Steve Clark (soccer)

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This article is about the American association football player. For the Scottish association football manager and former player, see Steve Clarke.

Steve Clark
Steve-clark-hbk.jpg
Personal information
Full name Steven Thomas Clark
Date of birth (1986-04-14) April 14, 1986 (age 35)
Place of birth Mason, Michigan, United States
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Portland Timbers
Number 12
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2008 Oakland Golden Grizzlies 58 (0)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005 West Michigan Edge 13 (0)
2006–2009 Michigan Bucks 51 (0)
2009 Charleston Battery 0 (0)
2010–2013 Hønefoss 94 (0)
2014–2016 Columbus Crew SC 100 (0)
2017 AC Horsens 11 (0)
2017–2018 D.C. United 8 (0)
2018– Portland Timbers 65 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of September 10, 2021

Steven Thomas "Steve" Clark (born April 14, 1986) is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer.

College and amateur career[]

Clark played soccer in the NCAA for the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies from 2005 to 2008. After red-shirting his first season, Clark went on to win the Grizzlies starting job in 2006, helping the side to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2007–08. Clark won the Summit League's Defensive Player of the Year award in 2008 and was named to the All-Midwest Regional First Team.

From 2006 to 2009, Clark played with United Soccer League Premier Development League Michigan Bucks, helping the PDL club to its first league championship in 2006, where he was named championship MVP, before falling on penalties in the title game the next season to Laredo Heat. In 2008, Clark helped the Bucks to the club's second regular season championship and first since 2000, en route to winning the Paul R. Scicluna trophy, awarded annually to the club's Most Valuable Player. From 2006 to 2008, Clark also helped the Bucks to three-straight Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup appearances. In all, the Lansing native appeared in 75 matches over four seasons with the Pontiac-based side.[1]

Professional career[]

Beginnings[]

After finishing college in 2008, Clark was not picked up in the MLS SuperDraft. He went on trials with Real Salt Lake and with some lower-division clubs, but was not immediately signed. In 2009, Clark signed with USL-1 club Charleston Battery.

Hønefoss[]

In November 2009, Steve Clark was offered a trial by Bradford City, but he eventually left due to being unable to retain a UK work permit.

Clark trialed with Norwegian clubs Stabæk, and Hønefoss BK, eventually signing with the latter after arranging the trial by calling the club himself.[2][3] Clark was named first-choice keeper for Hønefoss BK after beating out long-time starter Thomas Solvoll. Clark recorded a 40-yard dash time of 4.51 seconds and recorded a vertical leap of 33 inches (86 centimeters).[4] Clark led Hønefoss BK to promotion out of the Adeccoligaen into the Tippeligaen recording the fewest goals against in the Adeccoligaen in 2011.[citation needed]

After the 2011 season, Clark signed a two-year contract extension with Hønefoss BK, keeping him at the club until December 2013.[5] Clark began the 2012 Tippeligaen season widely unknown by the Norwegian press, but he was named to the Best XI of the 2012 Tippeligaen season by TV 2, the largest sports channel in Norway. In addition, he was named Hønefoss BK "Player of the Year" by Ringerikes Blad and "Supporters Player of the Year" by Fosseberget supporters section.[citation needed]

Columbus Crew SC[]

Clark was acquired by Columbus Crew SC in a sign-and-trade deal with Seattle Sounders FC. The Sounders received a 2015 MLS SuperDraft fourth-round selection in exchange for sending Clark's rights to Columbus.[6] Clark quickly earned the nod as starting keeper for Columbus. He played every minute of all 34 league matches in 2014, and was named as the Crew's defender of the year for 2014. The Crew declined the option on Clark's contract after the 2016 season because of his role in Columbus's defeat in the 2015 MLS Cup.[7]

AC Horsens[]

Clark signed a six-month deal with AC Horsens of the Danish Superliga in January 2017.[8] He started 17 matches during spring 2017. He left the club again at the end of the season.[9]

D.C. United[]

On August 17, 2017, Clark again returned to the United States when he signed for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.[10] Clark recorded his first shutout for DC in his debut in a 4–0 win against the San Jose Earthquakes on September 23, 2017.[11] He made a total of eight MLS appearances and recorded 29 saves for DC.[11]

Portland Timbers[]

On August 17, 2018, Clark was claimed off waivers by the Portland Timbers.[12] He was re-signed by the Timbers on December 20, 2019.[13] During the 2020 MLS is Back Tournament, Clark's penalty save against LA Galaxy's Javier “Chicharito” Hernández was voted "Save of the Tournament."[14]

Career statistics[]

As of April 5, 2021[15][16]
Club Season League Playoffs[a] Cup[b] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
West Michigan Edge 2005 PDL 13 0 – – – 13 0
Michigan Bucks 2006[17] PDL 9 0 4 0 3 0 – 16 0
2007[18] 12 0 4 0 1 0 – 17 0
2008[19] 15 0 1 0 1 0 – 17 0
2009[20] 15 0 – – – 15 0
Total 51 0 9 0 5 0 0 0 65 0
Charleston Battery 2009 USL-1 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 0
Hønefoss 2010 Tippeligaen 4 0 0 0 0 0 – 4 0
2011 Adeccoligaen 30 0 – 2 0 – 32 0
2012 Tippeligaen 30 0 – 0 0 – 30 0
2013 Tippeligaen 30 0 – 1 0 – 31 0
Total 94 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 97 0
Columbus Crew SC 2014 MLS 34 0 2 0 2 0 – 38 0
2015 34 0 5 0 0 0 – 39 0
2016 32 0 – 0 0 – 32 0
Total 100 0 7 0 2 0 0 0 109 0
AC Horsens 2016–17 Superliga 11 0 6 0 0 0 – 17 0
D.C. United 2017 MLS 5 0 – 0 0 – 5 0
2018 3 0 0 0 1 0 – 4 0
Total 8 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 9 0
Portland Timbers 2018 MLS 8 0 0 0 0 0 – 8 0
2019 24 0 1 0 3 0 – 28 0
2020 20 0 1 0 0 0 – 21 0
2021 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 0
Total 52 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 57 0
Career total 329 0 23 0 14 0 0 0 367 0
  1. ^ Includes the PDL Playoffs, MLS Cup Playoffs, and Superliga relegation playoffs
  2. ^ Includes the U.S. Open Cup and Norwegian Football Cup

References[]

  1. ^ "Former Buck Clark signs in Norway". February 11, 2010. Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
  2. ^ "Steve Clark Interview: From Camping to Keeping". 90:00 soccer. March 21, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  3. ^ "Clark Signs With Honefoss". yanks-abroad.com. Yanks Abroad. January 30, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  4. ^ "Clark Named Starter at Honefoss". yanks-abroad.com. Yanks Abroad. March 16, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  5. ^ "Har forlenget med HBK". ringblad.no. Ringerikes Blad. October 22, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  6. ^ "Crew acquires goalkeeper Steve Clark in trade with Seattle Sounders FC | Columbus Crew SC". Thecrew.com. December 16, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  7. ^ "Columbus Crew decline option on Steve Clark as MLS clubs trim rosters - Goal.com". November 23, 2016.
  8. ^ "AC Horsens forstærker truppen med Steve Clark". achorsens.dk. AC Horsens. January 17, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  9. ^ "Fire mand forlader AC Horsens". bold.dk. Bold. June 14, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  10. ^ "Steve Clark signs with United". dcunited.com. D.C. United. August 16, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b "United waive goalkeeper Steve Clark". dcunited.com. D.C. United. August 16, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  12. ^ "Timbers acquire goalkeeper Steve Clark". timbers.com. Portland Timbers. August 17, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  13. ^ "Timbers sign Goalkeeper Steve Clark to New Contract". timbers.com. Portland Timbers. December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  14. ^ "Portland Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark captures MLS is Back Save of the Tournament presented by Allstate". MLSSoccer.com. August 14, 2020.
  15. ^ Steve Clark at Soccerway
  16. ^ Steve Clark at Major League Soccer
  17. ^ "Michigan Bucks 2006 statistics". BucksSoccer.com. Michigan Bucks. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  18. ^ "Michigan Bucks 2007 statistics". BucksSoccer.com. Michigan Bucks. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  19. ^ "Michigan Bucks 2008 statistics". BucksSoccer.com. Michigan Bucks. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  20. ^ "Michigan Bucks 2009 statistics". BucksSoccer.com. Michigan Bucks. Retrieved December 20, 2018.

External links[]

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