Andrew Carleton

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Andrew Carleton

| fullname = Andrew James Carleton

| image = 2018-08-19 - Atlanta United - Andrew Carleton.jpg

| caption = Carleton at an Atlanta United event in 2018

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|6|22}}

| birth_place = Powder Springs, Georgia, U.S.

| height = 1.70m

| position = Winger

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 2016

| youthclubs1 = Georgia United

| years1 = 2016–2020

| clubs1 = Atlanta United

| caps1 = 11

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2018–2020

| clubs2 = Atlanta United 2

| caps2 = 29

| goals2 = 7

| years3 = 2016

| clubs3 = → Charleston Battery (loan)

| caps3 = 3

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2020

| clubs4 = → Indy Eleven (loan)

| caps4 = 14

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2021

| clubs5 = Georgia Storm

| caps5 = 9

| goals5 = 4

| years6 = 2021

| clubs6 = Jicaral Sercoba

| caps6 = 1

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2021

| clubs7 = Kalonji Pro-Profile

| caps7 = 2

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2022

| clubs8 = San Diego Loyal

| caps8 = 27

| goals8 = 1

| years9 = 2023

| clubs9 = Las Vegas Lights

| caps9 = 27

| goals9 = 2

| nationalyears1 = 2015

| nationalteam1 = United States U15

| nationalcaps1 = 8

| nationalgoals1 = 6

| nationalyears2 = 2015–2017

| nationalteam2 = United States U17

| nationalcaps2 = 15

| nationalgoals2 = 12

| nationalyears3 = 2015

| nationalteam3 = United States U18

| nationalcaps3 = 4

| nationalgoals3 = 1

| nationalyears4 = 2019

| nationalteam4 = United States U20

| nationalcaps4 = 2

| nationalgoals4 = 1

| club-update = October 21, 2023

| nationalteam-update = February 13, 2017

}}

Andrew James Carleton (born June 22, 2000) is an American professional soccer player.

Early life

Carleton was born in Powder Springs, Georgia and played for Georgia United at the youth level.

Carleton has two brothers named Alan and Johnny and two sisters named Erin and Erica. Alan signed with Atlanta United 2 in 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://www.atlutd.com/2/news/atlanta-united-2-signs-midfielder-alan-carleton#:~:text=ATLANTA%20%E2%80%93%20Atlanta%20United%202%20today,pending%20league%20and%20federation%20approval.|title=Atlanta United 2 signs Alan Carleton |website=www.atlutd.com}}

Professional career

File:Andrew Carleton playing for Atlanta United on June 2, 2018.jpg

On June 9, 2016, Carleton signed with Major League Soccer side Atlanta United FC as the new team's first ever Homegrown Player.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/06/09/atlanta-united-fc-sign-youth-star-andrew-carleton-first-homegrown-player|title=Atlanta United sign youth star Andrew Carleton as first Homegrown Player|date=June 9, 2016|publisher=}} He spent the 2016 season on loan with United Soccer League side Charleston Battery. He made his first appearance on September 7, 2016, against FC Montreal.{{Cite web|url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/roster_players/13310690?subseason=280291|title=Andrew Carleton|access-date=September 9, 2016}} On September 10, 2016, Carleton became the youngest American professional player in history to start a USL match.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dirtysouthsoccer.com/2016/9/14/12921892/andrew-carleton-made-some-kind-of-history-with-first-professional-start|title=Andrew Carleton made some kind of history with first professional start|last=Usry|first=Rob|date=September 14, 2016|website=Dirty South Soccer|access-date=September 15, 2016}} On September 17, 2016, Carleton recorded his first professional assist for the Battery.

On February 11, 2017, he made his debut for Atlanta United and scored during the second half of the team's first preseason game against Chattanooga FC. Carleton made his MLS debut on May 20, 2017, as an 85th minute substitution against Houston Dynamo. The 16-year-old was given a standing ovation at a sold out Bobby Dodd Stadium.{{cite web|url=https://www.atlutd.com/post/2017/05/22/homegrown-andrew-carleton-makes-his-mls-debut-front-sellout-home-crowd|title=Homegrown Andrew Carleton makes his MLS debut in front of sellout home crowd|date=May 22, 2017|publisher=}} Andrew provided his first career assist in a 4–1 win against Vancouver on March 17, 2018.{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

On April 21, 2018, while on loan to Atlanta United 2, Carleton scored his first professional goal, a penalty kick in a 1–1 draw against Louisville City FC. He scored his first goal with Atlanta United's first team on June 6, 2018, vs Charleston Battery in the US Open Cup.{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

On January 24, 2020, Carleton was loaned to USL Championship side Indy Eleven for the 2020 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.atlutd.com/news/atlanta-united-loans-andrew-carleton-indy-eleven|title=Atlanta United loans Andrew Carleton to Indy Eleven | Atlanta United FC|website=atlutd}} When the season ended, Carleton was released by Atlanta United.{{cite web |last1=Bogert |first1=Tom |title=Why Atlanta United moved on from Andrew Carleton and how an MLS team can sign him {{!}} Tom Bogert {{!}} MLSSoccer.com |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/why-atlanta-united-moved-andrew-carleton-and-how-mls-team-can-sign-him-tom-boger |website=mlssoccer |access-date=19 February 2025 |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.atlutd.com/news/atlanta-united-announce-year-end-roster-moves|title=Atlanta United announce year-end roster moves | Atlanta United FC|website=atlutd}}

In April 2021, Carleton joined Georgia Storm FC ahead of their first National Premier Soccer League season.{{cite web |title=Georgia Storm 4/30 Signings |url=https://twitter.com/GeorgiaStormSA/status/1388267494981394437 |website=Twitter.com |publisher=@GeorgiaStormSA |access-date=1 May 2021}}

On September 11, 2021, Carleton joined Costa Rican first division club Jicaral Sercoba.{{cite web |title= ¡Bienvenido Andrew Carleton! |url=https://twitter.com/Jicaral_Sercoba/status/1436864650126188552 |website=Twitter |access-date=12 September 2021 |language=Spanish}}

In December 2021, Carleton returned to United States to play with United Premier Soccer League club Kalonji Pro-Profile.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nonprosoccer.com/Player/Profile/5130/Profile|title=Player profile Carleton Andrew - NonProSoccer.com|website=www.nonprosoccer.com}}

Carleton returned to the professional game on March 9, 2022, signing with USL Championship side San Diego Loyal. He was released by San Diego following the 2022 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1250360-sd-loyal-announces-initial-roster-moves-for-2023-season|title=SD Loyal announces initial roster moves for 2023 season|author=USLChampionship com Staff|date=December 6, 2022|website=USL Championship}}

Carleton signed with Las Vegas Lights on January 25, 2023.{{cite web |title=LIGHTS FC ANNOUNCE NEW COACHING STAFF & INITIAL PLAYER SIGNINGS FOR 2023 SEASON |url=https://www.lasvegaslightsfc.com/news/2023/01/25/2023-roster-announcement/ |website=LasVegasLightsFC.com |publisher=Las Vegas Lights |access-date=25 January 2023}}

=Discipline issues=

In 2018, Carleton was among the rising youth players within the Atlanta United organization. He had seen significant playing time and had been included in the matchday squad several times. However, on the eve of the 2018 MLS Cup championship game, local news media reported that Carleton had broken team curfew/rules and posted photos while drinking with friends in an Atlanta bar.{{cite web |last1=Rueter |first1=Jeff |title=After ‘dumb decisions’ in Atlanta, Andrew Carleton is rising again in USL |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2102522/2020/09/29/andrew-carleton-indy-eleven-atlanta-united-usl-mls/ |website=The New York Times |access-date=19 February 2025}} This prompted disciplinary action by manager Tata Martino, who banned Carleton from dressing for the game. Carleton was also not allowed to participate in the celebration parade the following week by club management.

In early 2019, new Atlanta United manager Frank de Boer made statements to the media regarding Carleton's lack of maturity and professionalism, saying "He still has to grow up as a man."{{cite web |last1=Boehm |first1=Charles |title=Frank de Boer urges Andrew Carleton "to grow up," avoid "distractions" {{!}} MLSSoccer.com |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/frank-de-boer-urges-andrew-carleton-grow-avoid-distractions |website=MLSsoccer |access-date=19 February 2025 |language=en}} On June 26, 2019, Atlanta United was left one man short on the bench for an away match against Toronto FC when Carleton forgot his passport on the trip to Canada. Two days later, manager Frank de Boer announced Andrew would play with the reserve team until he showed improvements in his professionalism. "He's joining the USL team right now... I have no worries about his quality, but more the professional side,” said de Boer.{{cite news |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/06/28/andrew-carleton-sent-atlanta-united-2-after-passport-snafu |title=Andrew Carleton sent to Atlanta United 2 after passport snafu |date=June 28, 2019 |accessdate=June 28, 2019 |work=MLS}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="2"\|League !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Domestic Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="2"\|Charleston Battery \|2016 \|3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
colspan="1"\|Total !3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
rowspan="3"\|Atlanta United \|2017 \|1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
2018 \|6	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	7	1
2019 \|3	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	4	0
colspan="2"\|Total !10	0	0	0	3	1	0	0	13	1
rowspan="2"\|Atlanta United 2 \|2018 \|14	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	14	2
2019 \|15	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	15	5
colspan="2"\|Total !29	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	29	7
colspan="2"\|Career total !42	7	1	0	3	1	0	0	46	8