Michael Kenrick 07/10/2025 comments  |  Jump to last

Those who used to watch Everton Reserves toward the end of the last century long considered Peter Clarke to be one of the club's most promising prospects from the Everton youth system.  

A graduate of the FA's National School of Excellence at Lilleshall, Peter joined Everton as a 16-year-old in September 1998.

Having captained England at U16 level and helped the England U16s reach the Quarter Finals of the European U16 Championship, Clarke went on to captain his country at U17, U18 and U19 levels.

He was a key player in Everton's Youth Cup team that went all the way to the semi-final stage in 1999.  His progress through the junior teams was rapid too: playing in the Under-17s, Under-19s, and Reserves in his first season.

In the 1999-2000 season, he performed well for both the Under-19s and the Reserves/Under-21s, that he earned a promotion to the first team squad but he didn't make his first senior appearance until the following season when he came on as a substitute against Coventry City in a 3-1 win.

With Everton's continuing injury...