made our
day. If Mick Ball contacts me I'll give him contact for Allan
Neil Turnham says: As a lifelong Chelsea fan you would not expect
me to praise Leeds players but I've always admired quality and he was
a bit of a favourite when I was young along with Mick Channon and Pete
Osgood. He was ice cool too. Remember that penalty against Poland at
Wembley in 1973. What pressure but he bowled it into the top
corner. Marvellous.
Logdis "the sniffer" Wonkie says: this guy is my uncle. I am famous
John Harrison says: So many fantastic memories of Allan Clarke. I
once saw him score all 4, I think, in a 4-1 win against Burnley in the
early 1970s, the last a solo effort from the half way line that no-one
was going to stop. You felt it right away. Deadly, but always with
such grace. The sculptor Henry Moore described another goal from that
game as a work of art, slotted home through a gap no-one else could
even see. I've never seen a striker with greater poise. The famous 72
goal against Arsenal: was there even the slightest chance he would
miss? He and the tireless Mick Jones, who set up so many of Sniffer's
goals, were as great a duo as I've seen in British soccer.
Nick Davies says: Allan now works as a rep for an engineering
company - he visits my brother regularly at Immingham Docks. My
brother, being a Leeds Utd fan all his life, never gets any work done
when Allan is there - all they talk about is football and his Leeds
days. A true great of English football - like an artist on the pitch,
could score a goal from anywhere - can't honestly think of anyone to
match him nowadays! Hey Allan - you must know this website exists, how
about a comment?
Chris Gunn says: I'm 40 now, and took my 8 year old son to Elland
Road to see Leeds play Southampton for his first ever football match.
We were lucky enough to have been invited to sit in an executive box
as guests of Peter Lorimer's son, and were even luckier to have Allan
Clarke's company throughout the match. My hero as a lifelong fan, and
still prepared to make the evening special for my son who only really
understood who sniffer was when he was told that he was the Alan
Shearer of his day, but that he scored a lot more goals than Shearer
ever will. Sniffer's boast, not mine. But it makes you think just
what sort of superstar would he be in today's football? A great
player, and a pleasure to watch a match with. Thanks Allan. Chris
and son Sam.
Mike Taylor says: Saw him play in the 70s on the TV - and met him
at a wedding this weekend (Dec '03). He signed my 1972 Leeds v Arsenal
FA Cup Programme (twice!) and we had a photo taken. Thanks Allan - a
genius and a nice man.
Andy Sage says: Allan Clarke was my favourite manager, at my
beloved Barnsley FC. I remember watching a training session with my
dad, and "Sniffer" was giving them a real roasting! Also one season
Barnsley's half priced season tickets had one ticket void in the book,
has the game had already passed, when my dad mentioned this the staff
at Oakwell, Mr Clarke himself gave back my dad the money for the
ticket out of his own wallett! I'll always remember that!
Salim Baroudi says: I am from Ghana and grew up in England and
Allan Clarke was my favourite player and I would still love to meet
him one day. I grew up watching him and even went on to become a
professional in Germany.I was inspired by him and still am.
Alan warren says: Pure poetry in motion, cool head with a killer
instinct
David T. says: Hi, Does anyone knows what he is doing these days?
Any news will be good.
Carole Symonds says: Allan Clarke began my interest in
Football...........need I say more!!1 Gorgeous..
Jim says: I want to know about him, who can e-mail me and tell me?
How come he only got 19 English caps to his name? With the strike rate
like his, he should have been a superstar for both club and
country... How come not so many people know him? Just looking at his
pictures and statistics I think he is both awesomely good looking, and
with a magnificent scoring record... e-mail me... sattaravy _at_
hotmail.com
Mark says: Sniffer is a Sales Executive for a company selling golf
buggies in Wakefield, Met him last week when he delivered a demo for
us, Top bloke
Graham says: I never knew he was such a good player. I only visited
this site because someone told me that I look like him (which I do)
George says: no i haven't seen him play, but looks like he was a
faboulous player. do you have recent picyures with him. please send me
some.
Kelly says: Sniffer was the best goal taker Leeds have ever had, i
remember so many times watching Sniffer 1 on 1 with the goal keeper to
beat, you just knew he would score and that the Goal keeper would not
have any chance in saving the shot.I have recently met Allan when i
went to the game at Elland Road, we where playing Preston Leeds won
1.0 but what a crap game it was. I thanked Allan for all the years of
enjoyment he gave me, and for helping Leeds to be put on the map in
the 60s and 70s, he looked at me and said it was a pleasure to play
for the great Leeds United and gave me a kiss for my support to him
and his team mates. Just has i was about to leave Allan to other keen
Leeds supporters, i guy in his 40's asked Allan how many goals the old
Leeds team would put past the new team , Allan thought for a moment
and said his leeds team of the 70's would win 1.0, the guy sain only
1.0 Allan, Sniffer said yes only 1.0 Sniffer looked at the man and
sain you have to appreciate non of us are under 55 years old now,
everyone fell apart laughing, he knew the old leeds team has old as
they might be would give a game to the present team. Allan was a
great footballer but better than that,he is a gentleman and not an
over paid and over rated player like they are today.
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