Leon Clarke on Sheffield United joy, Sheffield Wednesday naivety, Steel City hostility and Hull City heroics

He sees one of England’s fiercest rivalries through the lens of a player who has represented both Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday.

His spells at each club were separated by a decade but time proved an insufficient dampener of hostility.

Speaking exclusively to The Yorkshire Post, Clarke said: “I played in one [derby] at Sheffield United and I played in one at Sheffield Wednesday. The Sheffield Wednesday one, I don't remember the atmosphere being that electric.

"When I'd made the move to Sheffield United, we played Sheffield Wednesday and it kind of dawned on me how big the game actually was.

"It was when we arrived at the stadium. I think it was me and Ched [Evans], we spoke to each other and said ‘shall we get off the coach together?’. We knew we were both going to be in the firing line. I don’t really wear AirPods or anything like that on my way to a game but I had mine in and I was listening to music.

"I could hear people giving me abuse, giving Ched abuse. It dawned on me, the magnitude of how big the game actually was.”

Clarke’s switch to Sheffield Wednesday in 2007 marked his first permanent move away from Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he cut his teeth as a young forward.

His goal record at Hillsborough was a respectable one but he reflects on his time in S6 with mixed emotions – particularly due to what he describes as naivety on his part.

He said: “I probably didn't help myself at the beginning. Probably being young and naive, not giving myself the best opportunity to play regularly by not being in the best physical shape I could have been in.

"There were spells during the period where I did well and scored some goals. It looked like I could kick on and have some momentum then I'd get an injury. It kind of put me back.

"I just think I didn't help myself by not being in best physical shape I could have possibly been in, not understanding how I should live my livelihood and how I should go about my work everyday.”

Seven years on from his Hillsborough exit, Clarke found himself back in the Steel City. Sheffield United came calling having taken notice of his goalscoring exploits at Bury.

He represented 11 clubs between his spells on each side of Sheffield but his history with the Owls was still a point of discussion ahead of his Blades move.

Clarke explained: “It was spoken about. There was a little hesitancy from myself to join, I knew there was going to be a backlash from Sheffield United fans and from Sheffield Wednesday fans. I spoke to Chris Wilder and Alan Knill about it.

"Chris Wilder was really good with me, he was just really honest. He said 'if you try your hardest, these fans will back you, win lose or draw, scoring goals or not'. He said if I show them 110 per cent then they'd be on my side and back me. Once he said that, I knew what I had to do.”

It proved to be a move that worked for both parties, as Clarke helped Sheffield United climb from League One into the Premier League.

Wilder was a manager Clarke enjoyed playing under, partly due to the “blunt” nature of instructions given out.

Clarke said: “His instructions and his directions were very blunt, very honest, very simple to understand. The way he wanted to play was very easy to understand. It was front-foot football.

"We're going to defend from the front and we're going to attack from the back. It was very enjoyable to play under him and for me it was very simple. It was a part of my career I really enjoyed.”

Any Sheffield United fan asked about Clarke and his contributions at Bramall Lane will undoubtedly reference his heroics against Hull City. In November 2017, he scored all four goals in Sheffield United’s 4-1 rout of the Tigers.

Reminiscing, Clarke said: “I remember us playing very well. I'd had a couple of chances myself, the 'keeper made some really good saves. Chris Wilder was really good at half-time. He said 'don't stop what you're doing, keep knocking on the door and the opportunities will come, just try take them if you can'.

"For myself at the time and the team, chances came and I was lucky I was able to put them away and be more clinical than I was in the first-half.”

Clarke was among the victims of Sheffield United’s success, as Premier League football reduced his playing time and importance in the squad.

However, he did manage to make his maiden Premier League appearance in a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at the age of 34.

He said: “I didn't think I'd get the opportunity. Me and Chris Wilder had a conversation, we agreed there wasn't going to be a way of making the 25-man squad.

"He was really good with me to be honest, and then there was injuries and suspensions and an opportunity came up. I was a little bit behind the players in terms of pre-season and match fitness.

"It was really nice, I didn't think I was going to be involved in many of the games so to make an appearance was really nice. After being there so long, it meant a lot.”

Now 38, Clarke harbours coaching ambitions and is keen to share his expertise with academy players. However, when he sat down with The Yorkshire Post, he admitted he would “probably snap someone's hand off” if a playing opportunity came about.

It proved to be the hand of Kettering Town boss Andy Leese that was snapped off, as Clarke agreed terms with the seventh-tier Poppies late last month.