Clayton Ince

Name: Clayton Ince.
DOB: 12th-July-1972.
Position: Goalkeeper.
Club: Walsall FC (England, 07-Jul-2006 to present).
School: Arima Boys’ RC (Trinidad), El Dorado SC (Trinidad).
Former Teams: Fulham (Trinidad), Memphis (Trinidad), Airports Authority (Trinidad), Defence Force (Trinidad), Dundee (Scotland, 3 months loan), Crewe Alexandra (England, 01-Sept-1999 to 30-Jun-2005), Coventry City (England, 01-Jul-2005 to 06-Jul-2006).
NOTE: Ince was also named the 1997 Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) Player of the Year. Originally a defender and now an outstanding goalkeeper who is highly rated in the Concacaf region. Ince also had a stint with English Second Division club Wrexham AFC and, had a 3 months stint with Dundee of the Scottish Premiership division in 2000. Has won the "Best Goalkeeper'' award in the past two regional tournaments and was a member of the Caribbean All Stars team for the past two years. Crewe Alexander paid £50,000 on 01-Sept-1999 for Clayton from Caribbean outfit Defence Force. Ince made his T&T Senior team debut in 1994. He was named Copa Caribe 2001 best Goalkeeper of the Tournament and, also won his club Crewe Alexandra's "Player-of-the-Season" in 2002/2003. Clayton was a memeber of T&T's youth World Cup team that qualified for the 1991 Youth World Cup in Portugal. Clayton Ince have been named on the English Professional Footballer’s Association” “Team of the year” for the 2006/2007 season. In December 2007 Ince was awarded the English League One “Player of the month” award. Once again in Jan-2008 Ince has been chosen for team of the week and he is having another great season for Walsall after winning the League 2 Title last season. As well as breaking the cleansheet record for Walsall and also Crewe Alexandra he also holds the cleansheet record for the Caribbean and is a truly great ambassador for the region.

By Joel Bailey (Trinidad Newsday).
25-Sept-2005 - This year has been a topsy-turvy ride for Trinidad and Tobago’s football team goalkeeper Clayton Ince. While a member of English Championship Division club Crewe Alexandra, the 33-year-old Ince suffered a broken finger during a training session and was forced to miss up to six weeks of action. At the tail-end of his six-year stint with the team, Clayton’s contract was due to expire at the end of the 2004-2005 season, and manager Dario Gradi was indecisive about whether to keep the tall goalie in the squad or not, due to the fact that Crewe were fighting a relegation battle. In the end, Crewe avoided the drop to League One, and Clayton was offered a new deal by the club, who were satisfied by his determination to overcome his injury to ensure they stayed in the Championship Division. Earlier in the year, Clayton was tempted by the offer, which would see him remain at Crewe for the next two years.
“I feel good about what the manager has given me because I really worked hard (at) myself, keeping the team up,” he said a few months ago. “It’s good to see that the work I put out has really paid (off) for me. I got a two-year contract and the team stayed up in the Championship Division.” Concerning the 2004-2005 season, Clayton noted, “I think it’s just (working) hard and perseverance because the only success you can get is (from) working hard.” Eventually, Clayton joined fellow national Stern John at another Championship club Coventry City, signing a two-year contract after becoming a free agent at the end of last season. According to Clayton, “it was a big upheaval to be leaving (Crewe) but it’s a bigger challenge and I want to test myself at a high level, so coming to Coventry is a good challenge for me and I hope I live up to it.” Looking at the current 2005-2006 season, he said, “I’m hoping that we can get promoted and with me coming here it’s just putting a bonus on to it, and that the club reaches where it should be, and that’s top-flight football.”
He is also certain of helping Coventry remain at the top of the Championship Division standings, and also earn promotion to the Premier League. “I always look at the highest places in the table and the play-off places are not a hard place to reach once we are consistent, and with a lot of hard work I hope we can reach it,” he said on the Coventry’s website. “From a personal perspective I want to get that number one spot, but my target is to stay fit and get the team where they deserve to be,” he added. Concerning his free transfer from Crewe to Coventry, the six-feet three-inch tall Clayton commented, “I didn’t let anyone down at Crewe and now I want to move forward at Coventry. It was a big stepping stone for me because prior to that I had not always been the manager’s first choice so when I got my opportunity I knew I had to put myself about and show that I deserve a contract somewhere.
“I have been at Crewe for six years and sometimes you need to expose yourself to a more challenging environment and Coventry is a club that wants success because they have had that in the past and want to get back to the top flight,” Clayton pointed out. “The manager (Micky Adams) has impressed me with his passion. He wants to win and wants to get to the highest level.” There is another incentive for Clayton to succeed at his new club. After he was shockingly omitted from the TT’s starting line-up for the CONCACAF World Cup Final Round qualifier against Panama on June 4, Clayton was reported as having tendered his resignation from international football to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF). According to TTFF special advisor Jack Austin Warner, Ince felt slighted by his demotion (in favour of Kelvin Jack), adding “I think he has been misguided.”
Coach Leo Beenhakker admitted that Clayton was complaining of a stiff back prior to the match, hence the reason for the move, but Clayton was reported to have returned his uniform to manager Bruce Aanensen. Days later, Clayton admitted his disappointment on being left on the bench for the game but said he never offered his resignation from the squad. And the TTFF also revealed that they were never notified of Clayton’s desire to quit the team. Another twist to the saga surfaced in late June with Ince confessing that he had a spat with assistant TT manager George Joseph over the issue of match fees for the qualifiers, and also felt miffed about the TTFF’s lack of interest in his back injury. Ever since that dramatic turn of events, Clayton has never been called for TT duty by coach Leo Beenhakker, who seems contented with Jack as his number one goalie. But Clayton, who made his international debut on April 4, 1997, is still keen on adding to his tally of 62 caps.
Born in Arima on July 12, 1972, he began his club career with Fulham before moving on to another Arima outfit Memphis. Originally a defender, he took up goalkeeping during his time with Arima Boys’ RC, one of TT’s leading primary school teams, and made a name for himself at El Dorado Junior and Senior Comprehensives (now Secondary and Secondary Comprehensive respectively). He was on the losing end for El Dorado Senior at the Intercol final against Signal Hill in 1989, but, even though he was figuring prominently for his new senior team club Airports Authority, his assertiveness in goal attracted the eye of Signal Hill’s coach Bertille St Clair. Two years later, St Clair included Clayton (as well as St Augustine’s Michael McComie) in the national Under-20 team for the 1991 World Youth Championships in Portugal.
With elder sisters Erla and Alicia, and younger siblings Nigel and Tricia, the quintet, and their mother Barbara, “grew up in Port-of-Spain, (on) Abercromby Street, then we went to Arima, then Curepe and then we settled in Maloney, where my mom is right now. And I’m trying to make her proud,” he added, “from the position we came from to the position I’m at now.” He continued, “I have two girls (but) I don’t think they’ll be (following his steps), but they’re doing well in sports. One (Melissa) plays netball and she’s a multi-person,” Clayton said, “and Tuana, she’s doing well in karate and cricket. The girls are really picking up in the sports and I’m supporting them all the way.” St Clair, who was installed as TT coach in 1997, used the core of the 1991 team in his line-ups, including Dwight Yorke, Angus Eve, Jerren Nixon, the late Richard Theodore, Michael Mc Comie and Clayton, who had a fairy-tale entry into the senior team.
Self-assured and solid, both on and off the field, Clayton was the third choice goalie for Defence Force, behind national keepers Ross Russell and Hayden Thomas, but was daringly included in the TT team for the Copa Caribe (now Digicel Cup) competition in ’97. There he earned the first of his four successive “Best Goalkeeper” of the tournament awards, and also picked up the TTFF Player of the Year 1997 accolade. After joining Crewe for a fee of 50,000 pounds on September 1, 1999, he was voted the club’s Most Valuable Player for the 2002-2003 season, mainly due to his club record of 25 clean sheets during that year. Like his mentor, former Denmark and Manchester United goalie’s Peter Schmeichel, Clayton wants to keep on playing until age 40, normally the sell-by date for most players, especially attackers. Ince noted that he is pleased at where he has reached today, adding, “I want to play football at the highest level, I want to play until 40. I just want to play at my best, at the highest level I could.”

Coventry Evening Telegraph.
02-Aug-2005 - If Clayton Ince's two man of the match league perforances against Coventry City last term are anything to go by, then the Sky Blues have got themselves a more than able goalkeeper for the new season.
The first encounter saw him almost single-handedly keep Crewe in the game at Highfield Road where City were battering the opposition goal. But a number of outstanding saves kept Alex in the hunt before Dean Ashton snatched the winner from the penalty spot.
And the Trinidad and Tobago international came to the fore to help save his club from the drop on the last day of the season at Gresty Road, where another top class display caught the eye of Micky Adams and earned him a deal at the club.
“I enjoyed the games against Coventry last season when the fans were always good to me despite me being on the opposing side,” said the 32-year-old keeper.
“And it is really nice to know that they are my fans now that I have moved and hopefully I can give them an even better performance, which I am sure they will expect.
“The league game at Highfield Road was one of those that went in Crewe’s favour. I shined in that game but you can’t play like that every week, but it was really good to show so much resistance against a side as good as Coventry.
“I had to take the work on myself at a time that our team were struggling a bit, and it is good to know that you can step up your game and make a difference and keep your team in it.”
He added: “The last game of the season was a huge game for me. We went into it looking for a win, not a draw because we concerned about being relegated and were worried about the teams around us.
“I was aware that I was coming out of contract so I knew I had to put myself in the shop window. It just so happened that I have joined the club I played against in that game and it is a nice feeling to know that I showed the manager what I could do and that he has given me this opportunity on the strength of that.
“I didn’t let anyone down at Crewe and now I want to move forward at Coventry. It was a big stepping stone for me because prior to that I had not always been the manager’s first choice so when I got my opportunity I knew I had to put myself about and show that I deserve a contract somewhere.”
There were several factors that persuaded him it was time to turn his back on the club where he established himself in English football, not least the drive and ambition to play at a higher level.
I had a good offer at Crewe but it was a new challenge that I was looking for," said the 6ft 3ins tall player who has signed a two-year deal at the Ricoh Arena.
"I have been at Crewe for six years and sometimes you need to expose yourself to a more challenging environment and Coventry are a club that want success because they have had that in the past and want to get back to the top flight.
"So I have given myself the opportunity to help get the club back to where it is supposed to be, in the Premiership.
"The manager has impressed me with his passion. He wants to win and wants to get to the highest level.
"The players were really down in the gutter last season and then got themselves out under Micky Adams so everyone wants to do something special this year and I want to be part of that and part of a team that is pushing for the play-offs, or even pushing to get automatic promotion."
Another big pull for the player was the chance to work with a full-time goalkeeping coach, Seamus Mc-Donagh, a luxury he has never had before. “The mistakes will be spotted quicker and worked on because there is a man there on the spot working with me,” he said.
“He will know when I have dropped my performance and at this level you can’t afford to drop. You have to raise your game and hopefully the coach will be there to give me that kick up the backside whenever I need it to get me to the level that I should be.
“I have never had a full-time coach before and I am sure he will help me to improve my game.”
So confident was Ince in the move that he didn’t even bother to contact his countryman Stern John to get the low down on the club.
“The fact that my fellow Trinidad and Tobago international is here wasn’t really a factor in me joining Coventry and I didn’t speak to Stern at all about coming here,” he revealed.
“But is good to know that he is here because we know each other’s game so well and that can only help the club and the players around us to know the understanding we have.
“Hopefully we can bring some positive thinking to the club and help it move forward.
“Stern is a top class player who likes scoring goals. I think he gets a bit frustrated when he can't score but he is really building up to become even stronger." And as for Ince's own international career, it appears to be on hold for the time being.
"I haven't come to a decision about my international future yet," he said.
"I just want to concentrate on Coventry right now and trying to get a good foundation. As long as it takes to do that I will be here at Coventry and build a solid foundation before making any decision about going back to international football."

By Andy Turner.
06-Jul-2005 - New Coventry City goalkeeper Clayton Ince has been handed the No.1 shirt for pre-season training - and he fully intends to keep it.
Although the Trinidad and Tobago international knows that Micky Adams is still looking for a second keeper, he is going all out to make sure that he starts the season in the Sky Blue goal.
"My ambition is to work hard and, just like every other player at the club, be No.1 in their chosen position," said the 32-year-old, who has joined on a free transfer from Crewe.
"I want to be part of the team and make sure I am part of things on the road to success. I just want to be the best that I can be for the club.
"For the past six years I have only had coaching on and off but now I will benefit from a full-time goalkeeping coach. The extra bit to my game that has been missing should be there now because hopefully I will be analysed better and, in turn, I can perform better."
As well as setting out to impress his manager early on, Ince is keen to make an impression on his fellow defenders - something they will find out about as soon as they start practice matches.
"I am a very aggressive player and I like to let my team-mates know where they should be and to keep the ball out of the net by any means necessary," said the seemingly laidback keeper who insists he's not afraid of getting hurt for the cause.
"I never shy away from anything and and go strong and hard into everything. I communicate well with the back four and like everyone to gel together and get the confidence running throughout the defence.
"And if you can do that it can filter right through the team to the strikers. If the forwards can see the defence holding firm it can give them a push to perform well and do their work and the positives can run right through the team."

Conventry City Website.
01-Jul-2005 - Coventry City has signed goalkeeper Clayton Ince ahead of the new campaign. The former Crewe Alexandra custodian, who spent six years at Gresty Road, put pen to paper on a two-year contract following a medical after the team commenced pre-season training today.
An established international, Ince has made over 60 appearances for Trinidad and Tobago since making his debut in 1994. He has also been voted 'Caribbean Goalkeeper of the Year' on three occasions. The move means that the 32-year-old links with fellow Trinidad and Tobago international Stern John.
On his first interview as a City player he told Sky Blues World of his high hopes for the forthcoming campaign. The former Crewe custodian, who had spent six-years with the Railwaymen, admitted it was a big decision to leave Gresty Road, but said the chance to join City was one that he just couldn't turn down.
"It was a big upheaval to be leaving Gresty Road but it's a bigger challenge and I want to test myself at a high level, so coming to Coventry is a good challenge for me and I hope I live up to it.
"I'm very excited to be here, it's a new challenge and I just can't wait to get out there and do the business on the pitch."
The agile shot-stopper, who excelled in the two league games between Crewe and City last season, may have become accustomed to relegation battles in his time under Dario Gradi, but Ince says he hopes to be focusing on the other end of the table with the Sky Blues.
"I'm hoping that we can get promoted and with me coming here it's just putting a bonus on to it, and that the Club reaches where it should be, and that's top-flight football.
"I always look at the highest places in the table and the play-off places are not a hard place to reach once we are consistent, and with a lot of hard work I hope we can reach it.
"From a personal perspective I want to get that number one spot, but my target is to stay fit and get the team where they deserve to be."

By: Lasana Liburd.
26-Jun-2005 - Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Clayton Ince admitted that he lost his temper with the national football team management but reiterated a desire to represent his country if selected.
Ince, who walked out on the national team three days before a World Cup qualifier away to Mexico on June 8, was not selected by coach Leo Beenhakker for next month's CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament.
But the England-based goalkeeper insisted that he would make himself available for selection once more as soon as he recovers fully from a back injury.
Ince claimed to have said as much to Beenhakker in a private meeting two weeks ago at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Port of Spain.
"When I find a team and settle in, I would make myself available for national selection," said Ince, who is mulling over an offer from League Championship club Crewe Alexandra.
"Right now, I just want a rest and to get back to full fitness. After that, if they pick me, then great. If not, then so be it and all the best to the team."
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) is not unaccustomed to feuds with their star players and public fall outs with the likes of past and present team captains Dwight Yorke, David Nakhid, Russell Latapy and Shaka Hislop.
Ince, a former three-time Caribbean Player of the Year, joined that infamous list on June 5 when he returned his team uniform to manager Bruce Aanensen and informed him that he would not travel to Mexico the following day.
The experienced 32-year-old custodian was an unused substitute on Saturday June 4 when Trinidad and Tobago defeated Panama 2-0 in Beenhakker's first CONCACAF World Cup qualifying match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Ince admitted his demotion to the bench played a part in his decision to pull out the squad but insisted that he acted on a combination of issues and did not mean to slight Beenhakker or his replacement, Dundee goalkeeper Kelvin Jack.
"I have been benched plenty times before at Crewe or at Defence Force," he said. "I am not one to walk away from a challenge. It is not because of Jack. The coach picked who he thought was looking good and mobile in training and I respect that.
"Jack had a good game too (against Panama)." But Ince suggested that he looked inferior to Jack in training because of a back injury. On Tuesday, five days before the match at home to Panama, Ince allegedly told goalkeeping coach Michael "Brow" Maurice that he was not feeling well.
The following day, he said, his back went into spasms and he complained to team doctor, Dr Terrence Babwah, and physiotherapist, Zephyrinus Nicholas, who gave him two tablets.
It was not until Friday that he saw a specialist who, he claimed, properly treated his injury. By then, Beenhakker had already selected his team to face Panama. Ince attached no blame to Babwah or Nicholas but suggested that the T&TFF should do more to give their medical staff the right tools to do their job.
Ince also claimed to have had a disagreement with George Joseph, who is the team's assistant manager authorised to liaise with players, over match fees for the upcoming qualifiers. The goalkeeper asked to see the contract stipulating his fees, which he thought was subject to change because of the new coaching regime. Ince suggested that showing an employee what he is working for should be a matter of courtesy but, he alleged, Joseph refused. By Sunday, Ince said his frustrations got the better of him and he vented to Aanensen.
"I said I was fed up of being treated like a junior player when I am a senior man," he said. "I felt like I was not being treated with respect and with my back hurting and being left out, I decided to pull out. I was pissed off with the whole situation. And not just me but I felt that all the players deserve more respect.
"Also I knew I was out of contract (with Crewe Alexandra) and if I got injured then who would see about me? So I decided to see about myself because when you look at players like Carlos (Edwards) and Gary (Glasgow), you know that no-one (from the T&TFF) will see about you when you are injured."
Ince said that, on June 5, he no longer felt like risking injury to serve as Jack's deputy. Yet, he would have played if asked.
He denied there was any contradiction between the two statements. "I wasn't 100 per cent fit but, if called upon, like any other player, I would play," he said. "Hardly any player would say no, given the choice. You always want to play."

By: Jovan Ravello (Guardian).
07-Jun-2005 - T&T Football Federation special advisor Austin Jack Warner yesterday announced the resignation of T&T national goalkeeper Clayton Ince.
The resignation came on the heels of T&T’s impressive 2-0 win over Panama, in their World Cup qualifier on Saturday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, which Ince watched from the bench.
National coach Leo Beenhakker choose Kelvin Jack before Ince, a decision which surprised many, but which went well,as Jack brought off a couple of good saves to keep a clean sheet.
Ince, who plies his trade with Crewe Alexandra in the English football Coca-Cola Football League and has won 61 caps for the Warriors, felt slighted by his omission from the starting line up and on Sunday handed in his resignation, according to Warner.
Warner expressed disappointment with the action taken by Ince, especially since “he has been a role model on the team”
“I think he has been misguided” Warner said, as he referred to the latest development in the Warriors camp as “unfortunate,” stating: “I don’t think he has been given proper advice.”
Warner sought to remind all players interested in being a part of T&T football that whether they do it on the field, or on the bench, they are still representatives of the team.
According to both Warner and Beenhakker, Ince had been complaining of a back injury during the five-day camp that preceded Saturday’s match. With this in mind, Warner said Beenhakker was not prepared to take any chances with Ince in such a crucial match.
Ince felt that his complaint did not warrant him being left out of Saturday’s starting line-up and returned his ticket, passport and uniform to Warriors manager Bruce Aanensen.
Warner revealed that T&T captain, Dwight Yorke, was present and attempted to dissuade Ince from taking such drastic action, using his own experiences.
On June 28, 2001 Yorke and then captain Russell Latapy tendered their resignations on learning that they were dropped from T&T’s squad ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Jamaica. Earlier this year, Yorke mended his differences with the T&TFF and returned as team captain.
He sought to discourage Ince from leaving the team at this juncture in their World Cup qualifying campaign, but it appears that Ince had already made up his mind.
Keen to move on from this latest bump on the road to Germany, the T&TFF has called on CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh custodian Duarance Williams, who has made an immediate impression on the FIFA vice-president.
Warner revealed that Williams received his call up at midnight and joined the team promptly at 4am yesterday.
He commended Williams and praised his professional attitude.
Of Ince, Warner said: “I wish him well.”
The T&T team left for Monterrey, Mexico, where they will play the hosts and group leaders in the fifth round of matches in CONCACAF’s third qualifying stage on Wednesday. The Local Organising Committee Germany 2006 Ltd has advised that Wednesday’s match will be broadcast live from Monterrey on NCC TV-Channels 4 and 16 at 8pm local time.

LATE FLASH: Ince denies quitting:

In response to Warner’s comments Ince has said that despite his disappointment at being excluded from Saturday’s game he has in fact not resigned but has only asked for a break from national duty. Ince said he had been suffering with back spasms and wanted time to take care of his ailment hence his request to not travel with the team to Mexico. Ince confessed to being disappointed at not being in the starting team but said he has not given up on rejoining the team.
The T&TFF yesterday confirmed that they had not received any resignation correspondence from Ince.

Crewe Alexandra FC.
22-Apr-2005 - Clayton Ince has told the club's official web-site that his impending contract situation at the club has not affected his main objective of trying to keep Crewe Alexandra in the Championship. The Trinidad and Tobago International is out of contract this summer after six years with the club and with manager Dario Gradi stressing that no negotiations will be taking place until we know which division we will be next season, the likeable Ince will do his best to ensure that we will be playing Championship football again next season.
Ince told crewealex.net: "To be honest I'm not really thinking about my contract situation at the moment. We have three games left and the most important thing is for me to help Crewe stay in this league.
"It is a big month for me and I know I will have to perform as well as I can to help Crewe and maybe show the manager that I deserve a new contract. I have been here for six years and they will have the first option.
"I will sit down with the manager after the season has finished and I'd love to stay if everything works out well for me.
He added: "Before that we have three difficult games coming up, starting with Stoke this Saturday and every point is vital for us. They are a physical side to play against and are difficult to break down, but hopefully we can get our game going and get the right result."
Clayton Ince says his immediate concern is keeping Crewe in the Championship.
Although the big Trinidadian is out of contract this summer, future thoughts are on the backburner as he aims to help win the relegation battle.
Despite the odd blip, the 31-year-old must be a contender for player of the season with a string of top draw displays, particularly instrumental in Crewe's fine entry into 2005.
Putting to bed injuries and international absence, Ince was back to play a big part in Crewe's 1-1 draw at Gillingham and now wants to steer them through the run-in.
"Right now I am not thinking about a contract," he explained.
"I just want to help the club stay in the Championship.
"Once the manager sees my input into the team I think he'll talk to me about it.
"If he makes me happy, I'll try to make him happy."
Happy to be back between the sticks, Ince says the players are up for the fight.
"It's always good to be back in the team and to give the performance the manager and the team are looking for," he continued.
"Every point is very vital now.
"The lads are aware what is going on and no-one wants to drop. The fight is there."
Three points is the target against Stoke on Saturday.
"We always have that rivalry," he added.
"It's good to show that we've got the ability to beat them.
"We have got a good record against them and we should have won last time.
"We can show them we can this time around.
"We're just taking it one game at a time, not looking any further.
"We'd like to be safe before the last game.
"Hopefully we'll get the three points on Saturday and results will go our way."

Crewe Website News.
8-Jul-2004 - Alex goalkeeper Clayton Ince has vowed to fight for his First Team position despite the summer arrival of former Manchester United youngster Ben Williams.
The 32 year old Trinidadian was away on International duty when Williams made a permanent move to the Alexandra Stadium last month following his successful loan spell at the end of last season, but has returned from the Caribbean determined to hold onto his position as number one.
After the arrival of Williams Dario Gradi revealed he would hold talks with Ince, the clubs Player-of-the-Season in 2002/03, about his future, and was delighted when the former Defence Force man signalled his intention to stay. "I have spoken to Clayton and he has told me he wants to stay and fight for his place and that is very good news," Dario said.
"If Ben (Williams) continues the form he has shown then that could be worth an extra four or five points to us. But it is difficult to say because Clayton saves us points which are hard to measure because of the crosses he comes for. "Ben is decent on the crosses, but Clayton is outstanding. And now we have got Clayton's eye situation sorted out then he might rival Ben on saving as well."
Williams and Ince became good friends during the last few weeks of the season when the former was on loan at the club, and they now seem set for an epic battle for the goalkeeping slot next term.
"It will definitely be interesting," Dario said.
"Ben finished the season in goal and I had no reason to consider leaving him out, so when I went to sign him I told him he would start the season in goal. Clayton knows that, and it won't be a question of who does best in pre-season, but once the season has started then I want Clayton to put the pressure on. "Last season I didn't think George (Ademole Bankole) was putting pressure on Clayton, thats why I brought Ben in on loan in the first place, but this season I think Clayton will put that pressure on Ben."

By: Shaun Fuentes.
10-Mar-2004 - Goalkeeper Clayton Ince continues to assure national coach Bertille St clair that he will have little to worry about in the goalkeeping department for the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Ince turned in what the English media described as a superb performance last weekend to help Crewe Alexandra to a 0-0 draw with Derby County.
Ince got rave reviews in several of the top English newspapers as well as Derby County boss George Burley. "We needed a bit of luck but their keeper was outstanding," Burley said.
"Derby's relegation fears deepened as they ran into Clayton Ince's one-man blockade. Crewe's Trinidad and Tobago keeper saved everything Derby threw at him in a one-sided game that added up to a night of frustration for Rams boss George Burley," the popular Daily Star newspaper wrote, while the Daily Mirror reported "Clayton Ince made Derby wince with a goalkeeping masterclass to edge Crewe closer towards First Division safety. The Trinidad and Tobago international was in top form for the Railwaymen and repelled everything thrown at him."
Ince also saved in Crewe's 3-2 win over third placed Wigan Athletic on Saturday. Ince is being rated as Premiership quality at the moment and is hoping he can maintain his form for the remainder of the season leading into T&T's upcoming matches. "It's just a case of working hard and trying to play your best game possible each time," Ince said. "The season has been going ok so far and hopefully We can get some wins and better our position on the table. I have been working hard on my game and I am looking forward to performing just as well for the national team once I am called upon," he added.

TnT Express Reports.
9-Oct-2003 - “I want to be the best goalkeeper in Trinidad and Tobago, the best in the Caribbean and to be a professional player.”
The speaker was a 17-year-old Clayton Ince and his dream was probably shared by hundreds of schoolboy footballers.
Ince, who was then making a name for himself with El Dorado Senior Comprehensive, had been called into an individual meeting with Trinidad and Tobago under-18 coach Bertille St Clair to explain what he hoped to achieve from their World Youth Cup bid and beyond.
It was 1989 and, up to that time, no team from the English-speaking Caribbean had ever qualified for a FIFA tournament.
Yet, St Clair believed he could take his country there and was curious about the ambition of his young charges as they began an ultimately successful trip to Portugal 1991.
Ince did not know what his teammates said but remembered his own meeting quite vividly.
At 31 years of age, he can look back at such snapshots of his career with deserved satisfaction.
After an unforgettable 2002/03 season when he eclipsed the Crewe Alexandra Football Club record for clean sheets—he totalled 25 shut-outs—and was runner-up for Player of the Year, Ince is living the dream.
In his 2003/04 pre-season, he had the distinct pleasure of lining up at Anfield for a friendly against a full-strength Liverpool.
The contest ended 1-1 and Ince’s efforts at keeping out the likes of Michael Owen and Harry Kewell were rewarded with a “well done” from no less than Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier himself.
His present status is a culmination of many such memorable moments.
Ince was the first-string custodian throughout the national youth team’s qualifiers, alongside the likes of Dwight Yorke, Jerren Nixon and Angus Eve, although an ill-timed loss of form allowed rival Michael McComie—now at Joe Public in the T&T Pro League—to save in two of their three World Cup outings.
After a topsy-turvy start to his senior career—primarily because of stiff competition from Ross Russell and Hayden Thomas at Defence Force—Ince erupted on the Caribbean stage in 1997 when he took the first of four consecutive awards for being the most outstanding goalkeeper at the regional tournament.
He was also the 1997 Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) Player of the Year.
A professional deal came two years later when Crewe paid $500,000 TTD for the right to his services.
And there are definitely times when Ince has to pinch himself.
“I am enjoying it very much,” he told Express Sport. “...Very, very much. Meeting players who you never thought you would be seeing, much less playing against at all these different stadiums.
“My biggest game so far was playing Liverpool in pre-season... But I also played against Everton in the FA Cup (two years ago) when they had (David) Ginola, (Paul) Gascoigne, (Kevin) Campbell and (Thomas) Graveson.”
He is the first to admit that the road to success was hardly a smooth one, though, and had come at an international cost.
FIFA have assisted international teams by encouraging the six confederations to draw up a calendar in harmony with the European football leagues, which employs the biggest names in the game.
However, Trinidad and Tobago’s foreign-based players are still faced with the problem of 20 hours airtime to be present for an international game and the problems such as jet lag and acclimatising that come with the arduous journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
Even worse for players in the lower divisions, the league continues during international breaks as rescheduling is only permitted if three or more players are called up from a particular club.
At Division Two team Wrexham, for instance, the “Soca Warriors” trio of Carlos Edwards, Dennis Lawrence and Hector Sam can invoke that clause for postponement by themselves.

No such luck for Ince.
He urged T&T fans to understand his predicament and explained his reason for missing last month’s friendly away to Morocco, although it was an official off day for him.
“Some of the friendly internationals are out of the way and it is hard for us,” said Ince. “When we had the game against Morocco on a Wednesday and then a club game on Saturday... to fly from Morocco and reach back on Friday, it is a bit heavy.
“We like to come down everytime we get called upon, but sometimes it is not the best travelling-wise… It takes about two days to shake off those trips because of the altitude, cabin pressure, climate, humidity and changing your body clock (back) to Caribbean time.”
He did not say it but the pressure brought down on overseas-based goalkeepers is also different to that faced by their outfield counterparts.
A striker is usually fighting for one of two spots and has a chance to impress off the substitutes’ bench even if he is third or fourth choice on the day.
Only one goalkeeper is likely to face action on match day, though, and managers usually prefer to give their custodians extended runs before replacing them.
It is not by chance that Ince’s professional career really got going after his final World Cup qualifier in 2001.
His only international caps since then came last May when he sacrificed a chunk of his vacation to go on a three-match African tour with the Warriors.
But he has reaped the rewards in Britain.
He had just one league appearance for the “Railwaymen” before he went into international exile after a home defeat to Jamaica two years ago, but he was capped 23 times in the 2001/02 season by his club after he committed himself to Crewe.
Then came the superb returns of 2002/03.
Still, there is no time for complacency in the world of professional football.
Despite last season’s record run, Crewe almost snapped up Leeds reserve goalie Danny Milosevic for their Division One campaign, only for the Australian to have a last-minute change of heart.
Milosevic’s services have since been re-offered to Crewe manager Dario Gradi, but he politely declined.
“We were ready to bring in Milosevic above him but not now,” Gradi told a local paper recently. “Clayton has started the season very well so there’s no point.”
It was a sober reminder that one can only take being a professional for granted at his own peril.
And Ince plans to keep his gloves on for a very long time.
“I see myself playing professionally in England for the next nine years,” said Ince. “I am still maturing a lot as a player and I think I can do it. (David) Seaman did it, (Peter) Schmeichel and (Dave) Beasant, too.
“I won’t be the first and I won’t be the last.”
Schmeichel, who is famous for his exploits with Manchester United and Denmark, is Ince’s “all-time favourite goalkeeper” and he had the privilege of meeting him last season in a Cup match against Manchester City.
Crewe threatened before succumbing to Kevin Keegan’s team 3-2 and Ince must have felt like a teenager again when he exchanged greetings with Schmeichel and gleefully accepted his shirt.
He wanted to thank those who helped along the way.
His girlfriend and daughters Melissa, 12, and Tuana, 11, who still live in Trinidad and have accepted the lengthy absences of their father.
He is grateful to his mother, Barbara Ince, who took loans to fund his travel and sporting equipment when he tried out for the national under-18 team.
And to Russell, who was his mentor at Defence Force, as well as other goalies who helped him along the way, like Michael “Brow” Maurice, Shaka Hislop, Dexter Absolum and Thomas.
Most of all, though, he is thankful for the role of St Clair, who gave him his first international cap as a teenager and then took the gamble of selecting him on the senior team in 1997 when he was only third string at his club.
“If not for him, I would still have been at the army doing my best at serving the country,” he said. “In 1997, I was nobody when Bertille put that trust in me to play. Everyone was surprised that Ross wasn’t called upon and I got the call, although I have high respect for Ross and a lot of the things that I learnt were from him.
“When I got the best goalkeeper of the tournament, everybody was surprised. That tournament uplifted me.”
He has not looked back since although, occasionally—like at Anfield—he still pinches himself.

News: crewealex.net
25-Jun-2003 - Crewe Alexandra number one Clayton Ince has just returned from an African tour with his country Trinidad and Tobago and although a little jaded by all the travelling, it was well worth the experience.
Trinidad and Tobago are looking to rebuild their team following a disappointing showing in the Concacaf Gold Cup and Ince was redrafted back into the squad to add more experience.
The former Defence Force stopper had elected to put his International career on hold in recent seasons as he fought to establish himself as the Crewe number one. Over the past five seasons, he has faced stiff competition from Australian Jason Kearton and Nigerian Ademola Bankole – but he finally held on to the gloves during our promotional season.
Ince kept a club record 20 clean-sheets during his 49 appearances as Crewe held onto that second automatic place behind run-away winners Wigan – but with Dario looking to bring in another goalkeeper to add competition for places, Incey knows that he will have to prove himself again in the First Division.
Ince told crewealex.net: “It was a good season for us because it was important that we bounced straight back after relegation. On a personal level it was nice to get the record number of clean-sheets but it wasn’t just me, it was the whole team.
“We know that it will be tough in the First Division but everyone is confident that we can do well next season. It is the challenge of facing better players that appeals most. It is the level all of us want to be playing at.”
Ince was away for three-weeks as part of the ‘Soca Warriors’ rebuilding programme under new manager Stuart Charles Fevrier. They played four matches against the Kenyan national side and their Olympic side, Botswana and South Africa with Ince playing in three of those matches.
Incey says: “I enjoyed my time away with Trinidad and Tobago. I played a few games and saw some of the world, especially in South Africa. It was a way of the players getting to know each other more because it is a new era under a new manager. It was to build unity and prepare for the Olympics and the World Cup in 2006.
He added: “Despite all the travelling involved it was a great experience. It was a bit tiring but I will be fine when we return to pre-season training on July 1st.
“Playing the games has kept me fit and I have already been into Reaseheath a few times since I returned. It is back to work now and I’m sure fitness levels will increase next week and then we go to Portugal for a week to train in the sun.”

By Mark Buckingham
18-Jan-2002 - Crewe Alexandra goalkeeper Clayton Ince is keen to sign a new contract at Gresty Road, despite manager Dario Gradi refusing to speak to the player's agent.
Gradi has taken umbrage with the Trinidadian's representative Mike Berry after the long-serving boss quoted different terms for a fresh deal.
He is now unwilling to discuss the situation with Berry, despite the agent insisting Ince is more than happy to pledge his future to the First Division strugglers.
Ince's current deal expires at the end of the season, and Berry outlined the reason behind the present deadlock in negotiations.
Berry told planetfootball.com: "Dario quoted some figures over the phone to me and Clayton, and then I asked to look at the contract, but the figures were less than what he had told me.
"I wrote him a letter saying that the figures didn't tie up with what he told me, and could he confirm the right figures.
"He said he thought I was trying to make a prat of him for querying the figures, but I thought it was a fair question.
"I seem to have upset him, and there's an old saying at Liverpool Football Club, that he's thrown his dummy out of the pram.
"There are good agents and bad agents, and there are good managers and bad managers."
Ince jetted off on international duty on Sunday to represent his country in the Gold Cup in Miami, after forcing his way back into the Crewe starting line-up.
The 29-year-old joined The Railwaymen in September 1999, but has spent the majority of his career in the reserves, until he was thrown into the fray this term.
Since December, he has been first choice, and has produced a string of fine performances as Crewe battle to beat the drop.
Those displays could put him in the shop window for a move, but he has no desire for a transfer with Berry hoping to resolve the current impasse, providing Gradi comes to terms with the involvement of agents.
"Clayton wants to stay at Crewe. He loves it there, and he has got a great rapport with the fans," said Berry.
"He wants to sign a new contract with Crewe and I would like to help him to do that.
"If Dario says he can't deal with me, then he's got the problem, not me, because I represent Clayton.
"The most important thing for me is Clayton, and the most important thing for Dario should be Crewe Alexandra.
"They are the two parties that matter, not Dario and me.
"He has proved he is a quality keeper and he is available on a free transfer at the end of the season.
"He would walk into any other team on his current performances, but he loves Crewe and wants to stay.
"My message to Dario is 'let's talk for Clayton's sake and for Crewe's sake.' I'm still prepared to speak to him because business is business.
"If he says he doesn't want to deal with an agent, my response is he should get real. In the modern world, managers deal with agents, and the majority of footballers in the league are represented by agents and Dario needs to understand that."
Meanwhile, Crewe boss Dario Gradi has signed Coventry City's young goalkeeper Gary Montgomery on loan as cover for Ademole Bankole in Clayton Ince's absence.
Ince is away on international duty with Trinidad & Tobago, with Gradi only having 16-year-old youth team keeper Stuart Tomlinson as back-up for Bankole prior to Montgomery's loan signing today.

Related	News:
17-Apr-2008	100 not out for Ince.
12-Feb-2008	Clayton has all guards up.
17-Oct-2007	Ince enjoys mean streak.
12-Sept-2007	Sunderland's Yorke to help Ince's T&T academy.
28-Jun-2007	Ince wants to make a difference.
16-Apr-2007	Ince named in PFA "Team of the year"
08-Apr-2007	Clayton Ince gets apology.
03-Apr-2007	Ince distances himself from PFA.
14-Dec-2006	Ince finally set for Racecourse Ground bow.
07-Oct-2006	Ban on Ince lifted.
30-Aug-2006	Clayton sets sights on clean sheet record.
07-Jul-2006	Saddlers snap up Clayton Ince.
24-Apr-2006	Clayton Ince not surprised.
23-Mar-2006	Clayton's case: T&T's battle of the gloves.