Leon Clarke: Bristol Rovers striker hails medical team after first goal since injury

Leon Clarke's goal against Scunthorpe was his second since joining Bristol Rovers

Striker Leon Clarke says the Bristol Rovers medical team persuaded him not to end his career after a hamstring injury earlier this season.

The 36-year-old scored what proved to be the winner at Scunthorpe on Tuesday - his first goal since having surgery.

Clarke has played for the likes of Sheffield United, Coventry and Wolves.

"Me and the manager [Joey Barton] had a conversation and it was do I call it a day or do I have the surgery," Clarke told BBC Radio Bristol.

"All credit to Stu [Leake, team physiotherapist] and Leighanne [Kelly, team sports therapist].

"Stu explained to me the process how it was going to work and he was 100% sure that as long as I was prepared to put the work in with Leigh, and do the hard work behind the scenes that probably people don't see, I'd be 100% after the surgery.

"I want to thank Stu, his experience, his knowledge persuaded me to get the surgery if I'm being honest. I want to thank Leighanne as well because she was there with me early mornings, afternoons, every exercise, counting every rep."

Rovers is the 19th club of veteran Clarke's career, having joined from Shrewsbury in August after recovering from another hamstring injury and back surgery, that restricted him to just 10 league appearances in Shropshire.

The centre-forward scored on his Rovers debut against Crawley in September but went off injured after just 41 minutes in his next match.

He returned to the squad this month, coming off the bench to score his 140th career league goal at Glanford Park.

"When it hit the net it was just celebrate, you forget what to do so it was kind of just run, search for the medical staff and thank them and give them a hug," Clarke said.

The latest win means Bristol Rovers are unbeaten in four matches and sit 13th in League Two.

"When he got injured at Hartlepool I thought the worst and I thought that might be a horrible end to a great career," manager Barton said.

"Credit to Clarke, he's worked really, really hard to get himself ahead of the diagnosis and for us to have the ability to get him onto the pitch, certainly as he's coming back to fitness, he brings that quality."