Key Points
- Andy Carroll, former England striker with a record £35million move to Liverpool in 2011, has signed a three-year deal with sixth-tier Dagenham & Redbridge.
- Carroll joins as both a player and a minority owner, coinciding with a 100% takeover by a consortium of Qatari investors.
- He turned down offers from six or seven clubs at higher levels, some with greater financial rewards, to join Dagenham & Redbridge.
- Carroll emphasises the move is about the “whole package” and the long-term project, not financial gain or prestige.
- He seeks to play for the love of the game and be closer to his family after a challenging stint in France.
- Plans to assist in re-establishing the club’s youth academy and contribute both on and off the pitch.
- The club’s ownership shift brings new leadership, with interim chairman Youseph Al Sharif and non-executive director Anwar Uddin joining the board.
- Carroll’s arrival hailed as a shock transfer and a major statement of intent by the ambitious new owners.
In an unprecedented turn for English non-league football, former England international Andy Carroll has signed for Dagenham & Redbridge, rejecting multiple offers from higher divisions to spearhead an ambitious project both on the pitch and in the boardroom. Carroll, whose high-profile past includes spells with Premier League giants Liverpool and Newcastle United, will join as a player and minority owner at the club after the arrival of Qatari investors.
Why did Andy Carroll join Dagenham & Redbridge?
As reported by Sky Sports News, Andy Carroll has signed a three-year contract with Dagenham & Redbridge, a club competing in the National League South, the sixth tier of English football. The move coincides with the club’s acquisition by a Qatari consortium, detailed by Sky Sports News on 12 July 2025. Carroll’s transfer was described as “one of the shocks of the summer” by Sky Sports, given his Premier League pedigree and recent performance at Bordeaux and Amiens in France.
“Obviously I’ve spoke to other clubs and clubs in higher leagues, but when I first met the manager and what he was saying to me… I just thought it just fit right and the project behind the scenes and the team they’ve got, I just thought it’s something I can get myself right in involved in and hopefully get them up the leagues,” Carroll told Sky Sports News.
What offers did Carroll receive and why did he refuse ‘more money’ from higher leagues?
Journalists at The Athletic and Tribal Football confirm that Carroll received offers from
“six or seven clubs on the phone at higher levels, within driving distance from home, and offering more money.”
Nevertheless, as Carroll told The Athletic,
“for me, it was the whole package of the club… I could speak to the owners, and they’d tell me what the future was going to look like. I could also speak to the manager, and he could tell me what it would be like. I just felt like I wanted to be part of it”.
Carroll made clear that financial incentives were not a priority. He said, as quoted by Sky Sports News,
“I just love playing football… coming here and showing everyone that I’m just playing for the love of football rather than the money and the levels – that’s something I’ve always wanted to do”.
Mirroring this sentiment, BBC Sport reported Carroll’s words:
“It doesn’t matter the level, it doesn’t matter anything, as long as I get on the pitch and play, that’s all that matters. I just wanted to play for the love of football rather than for money, and the level is something I wanted to do”.
How does Carroll view his role at Dagenham & Redbridge?
According to Tribal Football, Carroll is committing to more than playing duties. He has taken a minority share in the club, indicating a long-term vision beyond his contract’s duration. Carroll spoke of his desire to assist in rejuvenating the club’s academy:
“The main thing that I would like to see is the academy set back up. If you’ve got 60,000 kids in the area under 16, you’ve got an opportunity. To get that up and running is key for the club – it’s a necessity, really”.
He further elaborated to The Athletic:
“You look at the club and you think it’s got potential. It’s 30 minutes into London on the train. It’s a fantastic area… Or I could come here, start from the bottom, and have a project where I can work on the pitch and off the pitch to hopefully bring something fantastic to the club in the area”.
What is the significance of the timing with the club’s new owners?
On the very day Carroll’s acquisition was announced, Dagenham & Redbridge publicised their sale to prominent Qatari investors. As described by BBC Sport and Sky Sports News, the club’s new leadership includes Youseph Al Sharif as interim chairman and the return of former player Anwar Uddin as non-executive director.
“The project behind the scenes and the team they’ve got… It’s just a great place to be,”
said Carroll to Sky Sports News, highlighting the club’s new momentum and the synergy between his arrival and the fresh investment.
Where does this move fit into Carroll’s wider football journey?
The New York Times (The Athletic) chronicled Carroll’s journey, noting his early promise and his £35million move to Liverpool as “the most expensive British player” of 2011. The article recognises the rarity of a former England player joining a non-league team at 36,
“especially considering Carroll had more lucrative and potentially challenging opportunities available from higher divisions”.
The BBC recalls Carroll’s top-flight achievements:
“Hailing from Gateshead, Carroll netted 54 goals in 248 Premier League appearances … with Newcastle United, Liverpool, and West Ham United. Afterward, he played for Reading and West Bromwich Albion before relocating to France to join second-tier Amiens in 2023”.
His stint at Bordeaux concluded in 2025. Notably, Carroll admitted that “he spent more than he earned” in France, as detailed by The Athletic and corroborated by comments on Reddit regarding his low salary and enduring motivation to play for enjoyment, not money.
What are the future ambitions for Carroll and the Daggers?
As reported by Instagram and Tribal Football, Carroll’s dual role as player and minority shareholder signals broad ambition. Board expansions now bring expertise in football data and finance, according to The Athletic, setting up the club for a potentially transformative period.
Carroll’s focus on youth is clear, intent on
“getting [the club] back out of non-league and getting them back up the leagues,”
as he stated to Sky Sports News.
Has Carroll responded to critics of his career choices?
When asked if dropping down the divisions amounted to giving up or winding down his career, Carroll was forthright with Sky Sports News:
“I think people are going to look and say, ‘Oh, non-league, he’s finished, retire.’ I’ve had that for the last 20 years… I just love playing football and then coming here and showing everyone that I’m just playing for the love of the love of football rather than the money and the levels and I think it’s just something that I’ve always wanted to do”.
How has the football world reacted?
The transfer has been labelled a “shock” by news outlets such as Mail Sport and Football.co.uk due to Carroll’s high-profile past and his move to the depths of non-league football. Sky Sports News further described the move as a “major statement of intent” by Dagenham & Redbridge’s new Qatar-backed ownership.
There’s optimism among the fanbase, as described in a Dunlap-Stone Education feature, which reported supporters “rejoicing” at the club finally landing such a well-known name. The narrative shared by Carroll, the new leadership, and the supporters centres on the club’s future aspirations and grassroots development.
