Brentford Early years (2011–2013) Clarke signed a two-year scholarship at
League One club
Brentford during the 2011 off-season, after being spotted while on a course at
Southgate College. He also represented
Middlesex Schools at U17 level. Clarke progressed from the
youth team to the
Development Squad and played the first senior football of his career for
Isthmian League Premier Division club
Carshalton Athletic on two work experience loans during the
2012–13 season. He made 17 league appearances and scored one goal during a season to forget for the club, in which it narrowly avoided relegation.
Loan spells (2013–2015) Clarke signed a one-year professional contract for the
2013–14 season and made two cup appearances during the early months of the campaign. Clarke was promoted into the first team squad for the remainder of the League One season on 16 April 2014. With promotion to the
Championship secured, he made his league debut when he replaced
right back Nico Yennaris after 81 minutes of a 4–1 defeat to
Colchester United 10 days later. His only involvement with the first team came when he was an unused substitute during the following day's match versus
Mansfield Town. Failure to recover from a thigh injury saw Clarke return to Brentford when his loan expired. He failed to feature at all in the first team during the
2014–15 season.
Fringe player (2015–16) Clarke made his first senior Brentford appearance in over 15 months in the League Cup first round versus
Oxford United on 11 August 2015 and was one of the few Bees players to offer any spark in the 4–0 defeat. An injury crisis saw him keep his place in the squad throughout August and September and he made three further appearances before departing join League Two club
Barnet on loan on 15 October 2015. Clarke returned to Brentford when his loan expired on 3 January 2016, after making 10 appearances and scoring three goals. which took his tally for
2015–16 to 12. He was an ever-present inclusion in matchday squads early in the
2016–17 season and scored his first goal for the club in a 4–1 victory over
Reading on 27 September 2016. He scored again five matches later, with the opener in a 2–0
West London derby victory over
Queen's Park Rangers. After a period on the bench, He scored his first goal of the season in the 4–1 EFL Cup second round victory over rivals Queens Park Rangers on 22 August 2017 and his performance was recognised with a place in the Team of the Round. He scored two goals in two matches in mid-September, in a 1–1 league draw with Reading and a late consolation in a 3–1 EFL Cup third round defeat to
Norwich City. Clarke's performances during the first half of the season were recognised with a nomination for
EFL Player of the Year at the 2017–18 London Football Awards and he finished the campaign with 32 appearances and three goals.
Later years (2018–2020) Manager
Dean Smith's decision to establish a leadership group and appoint matchday
captains during the
2018–19 season led to Clarke wearing the captain's armband for the first time in his Brentford career during a 1–0 EFL Cup second round victory over
Cheltenham Town on 28 August 2018. Well down the pecking order, Clarke made just three appearances before joining League One club
Burton Albion on loan until the end of the
2018–19 season on 11 January 2019. Either side of an ankle injury, he made just six appearances during his spell. On the final day of the window, his contract was terminated by mutual consent. Clarke made 84 appearances and scored five goals during -years as a professional at Griffin Park.
Wigan Athletic On 11 September 2020, Clarke signed a one-month contract with newly relegated League One club
Wigan Athletic. A hamstring injury saw him fail to win a call into a matchday squad and his contract was terminated by mutual consent on 5 October.
Leyton Orient (trial) In July 2021, Clarke signed a short-term contract as a trialist with League Two club
Leyton Orient and he appeared in all but one of the club's
2021–22 pre-season friendlies.
Dartford In mid-November 2021, Clarke signed a contract with
National League South club
Dartford. He made 10 appearances before departing the club in February 2022, in order "to focus on resolving some injury issues and getting fit for next season". He was a part of the team which emerged victorious in the delayed 2020
Kent Senior Cup Final, played on 24 November 2021. ==Career statistics==