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Clarke: Recovering, happy and smiling

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Image for Clarke: Recovering, happy and smiling

OPINION

Marcelo Bielsa dedicated the 2-1 win against Swansea to Jack Clarke on Wednesday night, after Angus Kinnear gave the young attacker a clean bill of health.

And, while the three points are invaluable, the news about Clarke, after a really worrying incident, will be even more important to the Leeds fans.

We’ve seen a number of horrific incidents involving young players on the football pitch in recent years and the fear was real over Clarke after he collapsed without warning late on in the 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough on Saturday.

He wasn’t on the pitch at the time but, as Kinnear pointed out, he was probably in the very best place possible – on the bench, next to his club doctor, with a team of paramedics nearby.

The famous Bill Shankly quote – “Someone said to me ‘To you football is a matter of life or death!’ and I said ‘Listen, it’s more important than that’ – is great in a humorous context, but it takes something like this to put it in perspective.

“Jack’s in good shape, he’s happy, he’s smiling and he’s recuperating,” said Kinnear on BBC Radio Leeds, ‘and he’s receiving the very best possible medical care.

“The situation isn’t serious, we’re just looking to get him back on his feet, back in training and back on the pitch as quickly as possible.”

And this news will make the entire Leeds fanbase bounce that bit higher after a night when the win that was dedicated to Clarke, put his side back on top of the Championship.

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