Carlos Edwards

Trinidad and Tobago footballer

Akenhaton Carlos Edwards CM (born 24 October 1978) is a Trinidadian former professional footballer who plays as a winger or right back for Hadleigh United. He started his footballing career in Trinidad and Tobago before moving to Wrexham in 2000 for whom he made over 150 appearances. He went on to play for Luton Town, Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ipswich Town and Millwall. Edwards also made over 90 appearances for the Trinidad and Tobago national football team, scoring four goals. As a member of the squad that competed at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, he was awarded the Chaconia Medal (Gold Class), the second highest state decoration of Trinidad and Tobago.

Edwards, a right winger also adept at right back, started his professional career at Defence Force in his native Trinidad and Tobago, where he had attended the same school (St Anthony's College in Westmoorings) as future team mate Kenwyne Jones.

Edwards was later signed by Wrexham for £250,000 in 2000, along with Dennis Lawrence and Hector Sam, after a trial. Edwards helped the club win promotion to the Second Division in 2002–03, scoring 10 goals and winning Wrexham's Player of the Year award and being selected for the PFA Third Division Team of the Year along the way. He then added a further five goals the following season as the club finished mid table, with Edwards again voted into the PFA Team of the Year. However, Edwards suffered a knee injury while on international duty in 2004 that put him on the sidelines for most of the 2004–05 season. The campaign ended in relegation for the club but he won his first silverware in English football in the form of the 2005 Football League Trophy.

With his Wrexham contract having expired, Edwards joined Championship side Luton Town in 2005 in a three year deal on a Bosman transfer. At Luton, he became popular with the fans with his flair and ability, winning the Young Members Player of the Season award in his first season with the club. Edwards began his Sunderland career brightly and scored five times in the remainder of the campaign. It was his 80th minute winner against Burnley that confirmed Sunderland's promotion to the Premier League, after Derby County failed to beat Crystal Palace the following day. Edwards' first season in the top flight was ruined by injury problems though. He suffered a hamstring injury in only the second game and after returning, had a leg fracture that again put him on the sidelines. He managed to return for the final months of the campaign that saw Sunderland retain their Premier League status. After a spree of summer signings left Edwards largely out of contention at his parent club, he joined Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers on 2 October 2008 on a three month loan. However, he was recalled early by the Black Cats on 20 November after six appearances for Wolves.

On 1 September 2009, Edwards and Grant Leadbitter signed for Ipswich Town for a combined fee of £4 million. He scored his first goal for Ipswich in a 1–0 win at Sheffield Wednesday on 20 February 2010. He quickly became a key player at Ipswich, making 30 appearances during his first season at the club. His first goal for Millwall on 8 April, netting the winning goal in a 1–0 away win over Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium. He made 8 appearances during his loan spell at Millwall. The veteran started the 2014–15 season in the first team. On 22 September 2014, he suffered a serious knee injury during Millwall's 0–0 draw against Nottingham Forest ruling him out for the rest of the 2014–2015 campaign. On 24 August 2015, Edwards re joined Millwall on a short term deal until January 2016, following his earlier release from the club. He made 22 appearances during the season, helping Millwall reach the 2016 Football League One play off final, starting at right back as Millwall lost out 1–3 to Barnsley.

Edwards joined Central FC in May 2017 for the Caribbean Cup on a three week contract.

In December 2017 Edwards returned to Suffolk to play for non League club Woodbridge Town. He was appointed joint manager of the club in April 2019. In January 2020 he signed dual registration terms with Bury Town, allowing him to play for Bury when Woodbridge were not playing.

In September 2020, it was announced Edwards had joined Isthmian League side Bury Town full time for the 2020–21 season after leaving his position at Woodbridge Town.

In June 2023, it was announced that Carlos Edwards would become Hadleigh United’s first signing of the summer after leaving Bury Town helping them to compete in the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties Premier Division, Step 5 of non league (9th Tier of England) and the 1st tier of the Eastern Counties Football League.

Edwards made his international debut for the Trinidad and Tobago national team on 5 June 1999 against Grenada in the 1999 Caribbean Cup, despite never having appeared at any youth level for his country before. After winning that tournament, Edwards went on to become an established international and was part of the team that reached the World Cup Finals for the first time in the country's history and was duly selected for the squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He played every minute of their participation during the competition, against Sweden, England and Paraguay, respectively.

Edwards was named after Eighteenth Dynasty Ancient Egyptian ruler, Akhenaten.