Clarke Carlisle Bio Send To Friend  

Once one of the most highly-rated young defenders in the game, he is finally showing the potential many had picked out after he made his debut for Blackpool in 1997.

He played 106 games for Blackpool before being signed by Queens Park Rangers for £250,000 in the summer of 2000.

Carlisle was out for a year at one point with a knee injury and then missed part of the 2003-04 season after being admitted to the Sporting Chance clinic with alcohol-related problems. He still played a large part in the QPR side which finally returned to the Championship in 2004 with automatic promotion from League One. He also won England Under-21 honours while with QPR.

QPR did not renew his contract in the summer of 2004 and he headed to Leeds United, spending one season at the club before signing for Watford for £100,000. In his first season at the club he played in rotation with Jay DeMerit and Malky Mackay, ensuring the Hornets were promoted to the Premier League.

But a thigh injury ruled the defender out of eight months of 2006-07 and spent time on loan at Luton Town for match fitness.

Burnley signed the player in the summer of 2007 for £200,000 and in 2008-09 he was again promoted to the Premier League.