Hartlepool United legend Ben Clark makes shock return to former club Gateshead after spell with the Newcastle United foundation

The 36-year-old has been appointed in a coaching role in Gateshead Football Club’s academy alongside former Newcastle United midfielder Matty Pattison.

Clark made 185 appearances for Pools between 2004 and 2010 before joining the Heed where he went on to make a further 280 appearances.

Clark led Gateshead out as captain in their first and only Wembley appearance to date in the 2014 Conference play-off final. The Heed were beaten 2-1 by Cambridge United on the day with current Hartlepool captain Ryan Donaldson netting what would prove to be the winner.

Clark later became a coach and community officer at Gateshead before being appointed first-team manager in 2019. The Sunderland academy graduate led the Heed to an unlikely play-off charge before leaving the club at the end of the 2018-19 campaign due to a financial collapse under previous ownership.

And after a spell at the Newcastle United Foundation, Clark has returned to the International Stadium.

“I’ve spoken to Busted [assistant manager Ian Watson] a lot since I left the football club and I just think it seems a lot more stable,” Clark told the club website.

“The affiliation I had with the club beforehand, I love the club. It was a project I did before I got the manager’s job and I loved my job when I did it.

“That’s the main reason I’ve come back, to try and produce more players for the first team.”