“I’ve changed a lot, I’ve had a lot of different experiences and I’ve come back to Charlton as a more well-rounded player and person.”
Sean Clare is in a reflective mood as he sits down for an exclusive chat with London Football Scene following a visit to Ravensworth Primary School as part of the club’s EFL Week of Action.
Having begun his career in the academy, the 26-year-old knows more than most just how deep rooted the club’s commitment to the local community is, exposed to the importance of responsibility as a footballer from an early age – although he is reluctant to call himself a role model.
“Even back then you could see the work the club was doing for kids all over, not just locally,” Clare explained.
“It showed the club was very community-oriented and you can see that from our fanbase – there’s a lot of families and people who have supported the club throughout the generations.
“As a youngster, the coaches would always talk about being a well-rounded person as well as a player.
“So I just try to carry myself in the best possible way as I know there are people watching, and there are people who can be influenced by our actions.”
Spending five years in the youth set-up, Clare subsequently left to focus on his education before finding a route back into football through the now-dissolved Nike Academy and later signing for Sheffield Wednesday.
“I learnt a lot at Charlton, I had a lot of good experiences while at the academy,” said Clare.
“Obviously it didn’t work out and it got to a point where I didn’t feel like it was the right place for me.
“Up until then it was really good, training with great players and coaches, who only make you better.
READ MORE: Back to The Valley – how Charlton Athletic supporters fought for a return to their spiritual home
“But I felt like I needed to come away from it, to find myself as a player, as you can get stuck in the system, and doing what you’re told as opposed to expressing yourself and learning that way.
Following loan stints with Bury, Accrington Stanley and Gillingham while at Hillsborough, Clare joined Scottish Premiership side Hearts permanently in 2018, going on to feature in their 2019 Scottish Cup Final defeat to Celtic.
From there he moved back to England and Oxford United before seeing his footballing journey come full circle when he rejoined the Addicks in the summer of 2021 on a two-year deal.
“The club’s changed – obviously it’s been through a turbulent time in terms of promotion and coming back down,” reflects Clare.
“But deep down the values haven’t changed and the fanbase hasn’t either – it’s still a very passionate club, all about the community and the people around it.”
Since returning to The Valley, Clare has become one of the first names on the team sheet, playing with an assuredness that comes with age and experience.
“The lessons I’ve learned along the way have made me realise that I am a better player and also what I am capable of,” Clare said.
“Looking back, my advice to any youngster would be to work hard but make sure you’re having fun because when the fun goes, you stop being yourself and playing your best football.”
Nevertheless, it hasn’t been easy for Clare since his return to SE7 – having to not only prove himself to four different managers during a turbulent two years but also playing in a number of different positions.
Reflecting on the situation, Clare said: “It’s tough playing under a number of different managers, all who want you to do different things, with some liking you and some not.
“Sometimes it can be hard to put a run in the side together but that’s football and the industry we’re in.
“It’s happened to me quite a lot throughout my career, so ’ve been able to work out ways of dealing with it.
“Something that’s a bare minimum is to give 100% though – if I do that, I can come off the pitch and evaluate my performance honestly.”
Clare finds himself out of contract at the end of the season and when asked what the future may hold he simply replies his only focus is on the here and now.
To the uninitiated it may seem like a footballing cliché but there is a genuinely relaxed aura around Clare which makes it hard not to believe him when he says ‘whatever is to come will take care of itself.’
Coincidentally, Clare’s school visit is themed around reading as well as goal setting and when the player is asked what his favourite reads are, he cites a book by John Johnstone around having the right mindset to flourish in the game.
It sums up the player perfectly because, regardless of what happens between now and beyond the rest of the season, it seems Clare will succeed wherever he ends up playing.