Ernest Clère

Biography Clère (standing, second from right) with the Olympique de Marseille team in March 1926. Born in Brassy, Nièvre, on 22 January 1897, Clère received the War Crosses of both 1914–1918 and 1939–1945, and later a Knight of the Legion of Honour. When the First World War ended in 1918, the 21-year-old Clère began his football career at Olympique de Pantin (currently known as Olympique de Paris), and after a short stint at Clichy Olympique, he returned to Pantin. In the semifinals of the 1926 edition, OM defeated Stade Français 5–0, but the local press stated that "Clère, whose main quality was to mow down his opponents in any position, was immediately asked to stop his game" by the firm refereeing of Mr. Jones. He stayed at OM for four years, from 1925 to 1929, having scored a total of 3 goals in 13 cup matches.

Gaston Doumergue, President of France, greeting the OM footballers, and Clère, OM's captain, in the background (1927). Clère played his last seasons of football at FEC Levallois (1928–29), (1929–31), and finally the reserve team of Olympique de Marseille from 1931 to 1934, when he retired at the age of 37.

Clère died in Suresnes on 3 May 1967, at the age of 70.

Honours Marseille Coupe de France: 1926, 1927