NUFC: 1989 - 1997 (265 games, 28 goals) SAFC: 1997 - 1999 (85 games, 16 goals) Poster boy of the Newcastle youth academy during the early 1990's, the Wallsend-born midfielder is a dyed in the wool Geordie and bleeds black and white. Clark's eight years at St James' Park saw him graduate from promising teenager into a fully bloomed first-team star and he was the unheralded lynchpin (and the legs) behind our promotion to the Premier League in 1993, also playing a key role as we established ourselves in the top-flight under Kevin Keegan. So it suspended all realms of belief when the overly partisan Clark agreed to the unthinkable and signed for Sunderland for a measly £2.5 million in the summer of 1997, dropping down a tier in the process, after being axed by new Toon boss Kenny Dalglish. And in his defence Clark flourished in red and white as we floundered under Dalglish, scoring 13 goals in his debut season at the newly erected Stadium of Light and proving a pivotal figure for Peter Reid's side, who were beaten on penalties in that epic Division One play-off final by Charlton. But after two years of suppressing his deep affection for his beloved Newcastle it eventually bubbled to the surface and culminated in his Sunderland career coming to an an end in ignominious circumstances. Clark was fatally snapped outside Wembley prior to our FA Cup final clash with Manchester United wearing a t-shirt with the slogan 'Sad Mackem B******s' splashed across the front. Awkward. Even in the days before social media the image went viral and Clark was immediately dropped by Reid and transfer listed, albeit reluctantly, by our Wearside neighbours, with the player acknowledging afterwards that he'd lost the backing of the fans. The phrase "once a Geordie, always a Geordie" springs to mind.
Even in the days before social media the image went viral and Clark was immediately dropped by Reid and transfer listed, albeit reluctantly, by our Wearside neighbours, with the player acknowledging afterwards that he'd lost the backing of the fans. The phrase "once a Geordie, always a Geordie" springs to mind.