Stephen Carr

{{for|the Australian figure skater|Stephen Carr (figure skater)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Stephen Carr

| image = Stephencarrforwiki.png

| upright = 1.4

| caption = Carr in pre-season for Birmingham in 2011

| full_name = Stephen Carr

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|8|29|df=y}}

| birth_place = Dublin, Ireland

| height = 1.75 m

| position = Right back

| youthyears1 = 198x–1991 |youthclubs1 = Stella Maris

| youthyears2 = 1991–1993 |youthclubs2 = Tottenham Hotspur

| years1 = 1993–2004 |clubs1 = Tottenham Hotspur |caps1 = 226 |goals1 = 7

| years2 = 2004–2008 |clubs2 = Newcastle United |caps2 = 78 |goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2009–2013 |clubs3 = Birmingham City |caps3 = 106 |goals3 = 0

| totalcaps = 410

| totalgoals = 8

| nationalyears1 = 1993–1994

| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U18

| nationalcaps1 = 6

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 1994–1997

| nationalteam2 = Republic of Ireland U21

| nationalcaps2 = 12

| nationalgoals2 = 1

| nationalyears3 = 1999–2007

| nationalteam3 = Republic of Ireland

| nationalcaps3 = 44

| nationalgoals3 = 0

}}

Stephen Carr (born 29 August 1976) is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a right-back, sometimes deputising at left-back or centre back. He started his career with Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur in 1993 and remained with the club until 2004. He had a spell with Newcastle United until 2008. From 2009 until 2013 he stayed with Birmingham City, also captaining the side. He is a former international player with the Republic of Ireland, having made 44 appearances.

Club career

=Tottenham Hotspur=

Carr was born in Dublin.{{Cite book |editor-first=Barry J. |editor-last=Hugman |title=The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2007–08 |publisher=Mainstream |location=Edinburgh |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-84596-246-3 |page=74}} As a fifteen-year-old, he went on trial from Stella Maris to Tottenham Hotspur and was signed up by then manager Ossie Ardiles. He made his debut for the club on 26 September 1993 away to Ipswich Town in the 1993–94 FA Premier League season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.premierleague.com/match/560|title=Ipswich v Spurs, 1993/94 | Premier League}} However he had to wait until the 1996–97 season to establish himself as a regular first-team player, when he made 28 appearances that campaign.

He picked up a League Cup medal with Spurs in 1999 after contributing to a 1–0 win over Leicester City in the final. The 1999–2000 season was arguably his best ever as far as his performances are concerned, as well as scoring a "thunderous piledriver" against champions Manchester United.{{cite web |url=http://www.skysports.com/interactive/top_tens_story/0,25722,15881_7560315,00.html |title=Top 10 Spurs v M Utd |publisher=Sky Sports |access-date=25 October 2012}}

His reputation continued to grow throughout the 2000–01 season, and other clubs were beginning to show interest in signing him. However, in the summer of 2001, he began to have problems with his knee and required an operation which he underwent in September of that year. He did not make any appearances in the 2001–02 season and also missed the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals.{{cite web |url=http://www.spurs.co.uk/stats/player.asp?PLAYER=1879&gallery=yes&stats=yes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020806195452/http://www.spurs.co.uk/stats/player.asp?PLAYER=1879&gallery=yes&stats=yes |title=Stephen Carr |publisher=Tottenham Hotspur F.C |archive-date=6 August 2002}} It was not until October 2002 that Carr was back fully fit. As he returned to form, interest from other Premiership clubs started to resurface. Carr was linked with Manchester United, and a move to Newcastle United was on the cards.{{citation needed|date=October 2012}}

=Newcastle United=

Carr signed for Newcastle United in August 2004 when then manager Bobby Robson signed him for a fee of £2 million on a four-year contract. Soon after he signed Robson was sacked from his managerial post by chairman Freddy Shepherd. He was replaced by Graeme Souness, who, like Robson, saw Carr as a first-team player. Carr's debut for the club came in a 2–2 draw against Middlesbrough on 14 August. He played in 26 league games in the 2004–05 season, scoring once. His first goal for the club came from a "fierce shot from well outside the area" against Southampton.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3647092.stm |title=Southampton 1–2 Newcastle |publisher=BBC Sport |date=19 September 2004 |access-date=9 September 2009}} He helped Newcastle reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup and the semi-final of the FA Cup. Newcastle finished 14th, which put pressure on Souness.

File:Stephen Carr à l'entraînement.jpeg

In the 2005–06 season, he only managed to make 19 league appearances for the club as the persistent knee injury ruled him out for two months. The team finished 7th in the league under the new management of Glenn Roeder, after Souness was sacked in January.

Carr was one of the many injury victims during Newcastle's 2006–07 season and was out with a fractured foot for a few months. He returned for the 2–2 draw against West Ham United on 20 January 2007, filling in at an unfamiliar left-back position after impressive displays from Nolberto Solano at right-back during Carr's absence, putting question marks over his future at the club. He fell further down the pecking order during the 2007–08 season with the signings of Habib Beye and Geremi. Beye's impressive form and Carr's inability to maintain fitness resulted in Kevin Keegan deciding against renewing Carr's contract and he was released at the end of the season.{{cite news |url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11678/3528782/ |title=Trio to leave Newcastle |publisher=Sky Sports |date=6 May 2008 |access-date=25 October 2012}}

=After Newcastle=

Carr was linked with moves to Everton, West Ham United, Wigan Athletic, Hertha Berlin, Racing Genk and Bohemians.{{citation needed|date=October 2012}} He was also on trial with League One side Leicester City where he would have linked up with Nigel Pearson whom he played under at Newcastle.{{citation needed|date=October 2012}} Having failed to find a suitable club, Carr announced his retirement from all forms of football on 1 December 2008.{{cite news |url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_4576272,00.html |title=Carr calls it quits |publisher=Sky Sports |date=1 December 2008 |access-date=1 December 2008}}

=Birmingham City=

File:Stephen Carr Arsenal vs Birmingham 2010-11.jpg

In February 2009 he began training with Birmingham City with a view to coming out of retirement,{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-stephen-carr-ready-84691 |title=Stephen Carr ready to come out of retirement for Birmingham City |work=Birmingham Mail |date=13 February 2009 |access-date=25 October 2012}} and signed a one-month contract with the club on 23 February.{{cite web |url=http://origin-www.bcfc.com/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10412~1567100,00.html |title=Carr gears up for Blues |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=23 February 2009 |access-date=25 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110415085010/http://www.bcfc.com/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10412~1567100,00.html |archive-date=15 April 2011}} He made his debut the following day, playing the whole of the goalless draw away to Crystal Palace.{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/sport/football/football-news/crystal-palace-0-birmingham-0-85688 |title=Crystal Palace 0, Birmingham 0 |first=Colin |last=Tattum |work=Birmingham Mail |date=25 February 2009 |access-date=25 October 2012}} After impressing during the initial month, Carr signed an extension until the end of the season.{{cite web |url=http://origin-www.bcfc.com/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10412~1597254,00.html |title=Blues in new Carr deal |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=20 March 2009 |access-date=25 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322033319/http://www.bcfc.com/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10412~1597254,00.html |archive-date=22 March 2009}} Following Birmingham's promotion to the Premier League, Carr signed a new two-year contract with the club.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/8052550.stm |title=Carr secures Birmingham contract |publisher=BBC Sport |date=15 May 2009 |access-date=15 May 2009}} Made acting captain in the absence through injury and squad rotation of Lee Carsley,{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/sport/football/football-news/stephen-carr-earns-captains-armband-101086 |title=Stephen Carr earns captain's armband for Birmingham City |work=Birmingham Mail |date=21 August 2009 |access-date=25 October 2012}} he was a member of the Birmingham team that went 15 games unbeaten in all competitions, including a club record 12 unbeaten in the top flight, during the 2009–10 Premier League season.{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1157547.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118090630/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1157547.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 January 2010 |title=Fresh fortunes at St Andrew's |publisher=FIFA |date=15 January 2010 |access-date=1 June 2010}}{{cite news |url=http://www.sundaymercury.net/midlands-sport/birmingham-city-fc/birmingham-city-fc-news/2010/05/16/colin-tattum-analyses-the-way-ahead-for-birmingham-city-66331-26453344/ |title=Colin Tattum analyses the way ahead for Birmingham City |first=Colin |last=Tattum |newspaper=Sunday Mercury |location=Birmingham |date=16 May 2010 |access-date=1 June 2010}} Towards the end of the season Carr received a one-match suspension for improper conduct after making an "offensive gesture" towards Aston Villa supporters at the end of the local derby lost by Birmingham via a late, controversial penalty.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/apr/29/stephen-carr-ban-gesture |title=Birmingham's Stephen Carr handed one-match ban for offensive gesture |agency=Press Association |newspaper=The Guardian |date=29 April 2010 |access-date=8 September 2010}}

He captained the team to victory in the 2011 Football League Cup final as Birmingham defeated favourites Arsenal 2–1.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/9407612.stm |title=Carling Cup final: McLeish hails 'greatest achievement' |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 February 2011 |access-date=28 February 2011}} Carr played every game of the 2010–11 Premier League season, at the end of which Birmingham were relegated to the Championship, and the club took up the option of retaining his services for another year.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/13573178 |title=Relegated Birmingham confirm exit of six players |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 May 2011 |access-date=14 August 2012}}

Carr made his 100th appearance for Birmingham in the Europa League play-off round first leg against Portuguese club Nacional, the first time the club had participated in major European competition for nearly 50 years.{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/sport/football/football-news/nacional-0-birmingham-city-0-159852 |title=Nacional 0, Birmingham City 0 |work=Birmingham Mail |first=Colin |last=Tattum |date=19 August 2011 |access-date=25 October 2012}} He missed much of the second half of the 2011–12 season with knee cartilage damage, and his contract expired in June, but after the appointment of former Newcastle teammate Lee Clark as Birmingham's manager, he signed a one-year deal with the club.{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/sport/football/football-news/stephen-carr-explains-the-reasons-for-signing-188037 |title=Stephen Carr explains the reasons for signing up again with Birmingham City |work=Birmingham Mail |first=Colin |last=Tattum |date=5 July 2012 |access-date=16 July 2012}} Investigation of an injury sustained in a pre-season friendly in August revealed knee damage requiring surgery predicted to keep him out for six months.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19598558 |title=Birmingham City skipper Stephen Carr sidelined again |publisher=BBC Sport |date=14 September 2012 |access-date=25 October 2012}}

Carr was unable to play again, and at the end of the 2012–13 season he announced his retirement from football. Although Clark had hoped to persuade him to stay at Birmingham as a coach, Carr confirmed that he and his family intended to move to Spain where he had business interests.{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/birmingham-city-interview-stephen-carr-3319391 |title=Stephen Carr: 'I will never forget that day lifting the cup.' |first=Colin |last=Tattum |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=3 May 2013 |access-date=3 May 2013}}

International career

Carr represented his country at schoolboy, youth, under-18, under-21 and full international levels.{{Cite web|url=http://www.11v11.com/players/stephen-carr-516/|title=Stephen Carr|website=11v11.com|access-date=12 September 2016}} He missed out on the 2002 World Cup due to injury.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/apr/05/newsstory.sport2|title=Carr breaks down on way to World Cup|last=Brodkin|first=Jon|date=4 April 2002|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=12 September 2016}}

Carr initially retired from the international scene after the team failed to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, having played 39 times for his country.{{Cite news|last=Pearson|first=James|title=Carr in Ireland U-turn|work=Sky Sports|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11678/2385671/carr-in-ireland-u-turn}} However he was convinced to continue playing international football by new Ireland manager Steve Staunton. Due to injuries and the sacking of Irish manager Staunton, Carr retired from international football on 14 November 2007.{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/international/2007/1114/224904-carrs/ |title=Carr calls time on International career |publisher=RTÉ Sport |date=14 November 2007 |access-date=25 October 2012}}

Career statistics

= Club =

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Europe !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="12"\|Tottenham Hotspur \|1993–94 \|Premier League \|1	0	0	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|–	2	0
1994–95 \|Premier League \|0	0	0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	0	0
1995–96{{cite news \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/jun/17/newsstory.sport3 \|title=Inside the Intertoto Cup \|work=The Observer \|date=17 June 2001 \|access-date=16 September 2012}} \|Premier League \|0	0	0	0	0	0	2Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup	0	2	0
1996–97 \|Premier League \|26	0	1	0	3	0	colspan="2"\|–	30	0
1997–98 \|Premier League \|38	0	3	0	2	0	colspan="2"\|–	43	0
1998–99 \|Premier League \|37	0	7	0	8	1	colspan="2"\|–	52	1
1999–2000 \|Premier League \|34	3	0	0	1	0	4Appearances in UEFA Cup	0	39	3
2000–01 \|Premier League \|28	3	2	0	3	0	colspan="2"\|–	33	3
2001–02 \|Premier League \|0	0	0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	0	0
2002–03{{Soccerbase season\|1320\|2002\|access-date=16 September 2012}} \|Premier League \|30	0	1	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|–	32	0
2003–04{{Soccerbase season\|1320\|2003\|access-date=16 September 2012}} \|Premier League \|32	1	3	0	4	0	colspan="2"\|–	39	1
colspan="2"\|Total !226	7	17	0	23	1	6	0	272	8
rowspan="5"\|Newcastle United \|2004–05{{Soccerbase season\|1320\|2004\|access-date=16 September 2012}} \|Premier League \|26	1	4	0	0	0	9	0	39	1
2005–06{{Soccerbase season\|1320\|2005\|access-date=16 September 2012}} \|Premier League \|19	0	2	0	0	0	3	0	24	0
2006–07{{Soccerbase season\|1320\|2006\|access-date=16 September 2012}} \|Premier League \|23	0	0	0	1	0	8Two appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup, six in UEFA Cup	0	32	0
2007–08{{Soccerbase season\|1320\|2007\|access-date=16 September 2012}} \|Premier League \|10	0	2	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	12	0
colspan="2"\|Total !78	1	8	0	1	0	20	0	107	1
rowspan="6"\|Birmingham City \|2008–09{{Soccerbase season\|1320\|2008\|access-date=16 September 2012}} \|Championship \|13	0	0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	13	0
2009–10{{Soccerbase season\|1320\|2009\|access-date=16 September 2012}} \|Premier League \|35	0	4	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|–	40	0
2010–11{{Soccerbase season\|1320\|2010\|access-date=16 September 2012}} \|Premier League \|38	0	1	0	5	0	colspan="2"\|–	44	0
2011–12{{Soccerbase season\|1320\|2011\|access-date=16 September 2012}}{{cite web \|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/stephen-carr/2889/ \|title=S. Carr \|work=Soccerway \|publisher=Global Sports Media \|access-date=15 August 2012}} \|Championship \|20	0	1	0	0	0	3Appearances in UEFA Europa League	0	24	0
2012–13{{Soccerbase season\|1320\|2012\|access-date=3 May 2013}} \|Championship \|0	0	0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total !106	0	6	0	6	0	3	0	121	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !410	8	31	0	30	1	29	0	500	9

=International=

National team\|\|Year\|\|Apps\|\|Goals
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year{{NFT player\|3284\|accessdate=26 September 2020}}
rowspan="9"\|Ireland \|1999	8	0
2000	7	0
2001	3	0
2002	0	0
2003	11	0
2004	6	0
2005	6	0
2006	2	0
2007	1	0
colspan="2"\|Total\|\|44\|\|0

Honours

Tottenham Hotspur

Football League Cup: 1998–99{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/300408.stm |title=Nielsen nicks it for Spurs |website=BBC Sport |date=22 March 1999 |access-date=30 March 2024}}

Newcastle United

UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2006

Birmingham City

Football League Cup: 2010–11{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/9405702.stm |title=Arsenal 1–2 Birmingham |first=Philip |last=McNulty |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 February 2011 |access-date=25 March 2024}}

Individual

PFA Team of the Year: 2000–01 Premier League, 2002–03 Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur Members Club Player of the Year:{{cite web |url=http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/article-old-28088.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717080059/http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/article-old-28088.html |title=Carr named Player of Year |publisher=Tottenham Hotspur F.C |date=23 December 2000 |archive-date=17 July 2011}} 1999, 2000