From prison to Warrington Wolves, Widnes Vikings star: the Jon Clarke story

Jon Clarke’s spell at Wigan included a Premiership Trophy win over St Helens as an 18-year-old in 1997 and a spell in prison the following year.

It’s been a roller-coaster ride in his embryonic rugby league journey, but the former Great Britain prostitute credits his time in the Cherry and White for shaping his entire career.

Clarke has enough stories to fill a book from his time playing for Wigan, London Broncos, Warrington Wolves and Widnes Vikings. After starting a successful career as a performance coach since retirement, the 45-year-old is now Head of Performance at the Manly Sea Eagles.

But his journey into rugby league began in old Central Park, where he met a team full of top players.

“At work now I have more of my time at Wigan than anywhere else I’ve been,” Clarke reveals in part two of an exclusive interview with Loves Rugby League. “I watched the likes of Andy Farrell, Phil Clarke, Denis Betts, Kris Radlinski, Terry O’Connor and Neil Cowie train.

“Their motivation, dedication and desire to be the best they can be – even in training – has stayed with me throughout my career and continues to this day.

“That’s why I’m here in this role at Manly. I remember very clearly going to Central Park when I was 14 and I had just signed for Wigan.

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“Denis, Phil Clarke and Faz were in the back gym in Central Park, which had just been knocked down, doing 120kg power cleans. It was 1993 and I just remember how they handled it.

“Faz started doing things that were a little bit off and against the flow of the game from a strength and conditioning standpoint. Then suddenly a few more players started doing it, then three and four.

“Faz never said anything, it just grew organically and I still use that stuff to this day. His motivation to train hard was incredible and the players followed him.”

Clarke’s star was on the rise at Wigan, where he made his debut aged 18 and helped them win the 1997 Premiership final against St Helens at Old Trafford.

The following year, after Wigan won the inaugural Super League grand final against Leeds Rhinos, he got into a brawl one night and was jailed for assault.

“I did a little stint in, came back but couldn’t really get going,” Clarke recalls with more than a hint of regret. “My Wigan career died down quicker than I thought but I learned a lot from the experience.

“It was a good time at Wigan, being developed by some unbelievable coaches. But if I had my time again then I’m sure I’d do things a bit differently – especially off the pitch, so there’s a bit of sadness there.

“I was surrounded by great friends and family, which helped me carry on when I left Wigan and joined London. That being said, it probably took me five or six years to really get over my time in prison.

“It was probably 2004 or 2005 when I started playing good rugby again, culminating in playing for Great Britain in 2007. I’m not proud of it and what happened was unfortunate, especially for the guy involved, but I learned some huge lessons from it.

“It probably helped shape my life and where I am today.”

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Clarke joined London after being signed by his former Wigan manager John Monie in 2000. “I moved in with Andy Johnson, who I played with at Wigan, and Shaun Edwards, so we had a great time on and off the pitch,” adds Clarke.

“AJ and Shaun were great mentors to me and Tony Mestrov, who is now my boss at Manly, was there along with Anthony Seibold, who is now my head coach.

“In his second year in London came Jim Dymock, who is now our defensive coach at Manly. I was pretty tight with Jimmy in London because he taught me more about the hooker game in 12 months than I’ve learned in my entire career.”

Clarke moved back north to Warrington in 2001, where he spent 11 years, most of which he played under Paul Cullen and Tony Smith.

“Sometimes I think Cull doesn’t get the credit he deserves for what he did at Warrington – he saved that club from relegation,” says Clarke. “He single-handedly started the rebuilding of the club and as players we loved Cull.

“He was phenomenal, a real players’ coach, and as a team we would have died for him. Tony came in and took the club to another level with his leadership style and Leeds experience.

“I really respected Tony in the way he coached and what he did for the club, the city and the fans with the Challenge Cup successes. I noted how Tony got the best out of his players and I still talk to TS regularly now.

“I’ve been very lucky with all the coaches I’ve played under.”

Lee Briers has been a mainstay of the Warrington side for many years and now also works in the NRL as assistant coach of the Brisbane Broncos. “Lee won so many games for us single-handedly at Warrington,” says Clarke.

“I got stick for not running as much as a whore, but I had Lee Briers on my right and Martin Gleeson off him, plus a really good back row. I’d put the ball in Briersy’s hands and let him run the show.

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“Now I’m in the NRL and the way we play at Manly, our hookers are very similar and half-backs when they need to be. Briersy in his day was in a class of his own and now thrives as a very good attacking coach. I’m sure he’ll be a head coach at some point.

“You need knowledge of course, but I think Aussies really respect the work ethic of British guys like us.”

After leaving Warrington at the end of 2011, Clarke joined rivals Widnes Vikings after reuniting with Betts. “When Denis got the job at Widnes, he called me and said, ‘I want you to become captain here,'” explains Clarke.

“He remembered the way I went about my business, my standards in preparation and that’s what he wanted at Widnes Vikings.

“I absolutely loved my time at Widnes, although the first year was difficult because my brother-in-law, Paul Darbyshire, had died aged 41 from motor neurone disease.

“I got depressed after that and couldn’t stop feeling angry. I couldn’t understand how he had these beautiful children with my sister, but I wasn’t going to see them grow up.

“But Denis was incredible and I gradually came to terms with it and came back strong. Denis is a top guy and he reminded me of Cull – a real player coach and a wonderful man who has achieved so much in the game.

“I really enjoyed my three years at Widnes before retiring in 2014. Now I’m loving life at Manly.”

READ PART ONE: Former Warrington star Clarke discusses possible return to Super League, NRL role and Eddie Jones