to an injury picked up in September 2011 and the form of the club's other centre backs, missing much of the club's games in September and February. Clarke through would go on to lead Huddersfield to fourth place during the regular season to qualify for the play-offs for a third constitutive year. This time, Town went through to the final after winning 3–2 on aggregate against MK Dons, to beat Sheffield United 8–7 on penalties; Clarke scored the first of eight consecutive penalty successes after three misses from his teammates. He made 47 appearances in the 2012–13 campaign, helping Huddersfield to remain four points above the relegation zone by the end of the season. He played 28 games in the 2013–14 season, as manager Mark Robins led the club to a 17th-place finish. He missed 12 weeks of the campaign after suffering medial knee ligament damage. Having made 225 appearances for the club in a five-year spell, he left the club after not being offered a new contract in the summer. Return to Blackpool In July 2014, Clarke rejoined Blackpool – now in the Championship and managed by José Riga – on a one-year deal. Three months later his former Huddersfield boss Lee Clark was appointed as manager. He was named on the Football League team of the week after leading the Blackpool defence to a clean sheet at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on 13 September. On 10 January, he scored his first goal in four years to secure a 1–0 win over Millwall at Bloomfield Road; he also made a goal-line clearance during the game and was rewarded with a place on the Football League team of the week. However the 2014–15 season proved to be an unmitigated disaster for the club, and Blackpool were relegated with six games left to play. In May 2015 he was told by manager Lee Clark that he would be offered a new contract, however after Clark was sacked later in the month Clarke was "the surprise name" on Blackpool's released list. Bury On 30 May 2015, it was announced that Clarke had agreed on a two-year contract to join Bury. Having just led the "Shakers" into League One out of League Two with a young defence, manager David Flitcroft stated that Clarke was "a very important signing" due to "his experience, knowledge and understanding of playing at higher levels". Clarke was named