Former Lincoln City goalkeeper Trevor Carson has announced his retirement after a knee injury brought his long career to an end.
The 38-year-old had agreed to join Queen of the South earlier this summer, but informed manager Nicky Clark that he could not guarantee his fitness across the coming campaign. Carson stepped aside to give the Scottish club time to find a replacement, ending a career that included eight senior appearances for Northern Ireland and spells across England and Scotland.
His time at Sincil Bank amounted to only 16 appearances, but few loan spells have had such a lasting place in the recent history of the Imps.
Carson arrived from Sunderland in January 2011, with Steve Tilson’s side bottom of League Two and in desperate need of some stability. Regular goalkeeper Joe Anyon had struggled for consistency, prompting Tilson to turn to the inexperienced Northern Irishman.
He made an immediate impact. Carson’s debut came in a remarkable 4-3 victory away at Stockport County, a result that lifted City above their relegation rivals and appeared to provide the spark needed to climb away from danger.
That win was followed by a much-improved run of results. Carson quickly established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper, bringing authority and confidence behind a defence that had previously looked vulnerable. He kept four clean sheets during his stay and was part of the side that beat Southend United 2-1 at Sincil Bank in February.
A goalless draw against Macclesfield Town followed in March, leaving the Imps seemingly within touching distance of safety. Carson’s presence between the posts offered reassurance during a difficult season, and his loan had initially been extended until late April.
Everything changed after a 2-1 defeat at Stevenage.
Sunderland activated the 24-hour recall clause in Carson’s agreement, leaving Tilson with little time to locate another goalkeeper. The manager admitted that the decision placed City in a difficult position, although he thanked Sunderland for allowing Carson to gain competitive experience during his stay.
The sudden recall became even harder to accept when Carson was almost immediately sent to Brentford, one division above the Imps.
He later admitted that leaving Lincoln had been a gamble. Carson had expected to return to Sincil Bank after training with Sunderland, only for Brentford’s interest and the prospect of appearing at Wembley to change his thinking.
“I went back to train with Sunderland for a couple of days and was ready to head down to Lincoln, then heard Brentford were interested.
“When I saw their games coming up I wanted to come down. Of course, the chance of playing at Wembley was a massive lure.
“I took a gamble, and some people will be saying I was silly for coming as I’m not guaranteed to play. That’s football.”
The Brentford move resulted in just one appearance. Carson played in a 3-1 win against Sheffield Wednesday before suffering a knee injury that kept him out for the remainder of the loan.
City replaced him with Aston Villa youngster Elliott Parish. What followed remains one of the bleakest runs in the club’s history.
The Imps lost all eight league matches after Carson’s departure, conceding 22 goals in the process. A side that had appeared to be moving towards safety collapsed completely, with relegation confirmed after a 3-0 defeat against Aldershot Town on the final day.
It would be unfair to place the responsibility for that collapse entirely upon the change in goal, but Carson’s recall undoubtedly removed one of the few dependable parts of Tilson’s team. The Imps did not collect another point and would spend the next six seasons outside the Football League.
Carson went on to play for Bury, Portsmouth, Cheltenham Town and Hartlepool United before moving to Scotland. He spent four years with Motherwell and later represented Dundee United, Morecambe, St Mirren, Dundee and Ross County. Queen of the South had hoped his experience would prove invaluable, but a troublesome knee forced him to make the decision before the new campaign began.
He’ll always be a subplot in a horrible Lincoln season, but a keeper who had a decent career, nonetheless.
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