On Friday morning Josh Clarke was preparing for action at Airdrie with Celtic’s B team facing Gala Fairydean in the Lowland League.
The goalkeeper did make it to Airdrie but it was to get on the team bus to Dunfermline where he was to make his Scottish senior debut with Rhys McCabe’s side in need of an emergency keeper on the day that they returned to The Championship.
It wasn’t to be a winning start for Clarke with Dunfermline coming out on top 2-1 in a clash between the two clubs promoted from Division One.
There was no win bonus but it was a priceless experience for the young keeper even though one of the goals lost was to former Celtic team-mate Ewan Otoo who moved to the Pars on a permanent basis during the summer.
✍️ | We are pleased to announce that Celtic goalkeeper Josh Clarke has joined the club on an emergency loan deal. Josh joins the squad for today’s match against Dunfermline Athletic. Our thanks go to Celtic for their assistance. pic.twitter.com/YJzP7E2JQj
— Airdrieonians FC (@AirdrieoniansFC) August 5, 2023
Great to make my debut in the Scottish Championship for @AirdrieoniansFC Enjoyable experience⚽️ pic.twitter.com/GiMqaPS8qW
— Josh Clarke (@01clarkey) August 6, 2023
Clarke had played for Celtic B in midweek when they lost 3-1 to East Kilbride in the Challenge Cup with the former Glenavon keeper packing a lot into his career to date.
Born in London he has played international football on both sides of the Irish border, at the end of last season he was the penalty kick hero as Celtic won the Glasgow Cup at Ibrox after a 3-3 draw.
Tobi Oluwayemi seems to be in Austria completing a loan move to Admira Wacker but almost three weeks on from that story surfacing there is still no confirmation of the keeper moving out on loan.
With Clarke required on Championship duty for Airdrie it gave Joe Morrison the chance to play for the B team although he wasn’t over tested with the young hoops winning 5-0.
Mackenzie Carse and Rocco Vata both scored twice with Corey Thomson scoring the other as the Celtic B side made it seven points from their first four matches of the season.
CELTIC: Morrison, Dede (Osagie 56), Frame (Hale 63), Agbaire, Robertson, Ure, Thomson, Kelly (Dobbie 63), Vata, Carse, Davidson (Bonnar 36).
Sub: McLean.
