Clarke commits to Latics cause

STAYING PUT . . . Peter Clarke has been an ever-present for Athletic this season, contributing to 15 clean sheets in the league

PETER Clarke has handed Athletic a major boost by signing a new two-and-a-half year contract to stay with the club.

The 35-year-old skipper has been an ever-present in a campaign in which Athletic boast the third-best defensive record in Sky Bet League One.

Clarke came close to leaving for Scunthorpe in the recent transfer window, but Athletic hung on to the experienced centre-back despite a £30,000 bid from the Glanford Park club.

The former Blackpool and Huddersfield man will now stay with the club until the end of the 2018-19 season.

"I'm delighted to sign an extension which takes me on another couple of years and now it's a case of cracking on, building and hopefully progressing over that period of time.

"There was the interest in the January window and if we are all honest, it was quite close to happening. It didn't and that is in the past now, so from that moment on my thoughts were always with getting the points we needed to get away from where we were at the time and move up the league."

Clarke quickly got over the disappointment of the Scunthorpe switch not taking place on deadline day by scoring an added-time winner in a vital relegation scrap at Chesterfield in early February.

He has struck up a powerful defensive pairing with Anthony Gerrard, who also has a deal with Athletic that runs until the summer of 2019.

In total this season, Clarke has helped keep 15 clean sheets, with Athletic conceding 39 times in 40 outings.

His five goals have been important, too, earning draws at Bradford and Charlton and helping the club see off Coventry 3-2 at SportsDirect.com Park in addition to the winner at Chesterfield.

Clarke, Gerrard, manager John Sheridan and striker Aaron Amadi-Holloway are all now committed to the club for the long-term.