http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/7230379.stm</p> </p><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="629" border="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="3"><div class="mxb"><div class="sh"><font size="3">Defender Clarke leaves Sunderland</font> </div></div></td></tr><tr><td style="width: 416px" valign="top"><font size="2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="203" align="right" border="0"><tbody><tr><td></td></tr></tbody></table>Full-back Clive Clarke has left Sunderland by mutual consent following concerns about his health. </font> <font size="2">He has not played a first-team game since collapsing at half-time in a Carling Cup tie at Nottingham Forest in August 2007 when on loan at Leicester. </font></p> <font size="2">Clarke, 28, was taken to hospital and fitted with a pacemaker. </font></p> <font size="2">A club statement said: "Clive Clarke has left the club following the termination of his contract by mutual agreement following medical advice." </font></p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="208" align="right" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 5px"> </td><td class="sib606"> </td></tr></tbody></table></p> <font size="2">he defender joined Sunderland from West Ham in August 2006 but failed to clinch a regular first-team place before being loaned to Coventry and then Leicester. </font></p> <font size="2">He began his career at Stoke, making more than 250 appearances for the Potters, and won one international cap for the Republic of Ireland. </font></p></td></tr></tbody></table> </p>
