Goalkeeper 

Ryan Clarke (Oxford United)

Ryan Clarke joined Oxford United in 2009 after spells with Salisbury City and Bristol Rovers; and he has not looked back since. He has been Oxford’s number one goalkeeper since signing the deal and has put in a number of performances of the highest quality. Clarke is loved by Oxford supporters and in 2010 he was voted the Clubs Player Of the Year by them. This was after he helped the club return to the Football League after a 3-1 victory over York City at Wembley Stadium in the Conference play-off final. His stay at the Kassam Stadium is set to go on after he signed a new three-year contract in January, keeping him at the club until 2017.

Clarke has all the attributes to play at a higher level. At the age of 32 he’s approaching what many people describe as a goalkeepers ‘peak years’, so by that theory we are yet to see the best of him. He is a strong shot stopper and commands his area well, his defenders will feel very assured knowing that Clarke is their last line of defence. Another key attribute Clarke has is his record with saving penalties. This is a crucial skill to have as a saved penalty can change the entire outcome of a game.

After a recent shake up at Oxford United which saw Darryl Eales become chairman and Mark Ahston become chief executive it has been a turbulent three weeks at Oxford. Manager Gary Waddock was also replaced by Michael Appleton. Meanwhile, Ryan Clarke is recovering from an operation on his foot and is positive about his recovery.  For Clarke to play in League One it will almost certainly have to be with Oxford United and if the new chairman get’s his wallet out and invests in what is already a talented squad, he could well achieve it in the near future.

You can see a video of Clarke in action for Oxford during the 2013-14 season here. Good enough for League One? Let me know in the comments section.