The 69-year-old can still vividly remember that magical night in Budapest when the club won Fairs Cup on Joe Harvey's birthday in 1969.
The days when the Leazes End used to sing "Frank Clark knows my father - my father knows Frank Clark".
Frank Clark: “I want them to win something.
“I’m sick of people telling me they haven’t won anything since ‘69 – I’d be absolutely delighted to get rid of that. It would be great if they could.
“They’re filling the place again, and let’s hope they can go a long way in Europe.
“I know some people think this Europa League is a poisoned chalice.
“But if you’re in it, and have fought hard to qualify, you should try and win it.
“It puts a strain on your playing resources, but it’s a competition you should try to win. I’d like to see them go for it.
“I understand Alan will have to use his whole squad. It’s hard now to play on a Thursday and play a game on the Sunday. When we were in the Fairs Cup, I don’t think we won many games after we came back, which would have been a Wednesday night to a Saturday.
“I don’t think we won many times after a midweek European game.
“But he’s got a decent squad, but he probably wishes he had one or two more.
“All managers would like one or two more.
“He did an incredible job last season.
“At the start of the season, they were probably everybody’s favourites to get relegated, but they had a wonderful season.
“It was a tremendous achievement, and he deserved all the awards he got. He won both awards – the Premier League one and he walked away with the members award, which is very difficult to win. It doesn’t happen very often.
“For any club outside of the real big hitters, to get into Europe is a great achievement.
“The club seems to be quite harmonious at the minute.
“I came up here a few years ago for a memorial for Bobby (Sir Bobby Robson), and it wasn’t good at all. They seem to have sorted that out. The chairman’s running the club on a proper, businesslike footing, which needs to be done, and Alan’s doing great with the team.
“I’m delighted. It must be great for the supporters.”