Express & Star

Veteran defender Peter Clarke setting the standards at Walsall

Walsall’s veteran defender Peter Clarke is setting high standards this season at the Poundland Bescot Stadium – according to team-mate Hayden White.

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Clarke, who turns 41 in January, signed a one-year deal at the club in the summer following his departure from Tranmere Rovers.

The defender has 880 career appearances to his name – and featured in every league game for Rovers over the past two seasons.

And White has insisted that the veteran defender is the player that the new look Walsall squad are looking up to - as he is the first one to arrive at training in the morning and the last one to leave.

White explained: “Clarkie is the first one in and the last one out every day, he sets the trend for everyone else and shows the young ones the way to go.

“I think it is a credit to him and the way he has looked after himself, as I say he is the first one in and last out every day. “The way he plays, no one can give him any stick, we look up to him as an example. Whatever sport it is, if you get to 40 and you’re still playing professionally, it can only be a credit to yourself.”

White has been part of a back five that has so far conceded just one goal this season - which came in Saturday’s draw with Stevenage.

And the wing back believes boss Michael Flynn has built a ‘good little group at the back’.

He added: “Clarkie has come and fitted straight in, as has Taylor (Allen) and Owen (Evan), and me Donervon (Daniels) and Manny (Monthe) were here last season, and we’d built a good little group there.”