Alexander "Sandy" Clark (born 28 October 1956) is a Scottish professional football manager and former player who is currently manager of Scottish Lowland Football League club Albion Rovers.
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Clark[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 28 October 1956 | ||
| Place of birth | Airdrie, Scotland | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Albion Rovers (manager) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1974–1982 | Airdrieonians | 234 | (92) |
| 1982–1983 | West Ham United | 26 | (7) |
| 1983–1984 | Rangers | 62 | (21) |
| 1984–1989 | Heart of Midlothian | 136 | (35) |
| 1989–1990 | Partick Thistle | 3 | (0) |
| 1990 | Dunfermline Athletic | 4 | (0) |
| Total | 465 | (155) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1989–1990 | Partick Thistle | ||
| 1993–1994 | Heart of Midlothian | ||
| 1996–1998 | Hamilton Academical | ||
| 1998–2001 | St Johnstone | ||
| 2004–2005 | Berwick Rangers | ||
| 2022–2023 | East Stirlingshire | ||
| 2023– | Albion Rovers | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
editClark played for several clubs in his playing career including his home town club Airdrieonians, Rangers, Heart of Midlothian (Hearts) and West Ham United.[2][3][4] His longest and most successful spells were those at Tynecastle and Broomfield. In 1982, Clark won the Scottish PFA Players' Player of the Year award.[5] In 1984, Clark went on to win the Scottish League Cup final with Rangers in a 3–2 victory over Celtic.[6]
He has managed several clubs, including Partick Thistle, Hamilton Academical, Hearts (twice, once as caretaker), St Johnstone and Berwick Rangers.[7]
His work with BBC Scotland previously included TV commentary, where he was the regular summariser to main commentator Rob MacLean.[8][9]
In 2005, Clark was appointed as a striker coach at Aberdeen.[10] He left the club in May 2009, along with manager Jimmy Calderwood and assistant Jimmy Nicholl.[11] In January 2010 he joined Kilmarnock as first team coach, working under the same management team until the end of the 2009–10 season.[12] Clark was a sports performance lecturer at Cumbernauld College after leaving Kilmarnock.[13]
Clark was appointed Queen of the South's assistant manager to Allan Johnston on 14 May 2012.[14] Johnston and Clark signed a one-year contract extension on 13 April 2013,[15] but then moved onto Kilmarnock as that club's new management team in June 2013.[16][17] Clark left Kilmarnock in May 2014[18] and was appointed assistant manager to Darren Young at Albion Rovers in June 2014.[19] At the end of the 2014–15 season, Clark departed Albion Rovers and was once again re-united with Allan Johnston, this time as assistant manager of Scottish Championship club Dunfermline Athletic.[20] Johnston and Clark departed the Pars during January 2019[21] and returned to Dumfries club Queens for a second spell on 5 May 2019, after the departure of Gary Naysmith. Johnston and Clark joined on a two-year contract and their first game in-charge came in the Scottish Championship play-off first-leg versus Montrose.[22] On 16 April 2021, Johnston and Clark signed a contract extension to remain the Doonhamers management team until May 2023.[23] On 13 February 2022, Johnston and Clark departed the Doonhamers by mutual consent (4 wins in 24 matches) as the Dumfries club languished in the automatic relegation place in the Scottish Championship.[24]
On 25 November 2022, Clark was appointed manager of Lowland League side East Stirlingshire.[25] This was to be Clark's first managerial position since he departed Berwick Rangers in 2005.
On 28 March 2023, Clark would leave East Stirlingshire and was named the new manager of Scottish League Two club Albion Rovers.[26]
Personal life
editSandy Clark is the father of Nicky Clark, who has also played for Rangers.[27]
Managerial record
edit- As of 1 August 2023
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Heart of Midlothian | 10 May 1993 | 20 June 1994 | 51 | 15 | 20 | 16 | 29.41 |
| Hamilton Academical | 1 September 1996 | 5 September 1998 | 93 | 38 | 29 | 26 | 40.86 |
| St Johnstone | 7 September 1998 | 25 September 2001 | 132 | 40 | 43 | 49 | 30.30 |
| Berwick Rangers | 13 October 2004 | 31 May 2006 | 77 | 35 | 19 | 23 | 45.45 |
| East Stirlingshire | 25 November 2022 | 27 March 2023 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 40.00 |
| Albion Rovers | 28 March 2023 | Present | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 28.57 |
| Total | 382 | 138 | 115 | 129 | 36.13 | ||
- Statistics from Partick Thistle unavailable.
References
edit- ^ "Sandy Clark". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
- ^ thefitbanomad (14 January 2018). "Exclusive Interview with Sandy Clark". The Fitba Nomad. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ Shea, Julian (10 April 2022). "Sandy Clark: 'It was my choice to leave West Ham, but I wish I'd stayed longer'". Blowing Bubbles. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "Greatest XI – 10. Striker". airdrie. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "A look back on the history of the Player of the Year award as PFA Scotland prepares to announce latest shortlist". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ Dailyrecord.co.uk (10 February 2009). "League Cup Final: Rangers 3 Celtic 2, March 25, 1984". Daily Record. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "Sandy Clark still has a burning desire to manage again". scotsman.com. 21 July 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "Radio Football Commentators and Reporters 2011/12 – Page 87". Forums.digitalspy.co.uk.
- ^ "Football: We're on the same wavelength; SANDY CLARK'S NOT THE ONLY ONE OF HIS FAMILY WITH CAREER IN BROADCASTING WIFE LIZ IS ON RADIO TOO. – Free Online Library". thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "Football: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER; BATTLE FOR EUROPE: Hibs v Aberdeen, tomorrow Clark: I was nearly a Don 25 years ago. – Free Online Library". thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood quits after European qualification". The Guardian. 24 May 2009. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "Manager Jimmy Calderwood will not return to Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. 31 May 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- ^ "Football legend Sandy Clark launches book at Cumbernauld College – Cumbernauld College – Serious About Learning". Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
- ^ "Queen of the South appoint Sandy Clark as assistant manager". BBC Sport. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- ^ "Queen of the South FC – Official Website". Archived from the original on 27 May 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
- ^ Barnes, John (25 June 2013). "Kilmarnock: Allan Johnston becomes new manager". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- ^ Parks, Gordon (25 June 2013). "Kilmarnock get their man as Queen of the South boss Allan Johnston agrees to replace Kenny Shiels at Rugby Park". Daily Record.
- ^ Barnes, John (26 May 2014). "Kilmarnock: Sandy Clark leaves role as assistant manager". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- ^ "Darren Young replaces James Ward as Albion Rovers boss". BBC Sport. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- ^ "Dunfermline to appoint Sandy Clark as assistant boss". The Courier. 27 May 2015. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
- ^ "Dunfermline: Allan Johnston and club 'part company'". BBC Sport. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ^ "Queen of the South: Allan Johnston returns Palmerston Park as manager". BBC Sport. 6 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ "QosFC: Contract Extension For Management Team". Qosfc.com. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ "QosFC: Management Team Depart".
- ^ "East Stirlingshire: Former Hearts and St Johnstone boss Sandy Clark named as Derek Ure's successor". falkirkherald.co.uk. 26 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ Kearney, Ben (28 March 2023). "East Stirlingshire: Sandy Clark leaves Falkirk club to make SPFL move to Albion Rovers". The Falkirk Herald. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ "Nicky Clark: Rangers agree deal to sign Queen of the South striker". BBC Sport. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2014.