Twenty years ago, keeper Steve Clark helped the franchise now known as the Flint City Bucks to their first-ever national championship. Like many Bucks players, he experienced great success after playing with the developmental franchise, including nearly 300 appearances with Houston, Portland, DC United, and Columbus in Major League Soccer (MLS) and more than 100 appearances with professional teams in Denmark and Norway before he retired from soccer in 2024. Or so he thought.
Clark, who is a Mason, Michigan, native and was a star at Oakland University, ended that retirement this weekend to suit up for the Bucks and help them to two playoff wins, defeating FC Buffalo 2-0 on July 17 and Steel City FC 2-1 on July 19 to advance to the USL League Two Central Conference final for the fifth straight season. For Clark, the decision to come out of retirement boiled down to his relationship with the organization.
“It was a little unexpected because I’m retired,” Clark said. “But when the Bucks call, you answer. So (Bucks CEO and chairman) Dan Duggan called and here I am. So I’m happy to be here.”
On the field, though, Clark has been more than just happy to be playing. He had a clean sheet in his first game, which was moved to an indoor facility in Brighton against Buffalo due to air quality issues in Michigan last week. Against Steel City at Atwood Stadium, he made several big saves and kept the previously undefeated team off the score sheet until Nicholas Graeca scored in the 88th minute of the match with the Bucks up 2-0 at that point.
Joining a new team out of retirement when most of the roster has already been playing together all season isn’t what anyone would call an easy task. But Clark said part of the beauty of the game is simply figuring it all out within the flow of the game on the field.
“The game is its own language, you know?” Clark said. “That’s what I said to the guys earlier. I said, ‘Look, we have never played together, but we’ve played together our whole lives because the game is the game.’”
Having someone with Clark’s experience and calmness in net has added to the team’s confidence and Clark has been able to fit in seamlessly despite first playing for the Bucks before a few of his new teammates were even born.
“Honestly, he just brings like the professional side to us during the game,” said defender Jace Foster. “It just really helps us to know he’s back there, you stay more locked in when he’s on the field.”
So far, Clark has enjoyed that part of the unexpected experience. He’s getting to know young players who are all focused on trying to accomplish some of the things he’s done in his career, and he gets to give them advice and help them in their journeys while also helping the Bucks pursue another national championship.
“That’s the fun part, just hanging out with them, giving little tidbits, and encouraging them,” Clark said. “I really enjoy that side of it.”
Clark has also had a strong cheering section of family and friends, including his young daughter, watching him in both games this weekend.
“The best part is that my daughter watched me play, so that part’s been fun, having my family come has been a good time,” Clark said. “It’s not necessarily about me anymore. It’s about the family getting together, so that part’s really beautiful, for sure.”
Much like their win over Buffalo, the Bucks were strong defensively and in the midfield against Steel City, limiting their scoring opportunities. Flint got on the board at the 30-minute mark when Oliver Moller-Jensen scored from just inside the penalty area, sneaking a powerful strike through traffic with his left foot. It was Moller-Jensen’s 10th goal of the season, which leads the team.
Jordy Lopez added the second goal in the 76th minute in what proved to be a vital goal after Steel City added a goal late in the game. Lopez’s goal was assisted by Foster, who also assisted on a goal in the playoff opener on July 17. Foster has been part of an impressive defense that also can quickly push the ball up-field and convert turnovers into scoring opportunities. The Bucks have been a precise passing team much of the season, and Foster said that starts in practice.
“I think, especially in practice, we always are battling each other and pushing each other to the limits,” Foster said. “So when it comes to games, everybody just looks for each other and just trusts each other. Our ability just to adapt to any situation has been our strength. Even in the beginning of the season, we faced being down, being up, and it’s honestly our coaches just continuing to keep us going. I think that’s the best quality of the team.”
Now, the Bucks move on to the next round of the USL League Two playoffs and a rematch against Peoria City FC, who defeated Flint 1-0 a season ago. This year’s match will be at Atwood Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on July 24. Tickets are available at flintcitybucks.com.
Both teams enter the match at 12-1-1 on the season. Peoria advanced by defeating Sueño FC 3-2 and Minneapolis City FC 4-0 in their two playoff games. In the Western Conference Final, Ballard FC will face Ventura County Fusion FC at 3 p.m. July 24 at Atwood. The winners of the two conference championship games will play each other on Sunday, July 26, at Atwood Stadium for a chance to advance to the USL 2 national championship game.
“Probably the most fun is just playing with all these high-level players,” Foster said. “It makes me feel like a kid again. We are just keeping our drive as high as possible and just trusting in ourselves that we can\ make it all the way.”
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