YORK City’s summer signing Franklyn Clarke is ‘gutted’ after being banned for the first four games of the season.

Clarke was sent off for violent conduct in April when playing for his former club Dorchester Town against Kettering Town in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division.

He will now miss York’s televised opening league game at Maidstone United tomorrow and three subsequent fixtures against Macclesfield Town, Boreham Wood, and Gateshead.

“Gutted is an understatement,” said Clarke who joined the Minstermen on a one year deal last month.

Clarke, meanwhile, has revealed that he has ‘no regrets’ about missing out on a move to Bournemouth.

The Liverpool-born midfielder spent a month on trial with the Premier League club 12 months ago.

Although he failed to land a permanent deal, he says he is a better player for the opportunity.

He now plans to kick-start his career by helping York win promotion back to the Football League.

“When you look at it, I had just turned 22 and they had just got into the Premiership,” he said.

“You have got to be realistic. I had never even been a full-time professional before!

“The environment was completely different to anything else I had been used to but I trained with them for about a month and learned such a lot.”

Clarke had been recommended to Bournemouth by Wimborne Town manager Steve Cuss who is also head of community at the Premiership club.

At the time, Clarke was studying a sports psychology and coaching studies degree at Bournemouth University.

York manager Jackie McNamara spotted the 23-year-old playing for part-time Dorchester last season.

He penned a one year deal with the Minstermen last month and has played both in midfield and defence during York’s pre-season programme.

“I enjoy centre midfield more – because I like getting around the pitch,” he said. “At centrehalf, you have to be a bit more disciplined but it doesn’t matter – I will play wherever the gaffer wants me to play.

“The chance to play full time football is all I have ever wished for,” he stressed. “But I only really started playing at a decent level when I moved down south two years ago.

“I didn’t finish my degree,” he admitted. “I had been planning to go down the coaching route but then I realised I could do that without going to university. So I took a job at a school as a teaching assistant instead and started playing part-time football.

“I suppose you could say I have done it the ‘hard way’. I have not come through an Academy but it is each to their own.

“There are a lot of players who have come through late and done well. I am hungry, ambitious, and hard working and I will try my best every day. What’s meant to be, will be From a personal point of view, I just want to keep developing now,” he said. “I have never been in full time football before and, hopefully, I will do enough to get a chance to play on a regular basis.”

Originally from Liverpool, Clarke was keen to return to north and, just five weeks ago, became a father for the first time.

“It’s nice being closer to home and my family and friends,” he admitted. “I have had a few sleepless nights since Nevaeh was born but it’s all been worth it. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”