The January 2020 transfer deadline day was a hectic one for us; Canice Carroll one of four new signings – but the only permanent one. Billed as a versatile midfielder, it was going to be a quick induction for the lad at the Lamex; Boro’ in dire need of some spark, with the spectre of relegation starting to loom large over the club. To be fair, the boss – Graham Westley – had done his homework and knew who he wanted. Now it was down to Carroll to prove him right.
The problem is that Boro’ were floundering at the wrong end of the table. And the time that Carroll got to make his impression wasn’t long. Our 2019-20 season came to an early end as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. By the end of June 2020, Carroll’s deal was up – and the man who brought him in was long gone. Now, Alex Revell was in charge and his rebuilding process had no place in the Boro’ squad for Carroll.
Canice Carroll: Before Boro’
For much of his career, Carroll had been on the books at Oxford United; starting out at the Kassam as a young ‘un in 2006. In 2015, he secured a scholarship with the club – but that soon became a pro deal in a matter of months. Must be a quick learner, eh? While the 2017-8 campaign is described elsewhere as something of a breakthrough season for him, first team chances were few and far between. Even so, there was enough about him that made Brentford take note; the London club signing him on a two-year B-team deal in 2018.
As a regular member of the Bees’ B team (and that’s not easy to say), Carroll also had a chance to prove himself out on loan. He joined Swindon Town in January 2019; turning out 17 times and scoring once. For a defensive midfield, that’s not such a bad return. And if you compare it with our 2019-20 scoring charts up to the point he came to us, it’s a brilliant one! Anyway, that’s by the by. He also played for Carlisle United on loan – and was with the Cumbrians right up until the point we moved in. Not that they were a side in our sights as we battled for survival. Ho hum.