In days gone by the four of clubs was universally known as the devil's bedpost.

It was regarded as an unlucky card and if you cut it at whist you were considered as having lost all chance of winning the game.

It was also said to have be called 'Ned Stokes' because, as the story goes, there was a good whist-player of that name who had a particularly strong aversion to it. (See Courtney, English Whist, 1894, p.286 which refers to Gentleman's Magazine for 1798, p.583.)

However, matters get a bit confusing here since an earlier edition of Gentleman's Magazine seems to have stated that it was the 4 that was called 'Ned Stokes' !