'I tried for 20 years!' - Liverpool youngster achieves feat dad couldn't after just 9 games
Bobby Clark is one of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup heroes, being part of the group dubbed “Klopp’s Kids” in the final against Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday.
Midfielder Clark made his Liverpool senior debut all the way back in August 2022, in a Premier League game against Bournemouth, but has established himself in and around the first-team squad this season.
The 19-year-old put pen to paper on a new, long-term contract in December, making four Premier League appearances since the turn of the year.
Jurgen Klopp has also counted on Clark in the cups too, having appeared against Arsenal in the FA Cup and against Fulham in the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
His greatest moment to date however came in Sunday’s showpiece final, playing almost an hour against Chelsea’s multimillion midfield partnership of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.
He acquitted himself superbly, ensuring his senior Anfield career began with a trophy after Virgil van Dijk’s header granted the Reds the win.
Hopefully the first of many trophies
Bobby spent seven years in the academy of Newcastle United before signing for the Reds in August 2021. It was reported that Clark came for a £1.5m fee and he quickly set about impressing staff at Liverpool’s academy.
His father is former Newcastle midfielder Lee Clark, who had a solid career in his own right. Lee was present at Wembley on Sunday and he spoke to BBC 5 Live Sport on Monday to relive the experience.
He was full of praise for his teenage son and revealed he had already eclipsed his own playing achievements.
“So I was right in amongst the Liverpool fans,” he said. “We were actually at the end where the goal was scored.
“Emotions were just all over, I was so proud, and so proud first of all that he was included in the group, second when he got onto the pitch for as long as he did, and so proud of how he performed with the rest of the players, and then at the end, I've tears of joy.
“Just, you know, so young, winning his first trophy, hopefully of a long and distinguished career. I tried for over 20 years to do it and never did it, so he's done it in his early years.”
Clark Snr enjoyed a distinguished senior career at Newcastle, Sunderland and Fulham between 1990 and 2006.
The midfielder made over 500 appearances in all competitions and achieved promotion to the top flight on three separate occasions. However, he never won a major trophy.
After just nine outings all competitions Clark Jnr already has one cup to his name and you wouldn't bet against many more to come.