Former £35m striker joins non-league club - and admits his kids "thought I was joining Chelsea"
A striker who was once among the best in the Premier League has dropped into the depths of non-league football.
There was a time when clubs would dread seeing the name Andy Carroll on an opponent’s teamsheet; towering above defenders at 6ft 4in tall, he was dominant from corner kicks and crosses into the box - and was pretty handy with his feet, too.
Caroll, 36, has scored 54 Premier League goals, bagging for the likes of Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham United over the course of his career. In fact, when he joined Liverpool in 2011 he did so for an eye-watering £35m.
This decade, he has found himself playing for lower-tier sides like West Brom and Reading, before making the switch to the French second division in 2023, first playing for Amiens before joining Bordeaux the following year.
A free agent this summer, Carroll is back playing English football - and looks like he couldn’t be happier.
The nine-cap England international has signed for National League club Dagenham and Redbrige, with club photos announcing his arrival showing Carroll beaming as he poses with the club’s shirt.
Speaking to the Sun, Carroll said: “I’m really excited to get started with Dagenham.
“My kids thought I was signing for Chelsea. They’ll be in for a shock!”
This season’s campaign will see Carroll play against clubs like Oldham Athletic, Eastleigh FC and Gateshead - the town where he was born.