We are delighted to announce the appointment of Luke Clark as our new Head of Recruitment.
Clark joins after recently spending 18 months in the same role at Spennymoor Town, following on from his time as Chief Scout at Boston United, and will work alongside the club’s coaching staff to identify and recruit players for the first team.
“Gateshead are a great club who are on an upward trajectory while playing attractive football, so I’m really excited to be a part of that,” said Clark.
“I was fortunate enough to be in the stands for the Barnet game last season in the FA Trophy semi-final, and you could see how much success in terms of getting to Wembley meant to the fans.
“Gateshead is at the heart of the community, and to be a part of that is special.
“Part of my role will be to make sure the players coming to the club understand the community aspect and what it means to the fans.
“I’m here to support what the club has already done and the solid foundations in place.
“There’s a clear identity with regards to the team’s playing style, and my role is to support the recruitment process – which has been really effective in the last few years – to ensure we have the right personnel to build on that.
“Gateshead are renowned now in the National League for the way the club plays, and bringing players into that structure makes it attractive to not only the players, but also the parent clubs if a loan deal is being discussed.
“Dajaune [Brown] is a recent example of this – he had many suitors but Derby were on board in terms of the opportunity that coming to Gateshead would give the player.
“It’s well documented what players such as Macaulay Langstaff, Cedwyn Scott, Adam Campbell and recently Stephen Wearne have gone on to achieve in recent times and that gives other players the confidence that they can develop and progress at Gateshead.
“Whilst I watch a lot of games myself, both live and on video, I have a talented team of voluntary scouts who support me in covering games live across the country.
“This brings real value in terms of watching players who may have been identified through data or video analysis.
“I want to support the club in bringing in players who fit the club’s pre-existing structure of controlling the ball and being comfortable in possession, but while also providing a high level of work rate out of possession.
“When Rob [Elliot] got in touch with me about coming on board, we had a meeting and it instantly felt like a good fit. We are very much on the same page in terms of player profile, and where he wants to take the squad.
“I’m here to support the first-team management, and trust is a key part of a role like this.
“When I sat down with Rob, Carl and Louis, I really liked the way they approach player recruitment and how thorough they are in terms of due diligence, so I’m really looking forward to complimenting that approach.
“Clearly, immediate success is about the first team performing well on the pitch and bringing in players who can effect that when it is needed, but longer-term success is also about bringing players through that can bring value to the club from the local area.
“We have seen the positive effect Aidan [Rutledge], Connor [Pani] and Oli [Thompson] have had recently, and it’s part of my role to ensure we continue to identify the local talents and bring them to the club where it is suitable.
“I am delighted to be a part of this club, and I will work hard to try and help us build on the success the fans have been able to enjoy in recent times.”
