ERROR-PRONE defender Chris Clarke has left York City on a free transfer to join former club Halifax Town.

Clarke's brief five-game career with the Minstermen was riddled with mistakes and he has recently fallen behind teenage centre-backs Sean Davies and Michael Staley in the Bootham Crescent pecking order.

The 23-year-old defender (pictured right) will now be looking to resurrect his career with the Shaymen, who he left for Blackpool in a £120,000 deal two years ago.

Brass said: "I'm disappointed that his move here did not work out as expected. The lad has a lot of potential and showed it when he first came here but did not go on to realise it.

"It's difficult to bounce back from the mistakes he was making and he had to win myself and the fans over and, even though I would have liked to have persevered, you don't always get that time in football. He was not figuring and the recent emergence of Sean Davies made it tougher for him but I wish him well for the future."

Clarke could return to Bootham Crescent on Tuesday, December 7 for the Conference home clash against Halifax.

His departure could also pave the way for a permanent move for David McGurk if Darlington are prepared to release him.

Brass has described McGurk as his best ever loan signing as a manager and admitted he would like him to return to Bootham Crescent this season.

He said: "Some loan players we have had showed bits in glimpses and others nothing at all but David treated his loan spell as you should.

"He wanted to give himself a realistic opportunity of getting involved at his club, as well as impressing myself and others in the football world."

Updated: 10:40 Friday, October 22, 2004