“When Rangers approached me to ask if I would be interested in the job last year, they assured me as a club it was no longer an issue.
“One of the issues we discussed was me being from the west coast.
Clarke added: “No, it wasn’t a factor. We never got close to anything.
“I came back here and I said very quickly and clearly it’s not my intention to leave Kilmarnock for any other Scottish club. At the time, the speculation was going on and on.
“The story was just going to build and build. I chose to tell some small lies to make the story go away because I didn’t need it, and Kilmarnock didn’t need it.
“The only way I could think to achieve that was to say there was nothing in it, and that was the end of the story.
“Sorry, but sometimes we just have to tell little lies to make life a bit easier.
“I felt a little bit frustrated for Steven Gerrard when he was asked about me being offered the job before him.
“That’s a load of nonsense. I wasn’t offered the job. Steven Gerrard must sit in his office and think: ‘Oh jeez, not Steve Clarke again’!
Clarke’s work at Killie hasn’t gone unnoticed and he would be in the running for the Celtic job, should boss Brendan Rodgers leave any time soon.
But Clarke insists events of the last week haven’t changed his career plans, as he expects to go back to England when he moves on.
Clarke said: “I came back to Scotland to work for Kilmarnock.
“I will continue to do that. The club have been good for me.
“What happened this week is hopefully one isolated incident that will now lead to better things in the future.
“In terms of football it’s just carry on with the job and try and get back to winning ways. I came up here for a reason. Those are my reasons and will stay my reasons.
“But at some stage I will go back to my family in England.”
“One of the issues we discussed was me being from the west coast.
Clarke added: “No, it wasn’t a factor. We never got close to anything.
“I came back here and I said very quickly and clearly it’s not my intention to leave Kilmarnock for any other Scottish club. At the time, the speculation was going on and on.
“The story was just going to build and build. I chose to tell some small lies to make the story go away because I didn’t need it, and Kilmarnock didn’t need it.
“The only way I could think to achieve that was to say there was nothing in it, and that was the end of the story.
“Sorry, but sometimes we just have to tell little lies to make life a bit easier.
“I felt a little bit frustrated for Steven Gerrard when he was asked about me being offered the job before him.
“That’s a load of nonsense. I wasn’t offered the job. Steven Gerrard must sit in his office and think: ‘Oh jeez, not Steve Clarke again’!
Clarke’s work at Killie hasn’t gone unnoticed and he would be in the running for the Celtic job, should boss Brendan Rodgers leave any time soon.
But Clarke insists events of the last week haven’t changed his career plans, as he expects to go back to England when he moves on.
Clarke said: “I came back to Scotland to work for Kilmarnock.
“I will continue to do that. The club have been good for me.
“What happened this week is hopefully one isolated incident that will now lead to better things in the future.
“In terms of football it’s just carry on with the job and try and get back to winning ways. I came up here for a reason. Those are my reasons and will stay my reasons.
“But at some stage I will go back to my family in England.”
