Darrell Clarke interview: Port Vale manager on his return to the dugout, play-off dream, and respect for Mansfield.
Darrell Clarke discusses his return to the Port Vale dugout following a close family bereavement, their Wembley dream, and his Mansfield roots. Watch Mansfield vs Port Vale in the Sky Bet League Two play-off final live on Sky Sports Football from 3.30pm on Saturday, with kick-off at 4pm.
For Darrell Clarke, the victory over Swindon feels like a distant memory.
Emotions were high in the second leg of the play-off semi-final, and the Port Vale manager knows he needs to keep a level head at Wembley Stadium, as opposed to the one that saw him involved in an altercation with Dion Conroy during the eventual victory.
“I was fined, and rightfully so,” Clarke, who signed a new five-year contract with the club this week, tells Sky Sports. “I apologized after the game.” You accept your punishment without complaint. It was my first red card as a manager, and you live and learn from it.
“It was a crazy night, but it is over now. It was a great experience to be that far down in the shootout and come back to win, but it certainly did not do my heart any good!”
Indeed, it was a crazy night, and Clarke’s first at home since returning to the dugout after a three-month absence due to a close family bereavement.
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“I’d been on the training ground a couple of times and I just felt like we could get some momentum going. But the main thing was that I felt prepared, and I wanted to be the one to lead it.
“Staying busy has definitely kept me going. I had my dark days, just like anyone else who has lost a loved one, and I don’t kid myself into thinking there won’t be any darker days in the future. But I enjoy my job and hope to make my family proud of me. You have to get yourself off the canvas at times and keep going, and that’s what I’ll be doing.
“I’ve been so moved by it all. My family has, too. We’ve received incredible love and support from everyone at the club. I cannot thank my staff and players enough. It is one of the reasons I am here today. I’m hoping for success for those guys.
Clarke also has a lot to thank his players for this season, after taking a chance on a major overhaul. Despite finishing the season in good form, he decided to completely overhaul the squad in the summer. They are now on the verge of returning to League One after a five-year absence.
“We needed a shake-up, even though the guys who finished with me last season did exceptionally well,” he explains.
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