Players - Scott Carson

Scott Carson
Birthdate: 3 September 1985
Birthplace: Whitehaven, England
Other clubs: Leeds United (2001-05), Sheffield Wednesday (loan 2006), Charlton Athletic (loan 2006-07), Aston Villa (loan 2007-08), West Bromwich Albion (2008-11), Bursaspor (2011-13), Wigan Athletic (2013-15), Derby County (2015-21), Manchester City (loan 2019-21), Manchester City (2021-)
Signed from: Leeds United
Signed for LFC: £1m, 21.01.2005
International debut: 16.11.2007 vs. Austria
International caps: 4/0 (2 caps at LFC) - 15.11.2011
Liverpool debut: 05.03.2005
Last appearance: 07.01.2006
Contract expiry: 18.07.2008
Win ratio: 55.56% W:5 D:0 L:4
Honours: Champions League 2005, European Super Cup 2005
Total games/goals opposite LFC: 3 / 0
League games / goals / assists: 4 / 0 / 0
Total games / goals / assists: 9 / 0 / 0
League clean sheets: 1
Total clean sheets: 2

Player Profile

Carson made his Leeds debut when coming on as a substitute in a 3-0 defeat against Middlesbrough on 31 January 2004. Paul Robinson was sent off in the eighty-eighth minute and Carson's first task was to try to save a penalty, but he didn't succeed. He was kept out of Leeds' starting line-up in the 2004/05 season by Neil Sullivan and wanted a new challenge. Liverpool won the race with Chelsea to sign the England u-21 keeper in January 2005. He was Dudek's understudy, but his quest to become Liverpool's number one keeper became considerably more complicated with the arrival of Jose Reina in July 2005. After only nine games in two years, including a great performance in the quarter-finals of the Champions League against Juventus at Anfield, he went on loan to Premiership side Charlton who got relegated. Benítez wanted to keep Carson at Anfield but he was still in England's plans and could not afford to be an unused understudy: "I am happy with the situation and for Scott to play regularly somewhere else. We do not want to lose him, certainly not sell him." said Rafa in August 2007.

Carson was on loan at Aston Villa throughout the 2007/08 season but Martin O'Neill's side didn't take up the option to sign him and brought in Brad Friedel instead. When Carson left Liverpool for good he preferred Premiership newcomers West Bromwich Albion to Stoke in the summer of 2008 which didn't seem such a wise choice when Stoke finished twelfth in the Premier League and WBA were relegated. Baggies manager Roberto di Matteo made Carson club captain at the start of the 2009/10 season. "Scott has the respect of all the other players. He gives his best in every training session and every game," said the Italian. Carson featured in 40 of 46 matches in the Championship as the West Midlands club made an immediate return to the Premier League. Carson's form dipped halfway through the 2010/11 season and he was replaced for a few matches for Boaz Myhill, but Carson was back in favour with the arrival of Roy Hodgson in February 2011. Early July 2011 Carson completed a surprising transfer to Turkish club Bursaspor.

Carson played in twenty-nine of the thirty-four Süper Lig matches in the 2012/13 season. Bursaspor finished in fourth position, which meant that they qualified for the Third Qualifying Round of the Europa League. After two years in Turkey, the 27-year-old Carson returned to the English game by signing a three-year contract with Wigan Athletic. He made 26 appearances in Wigan's goal during the 2013/14 season and remained there for 2014/15 but after their relegation from the Championship, he signed for Derby County, appearing 36 times as they reached the playoffs. In both 2016/17 and 2017/18, he was an ever-present on goal for Derby in the Championship. In the second half of 2018/19 Carson was dropped by Frank Lampard and did not look likely to regain his place under new manager Philip Cocu after Lampard's departure for Chelsea. His next destination was a shock to all, however, when he joined Manchester City on a one-year loan deal on 7 August. Despite not making a first team appearance for City in 2019/20, Carson agreed another season long loan at the Etihad Stadium for 2020/21 and made one league appearance. When his Derby contract expired he joined City on a free transfer for 2021/22 and came off the bench for the last seventeen minutes of a Champions League round of sixteen game at home to Sporting Lisbon, when City were 5-0 up on aggregate. This was sixteen years and 338 days after he had last appeared in the competition for Liverpool, the longest gap between appearances in its history. 

Carson has made four appearances for the England international team as well as taking part in 29 Under-21 internationals. His international career suffered after he made a terrible error against Croatia at Wembley in a 3-2 European Championship qualifier defeat on 21 November 2007. England failed to reach Euro 2008 and manager Steve McLaren was sacked the following day.

Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 4 1 1 3 0 9
2004-2005 4 0 0 1 0 5
2005-2006 0 1 1 2 0 4
2006-2007 0 0 0 0 0 0
2007-2008 0 0 0 0 0 0
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
1 90 Aston Villa
1 90 Luton Town
1 90 Newcastle United
1 90 Manchester City
1 90 Bolton Wanderers
1 90 Juventus
1 90 Crystal Palace
1 90 CSKA Sofia
1 90 FBK Kaunas
Total Started/substitutions
9 Started
49 On the bench
0 Substitute
0 Substituted
Total Venue
5 Home
4 Away
Total Competition
4 Premier League
3 Champions League
1 FA Cup
1 League Cup
Total W D L Win % Manager
9 5 0 4 55.6% Rafa Benítez
Clean sheets per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 1 0 0 1 0 2
2004-2005 1 0 0 0 0 1
2005-2006 0 0 0 1 0 1
2006-2007 0 0 0 0 0 0
2007-2008 0 0 0 0 0 0
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 05.03.2005 Newcastle United St James' Park League
Related Articles
Scott Carson tried to give Chris Kirkland his Champions League medal

The Guardian on 26 January 2017.

Carson draws hope from his night in Europe

Charlton's goalkeeper tells Jon Brodkin that today's match with Boro ranks with facing Juventus at Anfield. Article from The Guardian on 13th of January 2007.

Restored Robert back in favour with Souness

The Telegraph match report on Newcastle - Liverpool on 05.03.2005.

Related Quotes

"It’s never easy as a goalkeeper at 19, but there’s an old adage that it doesn’t matter about your age if you’re good enough. I was younger than Scott is now when I came to Liverpool from Scunthorpe. I think I was 18 when I had my first game in the first team. Then I had to wait a year or two before I became a regular."

Clemence commenting on Carson and his own career

"When the manager read the team out I was just sitting there and it was a big surprise for me. It was unbelievable to play. I played a couple of games for Leeds but it was a different story to play for Liverpool. The defence did superbly and I hardly had anything to do. We were looking for that clean sheet."

Scott Carson in March 2005

"Since Scott came to Charlton he's been an absolute revelation and made save after save. A lot of the clean sheets we've been getting have been largely down to Scott. Give him time to settle and he will become a top, top goalkeeper."

Scott Carson was on loan from Liverpool at Charlton in the 2006-07 season. Charlton skipper, Luke Young, was very impressed.

"Going abroad never crossed my mind. West Brom didn't put a new contract on the table and I didn't know what Roy Hodgson was thinking as I never really spoke to him. Once Bursaspor made contact and West Brom were willing to speak to them I thought that was the writing on the wall. The football is great and the atmospheres are unbelievable so I'd recommend it to other English players."

Scott Carson moved to Turkey to play for Bursaspor. He seemed quite happy about his decision in November 2011.

Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Leeds United 2003-2004 England Premier League 3 0 3 0
Sheffield Wednesday 2005-2006 England Championship 9 0 9 0
Charlton Athletic 2006-2007 England Premier League 36 0 39 0
Aston Villa 2007-2008 England Premier League 35 0 36 0
WBA 2008-2009 England Premier League 35 0 39 0
WBA 2009-2010 England Championship 43 0 47 0
WBA 2010-2011 England Premier League 32 0 32 0
Bursaspor 2011-2012 Turkey 1 32 0 41 0
Bursaspor 2012-2013 Turkey 1 29 0 29 0
Wigan Athletic 2013-2014 England Championship 16 0 25 0
Wigan Athletic 2014-2015 England Championship 34 0 34 0
Derby 2015-2016 Championship 36 0 39 0
Derby 2016-2017 Championship 46 0 50 0
Derby 2017-2018 Championship 46 0 49 0
Derby 2018-2019 Championship 30 0 33 0
Manchester City 2020-2021 Premier League 1 0 1 0
Total 463 0 506 0