Roy Carrol
| Full Name: | Roy Eric Carroll |
| Date of Birth: | 30-Sep-1977 |
| Place of Birth: | Enniskillen, Northern Ireland |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.87 m) |
| Current Team: | Rangers |
Carroll was brought up in Tamlaght, County Fermanagh, and began his career with local sides Fivemiletown United and Ballinamallard United. He moved to England and played for Hull City, Wigan Athletic, Manchester United and West Ham United. In November 2001, Carroll received a Red Cross Humanitarian Award for his kindness to a child with leukaemia. In November 2006, he entered rehabilitation for gambling and alcohol-related addiction. 'Stress' was cited by the Carroll family.
Carroll joined Hull City in September 1995 as a trainee and went on to make 49 appearances in all competitions before he was sold to pay off mounting debts. He signed for Wigan Athletic in April 1997 for £350,000, a club record signing, for who he made 170 appearances in all competitions in four years. He played a key role in Wigan's unbeaten run of 26 league games in 1999/2000 and was voted the best goalkeeper in the second division by his fellow professionals.
He was signed by Wigan's neighbours Manchester United in July 2001 for an undisclosed fee believed to be £2.5 million. Carroll faced stiff competition against Fabien Barthez at United but won a Premiership winners' medal in the 2002-03 season. By the 2003-04 season Tim Howard was signed and Roy had yet more competition. He won an FA Cup winners' medal in May 2004 when he came on as substitute for Howard in the 84th minute. On February 19, 2005, in an FA Cup match against Everton, Carroll was struck on the back of the head by any of various projectiles including coins and mobile phones, in a match high on security for team-mate and Everton returnee Wayne Rooney which Manchester United won 2-0. Carroll gained his greatest infamy for the "goal that never was" against Tottenham Hotspur; a speculative shot from the half-way line by Pedro Mendes that Carroll dropped well behind his goal-line then scooped back into play. The referee and his linesmen were unable to verify that the ball had gone over the line. Though Carroll got away with that particular gaffe, his error led to him being dropped for a few matches. He made a second blunder in a 0-1 defeat by A.C. Milan, where he spilled a shot into the path of Hernán Crespo, who then scored. He was released by Manchester United on May 27, 2005 after his contract expired; he refused to sign a new deal after the club failed to assure him that he would be first choice for the next season.
Three weeks after leaving Old Trafford, Carroll signed for West Ham. Carroll enjoyed a successful start to his West Ham career, making 19 appearances. However, a back injury sustained in a game against Fulham on January 23, 2006 left him needing surgery, and he was sidelined for the remainder of the 2005-06 season. On May 25, 2007, West Ham stated that he had been released after asking for a transfer to achieve regular first team football. He made just 17 appearances in the 2006-07 season, due to the arrival of Robert Green, and his final game for the Hammers took place in February. Carroll signed for Rangers on a one-year contract on July 7, 2007.
Carroll gained his first of 19 international caps on 21 May 1997 in a game against Thailand. For many years Carroll has fought a lost battle to be Northern Ireland's first choice keeper to the experienced Maik Taylor. On his 19th cap, Carroll was the starting keeper for Northern Ireland but was substituted through injury before half-time for Taylor to come in.