In a surprising turn of events, former England international striker Andy Carroll has signed with Dagenham & Redbridge. The 36-year-old has agreed to a three-year deal with the National League South club, marking a significant move in his career. The transfer was officially announced on Saturday, coinciding with the completion of a takeover of the club by a Qatari consortium.
Carroll, whose career has included stints at Premier League giants such as Liverpool and Newcastle United, brings a wealth of experience to the Daggers. He has also played for West Ham, Reading, and West Bromwich Albion in England, as well as Amiens and Bordeaux in France. Carroll has made 413 appearances, scored 95 goals, and provided 43 assists throughout his club career.
Carroll started his professional career with Newcastle United in 2006. During his time at Newcastle, he had a loan spell with Preston North End. In 2009-2010, he scored 17 goals as Newcastle won the Championship and returned to the Premier League. In January 2011, Carroll moved to Liverpool for a reported £35 million. However, he struggled to find consistent form at Anfield and was eventually loaned to West Ham United in August 2012. The move was made permanent in June 2013.
Carroll has nine caps for the England national team, scoring twice, including a goal at UEFA Euro 2012.
Carroll's departure from Bordeaux last month after one season in the fourth tier of French football paved the way for his move to Dagenham & Redbridge. He expressed his enthusiasm about joining the club and emphasized his desire to play football for the love of the game. "The level doesn't matter as long as I get on the pitch and play football," Carroll said. "I have more excitement now than I ever have. I just love playing football and showing everyone I am playing for the love of football, rather than the money or level. It is something I want to do and I am lucky that I can continue to do that".
Carroll also revealed that he had offers from clubs in higher leagues but chose Dagenham & Redbridge because he felt it was the right fit. "I have had clubs ringing me up, higher leagues, but it has to be the right fit and I need to be in control of what I want to do and not go somewhere because it is higher or there is more money involved," he explained. He further added, "I know what will suit me and this is something I believe can be fantastic. There is a project in place, getting them back out of non-league and up the leagues. It is just a great place to be".
In addition to signing with the club, Carroll has also taken a minority share in Dagenham & Redbridge. This demonstrates his commitment to the club and his belief in their future. Dagenham & Redbridge recently announced their takeover by a Qatari consortium, with Youseph Al Sharif appointed as Interim Chairman and Anwar Uddin MBE joining as a Non-Executive Director. The new ownership aims to bring expertise in football data and finance to the club.
The signing of Andy Carroll is a major coup for Dagenham & Redbridge and signals their ambition to climb back into the Football League. His experience and goal-scoring ability will undoubtedly boost the team's chances of success in the upcoming season.
