It is now three years since Jack Clarke signed for Sunderland, and the winger made quite the name for himself on Wearside, for better or worse.
Sunderland fans were heartbroken in the summer when Jack Clarke opted to move on to join newly-promoted Ipswich Town in the Premier League.
The flair player had wowed fans at the Stadium of Light in the 2023/24 campaign, but many were unhappy with the way the youngster pushed through the move to Portman Road.
But, Clarke’s poor form at Ipswich has at least made the loss more palatable for Black Cats fans, and some even pity their former player. Suffice to say, consensus on his Sunderland legacy is firmly split.
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Some Sunderland fans want Jack Clarke back, others are enjoying his downfall
On January 26, 2022, Sunderland signed Clarke on an initial loan deal from Tottenham Hotspur, before making the switch permanent that summer.
Now, with the Second Tier Pod commemorating the day on Twitter/X, Sunderland fans took to the replies to voice their thoughts on the former Black Cats star.
The more friendly, sentimental Sunderland fans among the replies posted, “Miss him so much,” and “Bring him home.”
Meanwhile, another fan thinks Clarke made a mistake leaving, adding: “He should have stayed and waited for a better move. Ipswich wasn’t the move he needed, it was the move his agent did.” Another said: “I often wonder how much difference there was between our contract and the Ipswich contract.”
We know Ipswich fans have lost patience with Clarke, and one Sunderland supporter suggested the 24-year-old will be “regretting moving to Ipswich.” Others were less kind, mocking the fact Clarke “can’t get in the matchday squad” and laughing about the performances he’s been putting in.
Supporters of other teams even chimed in. One Sheffield Wednesday fan posted: “What a player. Him and Patrick Roberts have tormented [us] for years.” However, a Middlesbrough fan joked about the fact Sunderland “still can’t get over” Clarke.
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Jack Clarke can be a top flight success, just not with Ipswich Town
It’s fair to say that Clarke is doing plenty wrong at Ipswich, with criticism over his tendency to overplay and his lack of physicality. But, there is no doubt that there is a brilliant player in there.
In many ways, Clarke was always going to fail at Ipswich, at least in the current system and style of play Kieran McKenna employs. The Tractor Boys play a formation that does not get the most out of wingers, and Clarke is suffering as a result.
Still, he’s shown flashes of what he can do at the top level, and he will surely make a success of himself in the Premier League one way or another.
It is very unlikely that will happen with Ipswich now, but it would be surprising if there wasn’t other clubs willing to give him a go in the summer.