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Owls eye exit for Clarke
Shrimpers interest: Leon Clarke could be on his way to Southend after his loan spell
29 May 2008
By Paul Thompson
WEDNESDAY could be ready to offload unlikely end-of-season hero Leon Clarke during this summer.
It is been claimed that the striker fancies a move back to Southend and that the Shrimpers may see him as the answer to their search for a striker.
The Owls will wait to see whether or not they receive a bid.
If they do get a reasonable offer - whether it is from Southend or another club - it is almost certain that they would cash in and use the money to strengthen the squad in other ways.
After a rocky start to Clarke's Hillsborough career, which led to his loan spell at Southend, the striker earned some affection among fans by scoring in the last two games of the season, against Leicester and Norwich, as the club escaped relegation.
But next season he again would be way down the pecking order when everyone is fit, with Akpo Sodje, Francis Jeffers, Deon Burton and Marcus Tudgay the main strikers.
Manager Brian Laws is already in the market for two or three players - with one, Burnley midfielder James O'Connor, in the bag - and will have to offload others if wants to pursue any further targets.
The Owls paid Wolves around £250,000 for Clarke in January last year and would to look to recoup at least a large proportion of that.
He has another year left on his contract.
It has been reported that Clarke realises that he will find it hard to get first-team opportunities at Hillsborough and that he has
also attracted interest from MK Dons.
Their boss, Paul Ince, was a colleague of the striker's at Wolves.
Clarke scored eight goals for Southend last season and was on the verge of a full transfer to Roots Hall in January but it fell through.
He also came in for some criticism from Southend at that time.
Their manager, Steve Tilson, wants to sign a striker this summer but so far it is not clear whether he will pursue Clarke.
Shrimpers interest: Leon Clarke could be on his way to Southend after his loan spell
29 May 2008
By Paul Thompson
WEDNESDAY could be ready to offload unlikely end-of-season hero Leon Clarke during this summer.
It is been claimed that the striker fancies a move back to Southend and that the Shrimpers may see him as the answer to their search for a striker.
The Owls will wait to see whether or not they receive a bid.
If they do get a reasonable offer - whether it is from Southend or another club - it is almost certain that they would cash in and use the money to strengthen the squad in other ways.
After a rocky start to Clarke's Hillsborough career, which led to his loan spell at Southend, the striker earned some affection among fans by scoring in the last two games of the season, against Leicester and Norwich, as the club escaped relegation.
But next season he again would be way down the pecking order when everyone is fit, with Akpo Sodje, Francis Jeffers, Deon Burton and Marcus Tudgay the main strikers.
Manager Brian Laws is already in the market for two or three players - with one, Burnley midfielder James O'Connor, in the bag - and will have to offload others if wants to pursue any further targets.
The Owls paid Wolves around £250,000 for Clarke in January last year and would to look to recoup at least a large proportion of that.
He has another year left on his contract.
It has been reported that Clarke realises that he will find it hard to get first-team opportunities at Hillsborough and that he has
also attracted interest from MK Dons.
Their boss, Paul Ince, was a colleague of the striker's at Wolves.
Clarke scored eight goals for Southend last season and was on the verge of a full transfer to Roots Hall in January but it fell through.
He also came in for some criticism from Southend at that time.
Their manager, Steve Tilson, wants to sign a striker this summer but so far it is not clear whether he will pursue Clarke.
