Carlos Edwards

Carlos Edwards
CM
Edwards playing for Ipswich Town in 2010
Personal information
Full name Akenhaton Carlos Edwards[1]
Date of birth (1978-10-24) 24 October 1978 (age 46)
Place of birth Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Winger, right-back
Team information
Current team
 Hadleigh United (player)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1998 Patna United
1998 Queen's Park CC
1999–2000 Defence Force
2000–2005 Wrexham 166 (23)
2005–2007 Luton Town 68 (8)
2007–2009 Sunderland 50 (5)
2008 → Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) 6 (0)
2009–2014 Ipswich Town 176 (9)
2014 → Millwall (loan) 8 (1)
2014–2016 Millwall 23 (0)
2016–2017 Ma Pau Stars
2017 Central FC 0 (0)
2017–2020 Woodbridge Town
2020–2023 Bury Town 44 (2)
2023- Hadleigh United 0 (0)
International career‡
1999–2017 Trinidad and Tobago 92 (4)
Managerial career
2019–2020 Woodbridge Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:42, 21 April 2022 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:32, 2 February 2020 (UTC)

Akenhaton Carlos Edwards CM (born 24 October 1978) is a Trinidadian former professional footballer who plays as a winger or right-back for Hadleigh United.

He started his footballing career in Trinidad and Tobago before moving to Wrexham in 2000 for whom he made over 150 appearances. He went on to play for Luton Town, Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ipswich Town and Millwall.

Edwards also made over 90 appearances for the Trinidad and Tobago national football team, scoring four goals. As a member of the squad that competed at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, he was awarded the Chaconia Medal (Gold Class), the second highest state decoration of Trinidad and Tobago.[2]

Club career

Edwards, a right-winger also adept at right-back, started his professional career at Defence Force in his native Trinidad and Tobago, where he had attended the same school (St Anthony's College in Westmoorings) as future team-mate Kenwyne Jones.[3]

Wrexham

Edwards was later signed by Wrexham for £250,000 in 2000, along with Dennis Lawrence and Hector Sam, after a trial.

Edwards helped the club win promotion to the Second Division in 2002–03, scoring 10 goals and winning Wrexham's Player of the Year award and being selected for the PFA Third Division Team of the Year along the way.[4] He then added a further five goals the following season as the club finished mid-table, with Edwards again voted into the PFA Team of the Year.

However, Edwards suffered a knee injury while on international duty in 2004 that put him on the sidelines for most of the 2004–05 season. The campaign ended in relegation for the club but he won his first silverware in English football in the form of the 2005 Football League Trophy.

Luton Town

With his Wrexham contract having expired, Edwards joined Championship side Luton Town in 2005 in a three-year deal on a Bosman transfer.[5] At Luton, he became popular with the fans with his flair and ability, winning the Young Members Player of the Season award in his first season with the club.[4]

Sunderland

Edwards' form attracted a £1.5 million bid from Sunderland whom he joined on 2 January 2007, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract.[6] Edwards began his Sunderland career brightly and scored five times in the remainder of the campaign. It was his 80th-minute winner against Burnley that confirmed Sunderland's promotion to the Premier League, after Derby County failed to beat Crystal Palace the following day.

Edwards' first season in the top flight was ruined by injury problems though. He suffered a hamstring injury in only the second game and after returning, had a leg fracture that again put him on the sidelines. He managed to return for the final months of the campaign that saw Sunderland retain their Premier League status.

After a spree of summer signings left Edwards largely out of contention at his parent club, he joined Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers on 2 October 2008 on a three-month loan.[7] However, he was recalled early by the Black Cats on 20 November after six appearances for Wolves.

Ipswich Town

On 1 September 2009, Edwards and Grant Leadbitter signed for Ipswich Town for a combined fee of £4 million.[8] He scored his first goal for Ipswich in a 1–0 win at Sheffield Wednesday on 20 February 2010.[9] He quickly became a key player at Ipswich, making 30 appearances during his first season at the club.[10]

He scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season on 21 August, scoring the winning goal in a 2–1 away win over Crystal Palace. Edwards played purely as a right winger under Roy Keane but switched to right-back when Paul Jewell became manager in January 2011. He scored the winning goal in a 3–2 win over Doncaster Rovers on 22 January. He only missed one league game during the 2010–11, while also playing a key role as Ipswich made the semi-final of the League Cup, starting in the 1–0 win over Arsenal in the first-leg at Portman Road, while also starting in the second-leg at the Emirates Stadium as Ipswich exited the cup after a 3–0 loss.[11]

He continued to be a regular starter in the 2011–12 season. Edwards became Ipswich captain in March 2012. He started all but one league game during the season, with his performances earning him the Players' Player of the Year award for the 2011–12 season.[12]

He kept his place as captain the following season, playing a key part in the first-team during the 2012–13 season as Ipswich recovered from a poor start to the season resulting in the sacking of manager Paul Jewell, to pick-up in the second half of the season following the arrival of new manager Mick McCarthy. He scored late winners in 1–0 wins over Bolton Wanderers and Derby County. He made 46 appearances in all competitions during the season.[13]

Edwards featured less regularly during the 2013–14 season, scoring once in 18 appearances up until January.[14]

Millwall

On 27 March 2014, Edwards joined fellow Championship side Millwall on loan until 3 May 2014.[15] His first goal for Millwall on 8 April, netting the winning goal in a 1–0 away win over Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium. He made 8 appearances during his loan spell at Millwall.[14]

On 21 May 2014, Edwards joined Millwall permanently on a free transfer, signing a contract until June 2015.[16] The veteran started the 2014–15 season in the first-team. On 22 September 2014, he suffered a serious knee injury during Millwall's 0–0 draw against Nottingham Forest ruling him out for the rest of the 2014–2015 campaign.[17]

On 24 August 2015, Edwards re-joined Millwall on a short-term deal until January 2016, following his earlier release from the club.[18] He made 22 appearances during the season, helping Millwall reach the 2016 Football League One play-off final, starting at right-back as Millwall lost out 1–3 to Barnsley.[19]

Ma Pau

In October 2016, Edwards joined Ma Pau Stars.[20]

Central FC

Edwards joined Central FC in May 2017 for the Caribbean Cup on a three-week contract.[21]

Woodbridge Town

In December 2017 Edwards returned to Suffolk to play for non-League club Woodbridge Town. He was appointed joint manager of the club in April 2019.[22] In January 2020 he signed dual registration terms with Bury Town, allowing him to play for Bury when Woodbridge were not playing.[23]

Bury Town

In September 2020, it was announced Edwards had joined Isthmian League side Bury Town full time for the 2020–21 season after leaving his position at Woodbridge Town.[24]

Hadleigh United

In June 2023, it was announced that Carlos Edwards would become Hadleigh United’s first signing of the summer after leaving Bury Town helping them to compete in the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties Premier Division, Step 5 of non-league (9th Tier of England) and the 1st tier of the Eastern Counties Football League. [25]

International career

Edwards made his international debut for the Trinidad and Tobago national team on 5 June 1999 against Grenada in the 1999 Caribbean Cup, despite never having appeared at any youth level for his country before.[26]

After winning that tournament, Edwards went on to become an established international and was part of the team that reached the World Cup Finals for the first time in the country's history and was duly selected for the squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He played every minute of their participation during the competition, against Sweden, England and Paraguay, respectively.

Personal life

Edwards' full name contains the name of Eighteenth Dynasty Ancient Egyptian ruler Akhenaten.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 29 May 2016
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Wrexham 2000–01[27] Second Division 36 4 1 0 2 0 0 0 39 4
2001–02[28] Second Division 26 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 27 5
2002–03[29] Third Division 44 8 1 0 2 1 2[a] 1 49 10
2003–04[30] Second Division 42 5 1 0 1 0 1[a] 0 45 5
2004–05[31] League One 18 1 0 0 0 0 3[a] 0 21 1
Total 166 23 3 0 6 1 6 1 181 25
Luton Town 2005–06[32] Championship 42 2 1 0 2 0 — 45 2
2006–07[33] Championship 26 6 0 0 3 0 — 29 6
Total 68 8 1 0 5 0 — 74 8
Sunderland 2006–07[33] Championship 15 5 1 0 0 0 — 16 5
2007–08[34] Premier League 13 0 0 0 0 0 — 13 0
2008–09[35] Premier League 22 0 3 0 1 0 — 26 0
2009–10[10] Premier League 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 0
Total 50 5 4 0 2 0 — 56 5
Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) 2008–09[35] Championship 6 0 0 0 0 0 — 6 0
Total 6 0 0 0 0 0 — 6 0
Ipswich Town 2009–10[10] Championship 28 2 2 0 0 0 — 30 2
2010–11[11] Championship 45 3 1 0 5 1 — 51 4
2011–12[36] Championship 45 0 1 0 0 0 — 46 0
2012–13[13] Championship 43 3 1 0 2 0 — 46 3
2013–14[14] Championship 15 1 2 0 1 0 — 18 1
Total 176 9 7 0 8 1 — 191 10
Millwall 2013–14[14] Championship 8 1 0 0 0 0 — 8 1
2014–15[37] Championship 8 0 0 0 0 0 — 8 0
2015–16[19] League One 15 0 1 0 0 0 6[b] 0 22 0
Total 31 2 0 0 0 0 6 0 38 1
Career total 497 46 16 0 21 2 12 1 546 49
  1. ^ a b c Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  2. ^ Three appearances in Football League Trophy, three appearances in League One play-offs

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[38]
National team Year Apps Goals
Trinidad and Tobago
1999 1 0
2000 12 0
2001 6 0
2003 8 0
2004 5 0
2005 13 1
2006 11 0
2008 11 1
2009 10 2
2011 4 0
2013 6 0
2016 2 0
2017 7 0
Total 92 4
Scores and results list Trinidad and Tobago's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Edwards goal.[38]
List of international goals scored by Carlos Edwards
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 26 March 2005 Estadio Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala  Guatemala 1–2 1–5 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2 3 September 2008 Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago  Guyana 1–0 3–0 Friendly
3 11 February 2009 Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador  El Salvador 1–0 2–2 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
4 6 June 2009 Dwight Yorke Stadium, Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago  Costa Rica 1–0 2–3 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Wrexham

Sunderland

Trinidad and Tobago

Individual

Medals

References

  1. ^ Hugman, Barry J. (2005). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005. Queen Anne Press. p. 188. ISBN 1-85291-665-6.
  2. ^ "Birchall and Bell up for award". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Football- Soca Warriors 2005". St Anthonys. Archived from the original on 12 June 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Carlos Edwards". Lutonfc.com. Archived from the original on 6 November 2007.
  5. ^ "Edwards poised to sign for Luton". BBC Sport. 17 May 2005.
  6. ^ "Sunderland sign Edwards for £1.5m". BBC Sport. 2 January 2007.
  7. ^ "Wolves complete Edwards loan deal". BBC Sport. 2 October 2008.
  8. ^ "Black Cats pair seal switch". Sunderland A.F.C. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  9. ^ "Sheff Wed 0 – 1 Ipswich". BBC Sport. 20 February 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
  10. ^ a b c "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  11. ^ a b "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  12. ^ a b "Edwards Players' Player of the Year". TWTD. 24 April 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  14. ^ a b c d "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  15. ^ "In winger". Millwall FC. 27 March 2014.
  16. ^ "Carlos Edwards: Millwall sign Ipswich midfielder on free transfer". BBC Sport. 21 May 2014.
  17. ^ "Carlos Edwards: Millwall right-back suffers serious knee injury". BBC Sport. 22 September 2014.
  18. ^ "Edwards re-joins Millwall on short-term deal". Millwall FC. 24 August 2015.
  19. ^ a b "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  20. ^ Carlos Edwards‚ newsday.co.tt, 4 October 2016
  21. ^ Foreign legion: Central FC fly in 12 players on three-week contracts for Caribbean Cup‚ wired868.com, 11 May 2017
  22. ^ 'I see it as a natural progression' - Ex-Blues ace Edwards is new joint boss at Woodbridge East Anglian Daily Times, 9 April 2019
  23. ^ Ex-Ipswich Town star Carlos Edwards signs for Bury Town East Anglian Daily Times, 31 January 2020
  24. ^ "StackPath".
  25. ^ "Ipswich Star".
  26. ^ "Carlos Akenhaton Edwards". Socawarriors.net. Archived from the original on 10 October 2008.
  27. ^ "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  28. ^ "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  29. ^ "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  30. ^ "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  31. ^ "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  32. ^ "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  33. ^ a b "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  34. ^ "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  35. ^ a b "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  36. ^ "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  37. ^ "Games played by Carlos Edwards in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  38. ^ a b "Edwards, Carlos". National Football Teams. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  39. ^ "Southend 0–2 Wrexham". BBC Sport. 10 April 2005. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
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