CLARK REBOOT How Lee Clark is relaunching his managerial career at Blyth Spartans and using Salford as inspiration for non-league glory

IF Steve Bruce thinks he has problems taking on the Newcastle United job, then spare a thought for former Toon star Lee Clark.

Just up the Northumberland coast at National League North side Blyth Spartans, the one-time manager of Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town, Blackpool, Kilmarnock and Bury is attempting to resurrect his career down in football’s sixth tier.

“Aye, if Brucie is ever feeling a bit down, he can always pop in at Blyth and, hopefully, bring a couple of players with him,” Clark said, with a chortle.

It’s hard to know who was more shocked: Clark, a member of Kevin Keegan’s “Entertainers” – a side which went agonisingly close to winning the Premier League – receiving the call from Blyth, or Spartans when he said yes.

But, after being out of work for almost two years since being sacked by Bury, the urge to manage at any level was too tempting.

“It’s been very tough being out of the game,” he admitted. “There have been setbacks.

“I was offered a few jobs abroad at first, but I couldn’t take them because my father wasn’t well and I wanted to spend time looking after him.

“Sadly, he passed away, which then allowed me to apply for jobs.

“I quickly found out that you are soon forgotten because sometimes I didn’t even get a reply. Nothing, not even an email or text acknowledging that they had received my application.

“After receiving the call from Blyth, the more I thought about it, the more it appealed. The players are part-time, training a couple of days a week, but there is a real honesty about them.

“It would give me a huge buzz to help some of them break into the Football League. The emergence of Jamie Vardy from non- league football has everyone excited, thinking there are other golden nuggets out there.”

The fact that nine players from last season’s squad had already signed for other clubs and that he would be operating on a reduced budget didn’t put 46-year-old Clark off.

What has happened at Salford FC – moving from even further down the football ladder to win promotion into the EFL – acts as an inspiration.

“When I was Bury manager, I would go and watch some of their games because Gary and Phil Neville’s mum Jill was my PA. So I knew what was going on there and I watched the club grow,” he said.

“Salford are going to keep growing as well, which is an incentive for all clubs in the non-league in what can be achieved.” Blyth thrilled the football world with their run to the FA Cup fifth round in 1978, beating a Stoke City side containing names such as Howard Kendall, Terry Conroy and Garth Crooks and which ended in front of 42,000 at St James’ Park against Wrexham.

“Because of that, many people have heard of Blyth Spartans,” Clark added. “Another good FA Cup would be nice.”

He also hopes his mate Steve Bruce can prove the critics wrong at St James’ Park. “It doesn’t matter what the situation is, it’s very difficult for any of us Geordies to turn the job down if it was offered. That’s the bottom line. Brucie knows he has got one hell of a difficult job.

“The squad, for instance, is a lot weaker than it was last season. There’s the fallout with Rafa Benitez leaving.

“Brucie’s a great bloke. He was fantastic for me when I was at Birmingham. We were close neighbours and both being Geordies coming from the same area, we hit it off. If he starts with five wins out of five the fans will soon forget about Rafa!”

And Clark might get the odd player on loan from the Toon.