Football Journeys Podcast

A B5 Consultancy podcast telling the untold stories of the beautiful game - the pain, the graft and the rejection. Media lawyer Matt Himsworth and former Luton, Stevenage and Newport County footballer Fraser Franks meet with those who have lived extraordinary football journeys. Not necessarily the top stars who have the accolades and the attention but those who have been through the mill, lived the struggles and come out of the other end to tell the tale. Series One focuses on the Academy journey at the Premier League champions, Liverpool FC, as we meet the class of 2013/14, a group of young men that came so close to living the Anfield dream but have had to come to terms with an alternative pathway. As well as interviewing the players and hearing their emotional stories we speak to those who knew the players and their journeys, including fans, coaches and a Liverpool legend.

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Football Journeys Podcast

S02 EP8: David Clarke

February 02, 2022 • B5 Consultancy

The Paralympian.

Who holds the record as the male footballer with the most caps and goals for England? Peter Shilton and Wayne Rooney? Wrong. David Clarke holds both.

Born to two Scousers in Wigan, David is a lifelong Red but, having been born with glaucoma he can't have imagined that he would ever have been able to emulate his Anfield heroes. However, he perhaps outdid all of them. Winning 144 caps for his country, scoring 128 goals, including 5 Golden Boots at European Championships, as he puts it:

"Strangely I think my life has been potentially a lot more rewarding and a lot more enjoyable than it may well have been had I been able to see"

It's difficult to argue with that logic when you consider that he's played at several European Championships, helped light the flame at the London Paralympics, presented the FA Cup to Wigan, appeared on Strictly Come Dancing for Sport Relief, coached David Beckham, received a lifetime achievement award from the FA and many more achievements in football and in banking besides.

We loved him, and his dog Dennis, and we're sure you will too.

For more information on David, or to contact him, visit: davidclarkeblindfootballer.com

This episode is produced in partnership with the RNIB. You can find out more about this wonderful charity, and about what more you can do to support blind and partially sighted people, by visiting their website: https://www.rnib.org.uk/

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