Clark calls time on coaching
It was an emotional night for Old Bens Football Club’s first team coach Dave Clark, when his team played the final game of the league at home, to Bonaero Park, recently.
When his Old Bens players formed a guard of honour for their coach it marked the end of Clark’s more than 30 years of involvement in amateur football, and a long coaching history with Old Bens.
After moving from Scotland to South Africa as a player in 1980, Clark turned out for AJS (Germiston) and Alberton FC in the Transvaal Football League’s second division (TFL2), and in the TFL1 for Boksburg FC.
In 1973, the Scotsman, who originally hails from Motherwell, played professionally for Lusaka Tigers, in Zambia.
He also coached AJS and Alberton for a spell, and formed part of Terry Paine’s coaching team at Wits University in the late ’80s.
Clark also coached at Benoni FC, which was based at Willowmoore Park, before moving to Old Bens to take the coaching reigns of the Colts team in 1997.
After a year at Bens, Clark took over the coaching duties of the first team, a position he has held ever since.
Many footballers who have played under Clark have gone on to play at higher levels, like Marco Correia (professional in Scotland), Kanyane Chosane (Supersport United), Daniel Hoabangane (capped for South Africa u-15 and u-16), Ben Ashby and Sipho Mavimbela (who both played for South Africa u-20 and u-23s), Michael Cornish (who received a scholarship at Harvard University and was offered trials at German team Bayer Leverkusen), Darren Fernandes (played major league soccer in the USA), Nelson Carneiro (South Africa u-19s), Bradley Blackburn (SA u-19s and Aston Villa youth team), Bernie Coutinho (SA u-17s and Aston Villa youth team), Allan Thomas (Moroka Swallows) and Philemon “Fire” Dladla (Mamelodi Sundowns).
Clark said that some of the best players to play for him in terms of ability and attitude are Ben Ashby, Lesiba Modau, Kanyane Chosane, Brendan Baker, Ian and David Smith, Benny Coutinho, Joey Gaskell and Matthew Carter, among others.
He added that his biggest faux pas was when he let current Supersport United goalkeeper and former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Rowen Fernandes slip through the cracks during his time as Colts coach.
Fernandes joined rivals Benoni Northerns, where he made his name.
“I underestimated his size and strength and never gave him the opportunities at the time,” he said.
He offered some advice for new football coaches, saying: “Stick to your principles in coaching and life and always do what’s right for the club.
“It is not an easy job, as sometimes you have to hurt people’s feelings by making tough decisions.”
Although Clark is giving up his coaching duties he will still be involved with Old Bens to a lesser extent – his wife, Anna, will also be calling time as chairperson of the club at the end of the year.
“I have had a really great time at Bens and it is very difficult for me to walk away,” said Clark.
“I wish Old Bens all the best going forward and thank all the good people for their efforts over the years.”
