Rector working in island’s clubs (5)
I believe the answer is:
irons
'clubs' is the definition.
(iron is a kind of club)
'rector working in island's' is the wordplay.
'rector' becomes 'r'.
'working' becomes 'on' (on can mean working or activated).
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'island's' becomes 'i's' (geographical abbreviation).
'r'+'on'='ron'
'ron' placed within 'is' is 'IRONS'.
(Other definitions for irons that I've seen before include "Metal leg shackles" , "Smooths the golfclubs?" , "Presses clothes" , "Devices restricting personal freedom in prisons" , "Smooths, presses" .)