The disabled EFL coach blazing a path: ‘I by no means noticed anybody like me doing this job’

Everybody at Burton Albion is aware of John Clarke.

As he chats to The Athletic on matchday on the Pirelli Stadium, he stops each couple of minutes to say whats up to followers and fellow members of workers as we focus on his new powered wheelchair, which is completed out within the League One membership’s colors — black and yellow.

Clarke has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, which implies he requires a wheelchair, however the one supplied by the Nationwide Well being Service (NHS) broke down. Throughout months spent ready for it to be repaired, he was unable to attend matches or do his work at Burton’s academy, the place he’s a coach and participant assist officer, so supporters, workers and gamers stepped in.

“Certainly one of my colleagues, Will Clough, began a crowdfunding web page and it’s been unbelievable,” says the 35-year-old. “We acquired over £10,000 ($12,270) in two weeks. It makes me greater than a bit emotional.”

Greater than £12,000 was ultimately raised and, final month, a brand new chair was bought. “It has extra options than my NHS one,” says Clarke, “and due to the time I’d have needed to look ahead to it to be repaired, it means I can get again to Burton, which helps my psychological well being a lot as a result of I’m so busy.

“I needed to make it black and yellow as a result of I assumed so many individuals have donated from Burton that it was solely truthful. You may get interchangeable colors however I wouldn’t need to change it — I’m a Brewer (the membership’s nickname) by and thru. Extra so now than ever.”

Clarke is a lifelong Burton fan and was a season ticket holder for 12 years earlier than beginning voluntary work final July underneath their then head of academy, Dan Robinson. He started in a participant assist position inside Burton’s youth setup, however his duties have since expanded to teaching in addition to supervising the ball boys on residence matchdays.

“My incapacity and my chair technically disappear after I’m working for the membership,” he says.

🌟🏆 BAFC AWARDS

Earlier than we begin the awards, now we have to pay tribute to our very personal John Clarke who not too long ago gained the @EFL‘s Worker of the Season Award. An inspirational man who makes Burton Albion a greater place 👏#BAFCAwards pic.twitter.com/qBs3mAjjle

— Burton Albion FC (@burtonalbionfc) May 4, 2023

Clarke, the primary member of workers in a powered chair employed by an EFL membership, often spends time with coaches (and former Burton gamers) Shaun Barker and Keith Gilroy and the under-18s squad, coaching at close by St George’s Park, additionally the bottom for England’s nationwide groups.

“I by no means noticed myself working in a training position or participant care as a result of I by no means noticed anybody like me doing it,” he says. “And due to the character of my bodily incapacity, it means I can’t even kick a ball, so how may I coach anyone?

“I instructed one in every of my colleagues, Shaun Barker, that I had a little bit of impostor syndrome, which I nonetheless undergo. He stated, ‘I need you to recollect one thing, Clarkey — you don’t should kick a ball to be a superb coach’. I’ve by no means forgotten that.

“Soccer will get a lot unhealthy press (saying) that it’s not a community-based sport, however I’ve by no means not felt included. After I’ve carried out video games with the under-18s and we’ve gone to matches, the opposition have by no means checked out me in another way or requested what I’m doing there. It’s fairly liberating.”

Clarke on the coaching pitch with gamers this week (Nancy Froston/The Athletic)

Clarke’s duties have taken him to Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium for an FA Youth Cup recreation final season, which he says was “surreal” to look at from the dugout. He takes delight in being a part of the membership, broadening younger gamers’ understanding of incapacity.

“I would like 24-hour care almost about washing myself and all features of my day by day life,” Clarke says. “Our residence stadium is accessible however a whole lot of soccer stadiums aren’t. Within the participant care position, I’m out on the grass and I find it irresistible.

“The way in which I take a look at it, even when the gamers don’t get an expert contract with us, I hope I’ve made a distinction with their view on incapacity, to guarantee that they realize it’s alright to ask questions. I’m an open e book.

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“After I first began, one of many lads rotated to me and requested if he may ask me a query. He was an under-11 on the time and he requested me how I’ve a bathe. I assumed that was a extremely insightful query for such a teen and it would make their notion of incapacity a bit bit higher.

“As an academy, it’s extra a couple of holistic strategy moderately than simply the soccer. Clearly, the soccer is the enterprise aspect of it, nevertheless it’s so necessary to create well-rounded younger individuals.”

Clarke is joined on the coaching floor and on matchdays by his carer, Ian Marsh, who has turn out to be an professional on Burton regardless of beforehand not having any curiosity in soccer.

Clarke together with his carer, Ian Marsh (Nancy Froston/The Athletic)

When he’s not working for the membership, Clarke hosts a present on a area people radio station, which is the place he first interviewed Burton’s then academy supervisor Robinson and ended up being invited to submit his CV for the vacant participant care position on the membership. It’s an interview that modified Clarke’s life.

“My nanna’s brother used to play for Port Vale (a close-by membership at the moment additionally in League One), so I typically assume what she would have thought of any individual as bodily disabled as me working in skilled soccer,” he says. “My life has modified immeasurably. I’m doing my teaching badges now, so I’ve simply carried out my Degree One and I’m ready to get on my UEFA C Licence, which is the primary stage {of professional} teaching. Finally, I need to work as much as get my A Licence.

“It’s about pushing myself as a result of I don’t imagine that I’m disabled for a purpose. I don’t imagine in God or something, nevertheless it needs to be price one thing to me, my incapacity. So whether or not that’s to assist one of many lads or make a distinction almost about teaching, it needs to be price one thing. In any other case, what’s it for?

“I wouldn’t need to paint an image to say I’m all the time optimistic, however I’m all the time on the lookout for the silver lining. You nearly should recalibrate your life so you may see issues another way.”

Clarke’s inspiration for his teaching profession is former Burton supervisor Nigel Clough, who achieved promotion to the Championship whereas on the membership. The pair grew to become pals through the now-Mansfield supervisor’s time within the dugout and so they meet weekly for a pub quiz together with Robinson. Making connections with gamers and managers stays a spotlight of the job for Clarke, in addition to inspiring others.

Clough has had two spells as Burton supervisor (Paul Ellis/AFP through Getty Photographs)

“Soccer is such a kaleidoscope of emotion. After I do laps of the pitch (to test on the ball boys), I am going previous the terraces and typically individuals will shout my identify so I’ll cease to speak to them. It’s necessary, the membership wants that visceral connection.

“I acquired speaking to any individual and she or he performs for our pan-disability workforce inside the neighborhood belief and, it makes me emotional, however she stated that I encourage her to realize. I used to be shocked. I put on my coronary heart on my sleeve and I assumed, ‘That’s the explanation I do that job’. If I’m ever doubting why I stand up at 6am for a voluntary position, that’s why.

“After I was rising up, I used to play (laptop recreation) Soccer Supervisor however now I do it as a job. I all the time selected Burton (within the recreation). It’s fairly humorous, I look again at among the previous Soccer Managers and among the gamers, I’m pals with them now. I don’t imply that in a big-headed sense, nevertheless it’s a form of serendipity.

“I shouldn’t admit it now I work for the membership, nevertheless it has given me some actually good instances — like after I was a fan and we acquired promoted in opposition to Doncaster to go as much as the Championship (in 2016), I took half within the pitch invasion. I can’t condone that any extra!

“It’s greater than a soccer membership, it’s inside my soul.”

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(High photograph: Nancy Froston/The Athletic)