Sheffield United: How Ciaran Clark reacted when he discovered he would leave Newcastle

The Republic of Ireland defender, who joined Sheffield United on a season long loan earlier this summer, was cut from the Premier League club’s squad in January as its new owners from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund began flexing their financial muscles.

After spending nearly six years in the North-East, making nearly 130 appearances and winning a promotion from the Championship, Clark could have been forgiven for feeling aggrieved at not being handed the chance to become a part of Howe’s high-profile project.

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Despite admitting he was “eager to get a move” after missing “so much football”, the 32-year-old told The Star he understood Howe’s decision, saying: “When I was out at Newcastle, I still pushed myself as hard as I could in training to stay fit. That way I knew I could kick on and get involved again when the opportunity arose.

“I did that and wished the lads good luck. I was aware of the circumstances, I understood the situation and was okay with it. I helped them get ready for games, made sure they were prepared as best they could be, tried to be a good teammate, and then worked as best as I could myself.”

Clark hopes to experience his first taste of competitive football in six months when United begin their new Championship season with a visit to Watford next week.

“Coming here is brilliant for me,” he added. “Genuinely, I can’t wait to get started.”

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