JONSON CLARKE-HARRIS had some huge shoes to fill when he replaced a certain Ivan Toney as the main man up front for Peterborough in the summer.
And not only has he risen to that challenge superbly since moving from Bristol Rovers, he has put himself into a great position to beat his predecessor’s efforts from last season.
Jonson Clarke-Harris is the fourth-highest league scorer in England this season
Jonson Clarke-Harris is the League One player of the month for February
The striker had an incredible February – scoring eight League One goals – to win the division’s SkyBet Player of the Month prize.
He now has 21 goals from 33 games – more than current Premier League top scorer Mo Salah and just four shy of the 24 Toney had netted before last season was curtailed after 32 matches.
And JCH is hoping he will end up the campaign bettering those numbers as well as leading Posh into the Championship.
He said: “Ivan is a goal machine who is tearing up the Championship at Brentford right now and I’ve had to come in to replace him, which is a hard job for any striker.
“Yet I’m a different player to him but one who can still do the same job as well as want to do even more.
“It was always my aim to get as close as possible to the amount of goals he scored and even now at this stage of the season I’m thinking I can do better. The numbers are there and they’re saying I possibly can so why not?
“I feel like I’m going to score every game. I had a chance last Saturday against Burton. I had a chance at Oxford and should have scored.
“I believe I’m going to get a chance every game, which I hope to take and be the difference between winning, drawing and losing.”
One of Clarke-Harris’ goals in February, against WiganCredit: Rex Features
Peterborough have had some superb strikers in recent years. Before Toney, there were the likes of Jack Marriott, Britt Assombalonga and Dwight Gayle.
And JCH says that is all down to the way Posh are set up to attack – constantly creating chances for their front players.
Joe Ward and Siriki Dembele in particular have been scintillating this season – creating 19 goals between them.
JCH said: “I’m doing so well because of the players I have around me.
“It’s all down to how strong our squad is. Most of the quality is from them and they need as much recognition as me. I just put the ball in the back of the net after they give me the chances.
JCH CAREER RECORD
Jonson Clarke-Harris has had a long and winding road to this point
Coventry (2010-2012) – 1 game, 0 goals
Peterborough (2012-13) – 0 games
Southend (2012-2013, loan) – 3 games, 0 goals
Bury (2012-13, loan) – 12 games, 4 goals
Oldham (2013-14) – 55 games, 10 goals
Rotherham (2014-18) – 79 games, 10 goals
MK Dons (2014-15, loan) – 5 games, 0 goals
Doncaster (2014-15, loan) – 9 games, 1 goal
Coventry (2017-19, loan then permanent) – 51 games 10 goals
Bristol Rovers (2019-20) – 49 games, 27 goals
Peterborough (2020-21) – 35 games, 23 goals
“That was one of the reasons why I decided to join. I knew there were going to be goals here and that we’d be near the top of the table having a right go for promotion. So it was a no brainer.”
The other great attraction to Peterborough is that the club do not stand in the way of players moving on to a higher level if they fail to get promoted.
And the goal ace said: “When you look at the strikers Peterborough have had and the ones they’ve sold for big numbers, they’ve gone on to do it at another level.
“I’ve not come here to score goals then be sold though. I want to achieve what we’ve spoken about at the start of the season and that is to get Peterborough to the next level. I hope I’ll be the one who makes the difference.”
JCH says he was able to settle quickly at Posh because of two reasons.
First, he knew the club having spent a season there when he was 18 and, secondly, he is now only 45 minutes away from his family.
He said: “I’ve been moving around for the last 10 years during my career. I left home when I was 16 to go to Coventry and never been at a club near to Leicester, where I’m from. It was great – apart from during these lockdowns – to be able to see my mum and sisters more often.
“When I was here before I wasn’t near the first-team but was around them and that was a great experience – so I already had a great feel for the place.”
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Second-placed Peterborough have a rare weekend off before hosting promotion rivals Portsmouth on Tuesday.
And JCH said: “It’ll be good to have a bit of a breather before we get back to work again. It’s going to be non-stop again with three games a week.
“Tuesday is a big game. We’re in a great position in second at the moment but there are still 13 games to play and other clubs around us. We’re not getting giddy about things.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
