Seasiders’ Clarke back to fitness

BLACKPOOL striker Billy Clarke is determined to force his way back into the first-team picture 12 months after seeing his Premier League dream wrecked by injury.

The Corkman missed the whole of Blackpool’s ultimately ill-fated Premier League adventure after rupturing cruciate ligaments just two minutes into the Seasiders first pre-season friendly at Tiverton Town in Devon last July.

The striker has fought back and scored his first goal since his return in Saturday’s 2-1 friendly defeat to Oldham.

The 23-year-old hopes his effort will be the first of many for Blackpool this season.

“It’s a good feeling to get a goal,’’ he said. “Hopefully there are many more to come this season from me.

“I’m happy with scoring but it was mainly a good fitness exercise for me and the lads. I still don’t feel 100%.

Clarke revealed that the trauma of his injury has given him a greater appreciation of how lucky he is to be a footballer.

“The injury has made me appreciate playing football a lot more,’’ he told the Blackpool Gazette.

“I used to beat myself up a bit, although I still do a little.

“The manager (Ian Holloway) talks to me about it — if I do something wrong on the pitch it’s not the end of the world. I used to beat myself up when I did.

“It’s just so nice to be playing again. I’ve had to change my whole warm-up process. I used to come out and just start smacking balls around the training ground.”