On this day in 2007 Carlos Edwards came on as a sub to make his debut against Preston. The Trinidadian winger was a huge hit on Wearside, and has a mural on the side of ALS headquarters!
Edwards began his professional career at Wrexham after impressing in his home country of Trinidad. In Wales, Edwards won promotion to the Second Division and was included in the PFA Third Division Team of the Year. He was also awarded Wrexham Player of the Year.
Despite being relegated in 2005, Edwards won the Football League Trophy in the same season with Wrexham. When the winger’s contract expired, he joined Luton Town on a free transfer.
Some great form at Luton led to Edwards’ flair and technical ability attracting interest from Sunderland. Roy Keane offered £1.5 million for the winger, which was enough to bring the Trinidadian to the Stadium of Light.
Just three days after signing for the club, Carlos made his debut replacing Daryl Murphy from the bench. But we were already 1-0 down and a man down as Liam Miller received two yellows in ten minutes. Edwards couldn't turn around the result.
In his first season at the club, Edwards had a huge impact, scoring five times in half a season. The best- and most important- of those five is undoubtedly his rocket from outside the box against Burnley. He picked the ball up on the right-hand side, set himself up with his first touch and absolutely leathered it into the top corner to win the game.
More importantly, the goal put Sunderland back to first place in the Championship, and the lads were crowned champions as Derby failed to defeat Crystal Palace the following day! Carlos played 15 games for us that season, and experienced defeat just once. That was the impact of Roy Keane's January signings, which corresponded with the club's surge in form.
Unfortunately for Carlos and the team as a whole, his first season in the Premier League was hampered by firstly a hamstring injury, before a leg fracture kept the Trinidadian out until the final few months of the season. After Sunderland went on somewhat of a spending spree, Edwards was largely out of the manager’s plans. He was loaned out to Wolves, before spending a number of years in the Championship with Millwall and Ipswich (where he was named the Tractor Boys' Player of the Year and played alongside Grant Leadbitter, Daryl Murphy and Michael Chopra).
Carlos Edwards' time at SAFC may have been short-lived but he had a lasting impact at the Stadium of Light. That was reflected in his inclusion in the PFA Championship Team of the Year.
Always a dedicated professional, Edwards is well into his 40s but still playing for Bury Town in the Isthmian League.
