Dandenong City’s production line of talented youth continues after right-back Brad Clarke made the switch to Melbourne City on a frantic final day of the NPL transfer window.
City’s acquisition of Clarke in the final hour of the window came about after Matt Millar decided to leave the club and take up an offer from South Melbourne.
The eleventh hour decision left Joe Palatsides scrambling to find a reinforcement in the position, given youth team regulars from last season in Baki Efe and Nick Symeoy had also moved on to Avondale in the NPL off-season.
The 19-year-old had impressed the City coaching staff in a number of fixtures last season after featuring 27 times over the course of the season for Aaron Healey’s men.
A Dandenong City junior, Clarke moved to Nunawading City in 2012 where he got his first taste of senior football in State League 2 at Mahoneys Reserve.
After a brief flirtation with the youth set-up at Melbourne Victory, the right-back moved to Frank Holohan Reserve at the beginning of 2015.
A standout campaign saw Clarke win the Club’s Best and Fairest award ahead of more seasoned campaigners like John Carroll, Dario Matkovic and Sean Seavill.
While the late approach from the A-League side left Dandenong City in a difficult position regarding finding a replacement, the club did not want to stand in the way of Clarke furthering his development and career.
The move came days after City lost 16-year-old goalkeeping sensation Majak Mawith to the Melbourne Victory Youth set-up, with a club spokesman wishing both players all the best in the future.
“While it was difficult to lose a player of Brad’s quality so late in the piece, we are proud to have another player progress onto the books of an A-League club,” the spokesperson said.
“Dandenong City has a long history of producing talent and this is further proof that we have a great environment for budding young stars.
“Brad won best and fairest last season in a side that finished third, underlining his impact, and we wish him the best of luck at Melbourne City.”
“Majak, like Brad, did the entire pre-season with us and were at the club’s jersey presentation night last Thursday so they were firmly in our plans for 2016. Despite their late exits, they leave with the club’s blessing.”
The A-League youth production line at the club has seen the likes of Stipo Andrijasevic, Nick Glavan, Damien Miskulin, Marko Stevanja and Anthony Cassett all progress into the youth set-ups of either City or Victory in recent seasons.
Current Adelaide United goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic is another former City junior, while Ljubo Milicevic, Anthony Pelikan, Antun Kovacic, Joey Rajher and current first-team member Dario Matkovic all harnessed their skills at the club before going onto in either the NSL or A-League – or both, as was the case with Galekovic and Milicevic, who have also represented the Socceroos.
Image: Dandenong City/Drazen Jurina