TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Darlington footballer described as ‘an inspiration’ by his family.

Harry Clark, who died on February 23 aged 88, was a devoted husband of Doreen, father to James and Jenny and grandad to Oscar and Yannah Taylor.

He was well-known in Darlington, both for his time playing for the Quakers in the 1950s and for his decades-long association with Darlington Golf Club.

He was also a keen cricketer, playing for Darlington Cricket Club.

Harry was born in Newcastle and spent his childhood in Langdon Beck where he used to walk a four-mile daily round trip to school every day.

A keen footballer as a youngster, he played for many youth teams and made his Quakers debut aged 17 in an away game to Bradford City on Boxing Day 1950.

He went on to score 27 goals in 143 matches for the Quakers.

Harry left Darlington to play for Sheffield Wednesday when his football career was cut short due to conscription.

Harry chose to join the RAF where he continued to play football and cricket in the RAF Bomber Command squad all around the country.

After leaving the RAF, Harry played for Hartlepool then South Shields and many more North-East non-league clubs.

During his playing years at Darlington, Harry was known as “young” Harry Clark, so that he wasn’t confused with his team-mate Harry Clarke who played as a striker for the Quakers at the same time.

In a further quirk of coincidence, both Harrys worked in the architect’s department at Wear Valley Council in Crook.

His son-in-law Jonathan Taylor said Harry retained a life-long passion for football and said he must also have been one of the longest-serving members of Darlington Golf Club, playing into his 80s.

Jonathan said: “He was a great footballer growing up and has lots of stories of trials all over the country.

“He loved football and as well as his cricket and golf, he also played badminton and squash, so it’s safe to say he really did enjoy his sports.”

Harry lived happily in Darlington all his married life with his wife Doreen.

Unfortunately he was diagnosed with a mixture of Alzheimer’s and dementia in his later years.

After a fall in early 2020, Harry broke his hip and spent some time in hospital at the start of the pandemic and whilst he was in hospital contracted Covid-19 before returning home.

Luckily he managed to fight this off, but his dementia symptoms sadly progressed making him much worse at the end of 2020.

Before and during the onset of Harry’s dementia, he loved the chance to kick a ball around with his grandson Oscar, teaching him everything he could about becoming a footballer.

Jonathan said: “He was an inspiration to everyone in the family, especially to my son Oscar who is following in his footsteps – he’s a striker just like Harry who’s also played for Darlington’s youth team.

“Oscar’s at South Shields now, another team Harry played for, and he’s also had trials at Hartlepool so he is quite literally following in his footsteps.

“Now that he’s gone, Oscar is even more determined to be a professional footballer and says ‘I’m going to do it for grandad’.”

Jonathan said that family ‘meant the world’ to Harry and he was devoted to his wife Doreen whom he described as being ‘a rock’ in caring for Harry in the latter stages of his life.

He said: “Harry was a wonderful man.

"He did everything for his family."

Harry’s funeral took place on Thursday, with close family only due to current Covid restrictions, but it is hoped that a memorial event to celebrate his life with wider family and friends will take place when restrictions relax.