That bloody blog. Blues chairmen Ron Martin might be wondering if it's worth carrying on as now the Echo has piled in with an 'exclusive' adding flames to what was a dying fire.
However, it has to be said, young Peter has not helped by giving the paper a needless quote, unless it's part of a wider agenda.
Anyway, this is what Clarkey said to the paper: "I've never asked to leave Southend and I've certainly not ruled out staying. I saw what the chairman said about the situation on teletext and it was quite surprising and disappointing too if I'm honest. I was supposed to have rejected the opportunity for talks but as far as I was aware we were going to have them when the football was finished at the end of the season. I thought we were going to sit down after our final two games and go from there but I don't know whether that's changed now."
This is what Uncle Ron said: "We wish to extend his contract before the new season starts. We would also offer him a new contract, but he has not - to date - wished to engage in those discussions. Peter is a really good professional but here again, he and his agent have wished to keep their options open and although we wished to extend his contract before the season starts, and would also offer him a new contract, he has not to date wished to engage in those discussions.
As TLG pointed out last week when the Beeb, followed up by several other lazy news agencies, printed it's rather old 'Clarke snubs contract' story, Ron is just speaking the facts.
This is was Clarkey said last June 2008: "I was on holiday when I found out on Thursday (that he'd been placed on the transfer list), I still have one year left on my contract and the club wanted me to sign an extension for a further 12 months. I said I didn't want to sign for another year at this stage, and then I found out I was being put on the transfer list with two other first-team players. I find it all a bit strange but I suppose these things happen in football".
So I can't see what he's 'surprised and disappointed' about. Clarke turned the contract down and Mr. Martin has said, fair enough we'll do what you said and speak in the close season.
The Blues defender is closing in on 150 appearances having joined Tilly at the Hall for £300,000 from Blackpool in August 2006 but his current contact at Roots Hall is due to expire at the end of the season. He can of course leave then on a free transfer.
This makes him far more attractive to clubs in the Championship where he obviously believes he should be or clubs with the abilty to pay higher wages which is what I'm sure Clarkey's agent made clear to him last summer and probably saw the opportunity for his client to place his name out there once again. Or Peter's just a bit thick.
Back to the football and the Oldham match will see Clarkey play against the new Latics manager Joe Royle who was in charge at Everton when Peter was a mere youth.
"He was the manager at Everton when I was about 15 or 16. He used to come down to watch a few of our matches and him going back to Oldham was like the return of the messiah for them. He hasn't won yet though and we don't want that record to end against us."