Conn-Clarke excited by step up with Peterborough

31 July 2024

Peterborough United signing Chris Conn-Clarke has vowed to remain a "street footballer" at heart as he settles into life at the League One club.

Posh paid National League side Altrincham an undisclosed fee last month for the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland.

Conn-Clarke is hoping the club's reputation for developing young talent will help him progress and he scored with a long-range effort which bounced in off the crossbar in 5-0 pre-season win over non-league Stamford.

"I spoke to the manager (Darren Ferguson) before I came and he showed me a little presentation of where he sees me playing and it suits me to a T," he told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

"Obviously, he's a great manager, the way he coaches is very good and I've already learned a lot in just a short period of time.

"Every time I'm on the ball in the final third, you can hear him on the sideline (shouting) 'get at 'em'. He's not taking that out of me."

Conn-Clarke scored 22 goals in 47 appearances last season and has signed a three-year contract with Posh, with an option for a further 12 months.

"I play as a 10 or maybe on the left, drifting inside. I'm street footballer, I'll always express myself on the pitch and always try to score and create goals," he said.

"I played non-league last year, had a good season but it was a no-brainer to sign for Peterborough.

"Hopefully this year I can get on the pitch as much as possible and show what I can do at a higher level in League One."

Posh were beaten by Oxford United in last season's play-off semi-finals and have lost most of their first-choice defence since then, with Harrison Burrows and highly-rated Ronnie Edwards being sold - Edwards to Premier League club Southampton for a reported £3m - and Matt Knight rejecting a new deal in order to move to Hannover.

But they have already made six signings, including Conn-Clarke, ahead of their season-opener at home to Huddersfield Town on 10 August.

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