Shamrock Rovers confirm the return of Trevor Clarke

Shamrock Rovers have announced the return of Trevor Clarke, with the player making the loan-move from League One side Bristol Rovers for the 2023 season

Clarke previously played for the Hoops between 2016 and 2019 and it's hoped that the deal will be made permanent at the end of this upcoming campaign.

The 24-year-old, who has been capped at underage level for the Republic of Ireland, joined Rotherham United after leaving the Hoops four years ago. Clarke's time in England was hampered by a number of injuries, with the defender suffering a knee injury on the day his signing for Rotherham was announced. After joining Bristol Rovers in the summer of 2021, Clarke's debut for the club on the opening day of the season saw him leave the field with a groin issue, for which he eventually had to undergo surgery on.

He did, however, regain full fitness ahead of Rovers sealing promotion to League One. That led to Clarke signing a new, two-year contract at the Memorial Stadium, in spite of manager Joey Barton's view that giving him a new deal was a "mistake" and that he doesn't "trust" Clarke. The Dubliner was told he could leave the club, but no offers came in ahead of the transfer deadline and the player forced his way back into the first team.

Last month, a freak training injury left Clarke with a torn groin muscle and on the sidelines again.

Despite that, his former employers have moved to bring the wing-back home, with head coach, Stephen Bradley. telling the Shamrock Rovers website: "We got speaking to Trevor the last few weeks and we were speaking to the club as well and thankfully we came to an agreement. We're delighted to get him in. We obviously know about Trevor's attributes from before he left but I think now he's a more