Honest, straight-up, a bit edgy, resilient: Barnsley FC head coach Darrell Clarke in his own words - the man who turned down Leeds United

Darrell Clarke used all of the above to describe himself in an engaging first introduction as Barnsley’s new head coach. He did not just refer to those words for the sake of them either. They weren’t glib, he meant them.

The candour has already been referenced by his new club. In the press release to announce his arrival, Reds sporting director Mladen Sormaz stated that Clarke’s ‘open and direct’ persona throughout the recruitment process shone through alongside his track record of lower-division success and footballing ethos and established an ‘immediate connection’.

As for the edginess? Well, how about when he climbed on a pub table after former Bristol Rovers’ Conference play-off final win over Grimsby in 2015 and publicly told the beaten team’s local paper to ‘f***ing print this’ before bursting into a victory song.

There is a resilience to his teams, as his managerial stories at Salisbury and Bristol Rovers bear testament to in particular.

Clarke’s resilience extends beyond football to the personal.

Almost exactly two years ago to the day in May 2022, an emotionally-drained Clarke dedicated former club Port Vale’s League Two play-off final triumph against hometown club Mansfield to his eldest daughter Ellie, who tragically died earlier that year, aged just 18.

Clarke took an extended break before returning to work in April and held it together to help Vale get over the line against Mansfield, also the place where Ellie was born, lived and died.

Clarke’s chapters in management have constituted emotional journeys in truth. A heart-on-sleeve individual, he has invested himself fully at the clubs he has been at and will be particularly remembered with fondness in parts of the West Country and the Potteries as he will in a small cathedral city in Wiltshire.

On his managerial journey, Clarke, who counts six promotions on his CV - five as a manager - said: “I went from coaching Portsmouth under-eights to first-team manager at Salisbury. Probably a little bit by default.

"I was the captain of the team in the National League and we got promoted two leagues.

"I look at my past career and people might say: ‘well, he’s not done it at League One level’. But I believe I have with the resources I have had and I have had big tests. I have built resilience.

"At Bristol Rovers, I had a portacabin that you could ‘swing a cat in’ for an office. We had one training pitch we were allowed to use and weren’t even allowed to do afternoon sessions in the week and that was for four or five seasons and not just the first season.

"I took over with eight games to go and we got relegated (from the Football League), but we bounced back with back-to-backs (promotions). I have built winning squads and know what a culture and environment has to get up to and need to do it at this level now.

"That’s a challenge for me now and I am sure the fans will get right behind me. I try to be as honest as I can with them and build a really good rapport and (make sure) that they enjoy coming to watch their football.

"I’ve had some amazing times, but I am not one of those to sit on past things. I want more and I am hungry and want to bring success. I’ve given my whole life to my football; some people say I give too much and they are probably right.

"But that’s me and the day that packs in is the day I hang my ‘whistle’ up.”

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Now 46, Clarke has never previously played or managed in the Championship. It helps to explain why the lure of Barnsley was so strong and he is backing himself to utilise advantages that he felt weren’t afforded him in his previous jobs at League One level.

That said, he did famously pass up a chance to manage one of the country’s famous footballing names in the second tier at Leeds United in May 2016, then owned by maverick chairman Massimo Cellino.

On whether it now represents a source of regret, Clarke added: “I met Massimo and at the time, it was at the end of back to back promotions at Bristol Rovers.

"If I am honest, it did not feel the right time for me then. I still get people saying to me: ‘I can’t believe you didn’t go’. But for me, it wasn’t at the right time at the right part of my career.

"I wanted to show loyalty to Bristol Rovers where I had a bit of success and felt that (Leeds) was a little bit too early in my career. Now I feel ready for it. I’d had over 600 games at various levels and believe I am ready to manage a big club and I believe we are.”