Clark Carlisle in a league of his own after Countdown win

By Jim White Published: 9:00PM GMT twenty-five February 2010

Erudite: Clark Carlisle put ina great opening on Channel 4"s Countdown programme

"That Rachel Riley, she"s an tasteful host," he says. "When I went on the programme I have to confess I got aroused. Which I was utterly gratified about as I"d not got a seven-letter word before."

This week Burnley"s Clark Carlisle didn"t get aroused, but he did get smaller. And he got dossier and revels.

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Once dubbed the Premier League"s smartest professional, Carlisle is a footballer who cheerfully uses difference similar to musing and inference in post-match interviews. So it was no warn to see him behaving so well on the Channel 4 word quiz.

And distinct Greaves and alternative domicile faces, he didn"t opt for the reserve of an earpiece couple in compendium corner. Carlisle was out on his own as a contender, confronting the heartless faith of Geoff Stelling"s timer.

So great was he, he won on his initial appearance, 89-55. Let"s goal he manages to say such pretentious early form and doesn"t tumble afar as the commercial operation finish of the foe hoves in to view. Unlike Burnley .