Joey Barton regrettably admits it’s never quite worked out for Trevor Clarke at Bristol Rovers but the left-back departs with the best wishes of the club after joining Shamrock Rovers on loan for the duration of their domestic season.
Clarke has rejoined the League of Ireland side until November having been on the periphery of the Gas team for much of his time in north Bristol. The 24-year-old has started just six games this season, in all competitions, and has been on the sidelines for the last month following a training ground injury.
With Barton looking to improve his squad over this window, and Clarke needing games at this stage of his career, the decision has been reached to loan him out to Shamrock Rovers, who were Irish champions last season.
The Irishman played more than 100 times for the Hoops from 2016-2019 after coming through the youth setup.
“He’s grafted away and it never worked out for him. He never got a run and, if I’m honest, he never got any luck with his injuries,” Barton said. “There is definitely something in there. He has something, Trev - his straight-line speed is as good as anyone’s and he’s aggressive.
“I just think he needs a regular rhythm of games. He needs to go and play 40-45 games and just get that feel of playing week in, week out. He’s a top lad, Trev, and he is well thought of in the group, but I think it is the right time for him to go and try his luck somewhere else.”
It continues a strange season for Clarke who despite not featuring regularly in his debut campaign for the Gas, having joined from Rotherham United in 2021, was granted a new two-year contract last summer.
Not long after that he was heavily criticised by Barton after Rovers’ defeat to Forest Green Rovers on the opening day of the 2022/23 season, exiled from the first-team and his days in BS7 appeared numbered only to then be reintegrated back into the squad a few weeks later.
Barton believes that he’s essentially doing Clarke a favour by loaning him out, rather than allowing him to stay and stagnate at The Quarters. His departure does leave Rovers light at left-back, with Lewis Gordon the only recognised player in that position but points to a new addition over the next four weeks.
“I’m quite rare in this space that I will only ever tell you the truth. I have got no interest in lying to you as it’s only football, it isn’t life or death. People think it is more important, but just tell them the truth and put the cards on the table,” Barton added.
“Can we get better? Trev needed to get better and there were a few of them in the summer. If we’re being honest, if they had gone when I said they should go then they would be playing now and they would be on with their careers.
“As it is, they have wasted a bit of time. Alright, some of them have had minutes and moments, but on the whole they are faced with the same predicament now the window is open in January.
“Sometimes, you’ve got to cut your little finger off to stop losing an arm or a hand. It hurts you in the short term, but long term you’ll be better off for it.
“You have got to play football as a footballer. I shouldn’t need to tell anyone that but that is the only way you improve. Yeah, training is great if you’re a young player dipping in and out of it while your body catches up, but if you’re 24, 25 or 26, you have to be playing.
“I can’t understand it. I’ve never been a substitute anywhere I’ve been at. I’ve pretty much started ever since I got in the first team. I couldn’t imagine being sub, but if I was playing for Man City it would be alright because of the rotation or the load of games. I get it.
“But if you’re playing for Bristol Rovers or sides down here, you should be capable of cracking on and getting after it.
“Those lads need to kickstart their own careers, mainly for their own sanity. For me, I’ve got bodies to look at around here and it’s great, I’ve got insulation if people get injured, but that is killing the lads’ career.
“It is selfish of me as a coach to do that and if you have to be quite blunt and brutal with them, so be it. In the long-term when they are 35 or 45, they will thank you for it.
“It’s like when you don’t want to leave your mum and dad’s house because you get your dinner cooked and all the bills are paid for you. Sometimes, you need to be booted out of the nest.
“It’s comfortable and it’s great and people don’t want to leave comfort. This is a good training ground, we get great food, we travel well, there’s a great spirit, we train properly and we get good information. You can go into Bristol and have a lovely city there and the Gasheads love you when you play.
“Why would you want to go to Yeovil or Scunthorpe? I wouldn’t, I’d stay in Bristol.
“So you can get the lads saying ‘No, I’ll wait’. It’s Yo Sushi and you are waiting for a better plate to come around. Eventually, all the plates are gone, so at some point you’ve got to take a plate off the thing. Whether you want it or not, you’ve got to eat, and you have got to play as a player.”
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