97 A-League appearances, four A-League clubs and hit-outs against Manchester City and Arsenal – Jack Clisby has achieved a lot in his relatively young career.   However, the 26-year old Central Coast Mariners defender says he would not have achieved any of it had it not been for the season he spent at Inglewood United.

As a teenager Clisby joined St Johnstone with the hopes of working his way into the Scottish Premiership.   “I was there for a year,” Clisby told ccmariners.com.au   “I was part of the youth set up for St Johnstone.   I didn’t really get the chance to break through into the first team, so I decided to come back to Australia.”

“At that point, I thought I might not have been able to make it as a professional.   I was actually thinking about giving up football.   But my dad, who loves football, and has always driven me to keep going, said ‘Look, just give it one more year, play in the WA National Premier Leagues for Inglewood United.’”

It was a sage piece of advice, and the resilience Clisby showed put him back on track for a bright future in football.   “I ended up getting player of the season for the whole league as a centre back, and that put me on the books for Perth Glory,” said Clisby, reflecting on his breakthrough 2012 season at Inglewood.

“It was not long after that they (Perth Glory) approached me and I started training with their first team, and the next week I signed a contract and I was playing my first professional game.   My debut, which was on Australia Day back in 2013, that was a fantastic experience and a proud moment for my family.”

Clisby went on to play two summers with Glory before switching Melbourne City.   A mid-2016 move to Western Sydney Wanderers saw him play in the Asian Champions League and in friendlies against Manchester City and Arsenal.   He is preparing for his first season with Central Coast having signed for the club in May.