Sunderland fans are still keeping a close eye on Jack Clarke’s progress — or lack thereof — at Ipswich Town, and his last outing has raised more than a few eyebrows.
Since leaving Sunderland in the summer, Jack Clarke has struggled to make an impact at Ipswich. Poor form, low confidence, and a lack of minutes have seen the winger slip into the peripheries of Kieran McKenna’s squad.
It has been an up and down season for Clarke and his new club. Ipswich looked as though they may just have enough to survive the drop in the Premier League, but an awful run in 2025 has seen the Tractor Boys fall deeper and deeper into the relegation fight.
Clarke, meanwhile, has received glowing reviews here and there to suggest he might turn things around, but those glimpses of hope never last long, and the transfer seems a ‘strange’ one for sure now after his latest game.
- READ MORE: Three years since he signed for the Black Cats, Sunderland fans can’t agree on Jack Clarke’s legacy
Jack Clarke didn’t step up to take a penalty for Ipswich Town, Sunderland fans can’t believe it
Ipswich Town were held to a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup fifth round tie with Nottingham Forest last night, and with the game going to penalties, many had expected Clarke to step up and take a spot-kick.
Clarke relished penalty duty at Sunderland, and was always fantastic from 12 yards. But, under the spotlight at the City Ground on Monday night, the 24-year-old turned down the opportunity to be involved in the shootout.
Ipswich eventually lost the game on penalties and crashed out of the cup, but Black Cats fans only had one thing on their mind: Why didn’t Clarke take a penalty?
Sunderland account Macca took to Twitter/X to write: “Shocked Jack Clarke didn’t take a penalty for Ipswich.”
One fan replied, “Think that shows his confidence is shattered, cannot believe it,” while another added, “He’s definitely bottled it this season.”
Clarke is now a far cry from the player we remember from his days in the Sunderland squad, and one thing is obvious, as a supporter posted: “His game is all about confidence on the ball, it’s clear at Ipswich that’s gone.”
Recalling that impeccable penalty record, another fan said: “That’s what I was thinking, bloke’s never missed a penalty.” One supporter simply described the whole thing as “very strange.”
What will Jack Clarke do in the summer?
With Ipswich Town seemingly heading back to the Championship at the end of the season, there’s every chance that he finds his level again and rekindles his confidence in the second tier with Ipswich.
But, given his demise this season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Ipswich try to offload the winger in the summer.
A return to Sunderland was mooted for Clarke in January, with supporters split on the idea of him coming back to the Stadium of Light. On the one hand, Clarke is obviously a quality player who excelled for Sunderland, but on the other, he left the club in a fairly negative light.
Of course, if Sunderland don’t get promoted this season, there’s a good chance Regis Le Bris will need to rebuild his squad as key players move on. If that is the case, we could see Clarke brought back in as part of the rebuild.