 Carden playing forCambridge United in 2008 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Andrew Carden | ||
| Date of birth | (1979-03-29)29 March 1979 (age 45) | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Warrington Town (manager) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1996–1998 | Blackpool | 1 | (0) |
| 1998–2000 | Rochdale | 46 | (0) |
| 2000 | →Chester City (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2000–2001 | Chester City | 35 | (0) |
| 2001 | Doncaster Rovers | 16 | (1) |
| 2001–2005 | Chester City | 120 | (3) |
| 2005–2006 | Peterborough United | 44 | (0) |
| 2006 | Burscough | 0 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | Burton Albion | 27 | (1) |
| 2007–2008 | Accrington Stanley | 4 | (0) |
| 2007 | →Cambridge United (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2008 | →Cambridge United (loan) | 17 | (0) |
| 2008 | Wrexham | 0 | (0) |
| 2008–2011 | Cambridge United | 102 | (3) |
| 2011 | →Luton Town (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Luton Town | 1 | (0) |
| Total | 436 | (8) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2009 | Cambridge United (caretaker) | ||
| 2009 | Cambridge United (caretaker) | ||
| 2015 | Southport | ||
| 2016 | Tranmere Rovers (caretaker) | ||
| 2016–2021 | Warrington Town | ||
| 2021–2022 | AFC Telford United | ||
| 2023–2024 | Nantwich Town | ||
| 2024– | Warrington Town | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Paul Andrew Carden (born 29 March 1979) is an English former professionalfootballer and coach, who managesWarrington Town.
While playing atCambridge United, Carden was also the club'sassistant manager. He previously played forBlackpool,Rochdale,Chester City,Doncaster Rovers,Peterborough United,Accrington Stanley, andBurton Albion. He was a player and coach atLuton Town before leaving in January 2013, and was manager ofSouthport between January and November 2015.[1]
Born inLiverpool,Merseyside, Carden made hisFootball League debut as a 17-year-old apprentice forBlackpool in December 1996 in a local derby defeat byPreston North End. That was to be his only first-team action for Blackpool but he enjoyed regular football withRochdale, who he joined in March 1998. However, after falling out of favour he joinedChester City in March 2000, shortly before they were relegated out of the Football League. It was to be the start of a long association with the Cheshire club.
Carden had two spells with Chester (a brief stint atDoncaster Rovers in 2001 falling in between) and was a regular for most of his time there, chalking up more than 200 first-team appearances for the Blues. He captained the side to theFootball Conference title in2003–04 and a return to the Football League for both Carden and the club. The following season saw him named as the club's player of the season, but he was then released by new managerKeith Curle.
Carden teamed up with his former bossMark Wright atPeterborough. His debut ironically came against Chester on the opening day of2005–06. Later in the season, after Wright had departed, Carden became one of the central characters of theBig Ron Manager documentary series on Sky, withRon Atkinson drafted in to help new bossSteve Bleasdale.
On 18 October 2006 it was announced that Carden had his contract with Peterborough terminated by mutual consent. He promptly registered withBurscough, who his brother Adam plays for, but immediately joined Burton Albion on a three-month loan, with a view to a permanent deal when the January transfer window opened. Carden, however, initially failed to complete the move following interest fromBury – a move failed to materialise and he signed a deal with Burton on 31 January 2007 until the end of the season. Four months later, he returned to Football League circles withAccrington Stanley but was allowed to joinCambridge United on loan in November 2007. After briefly returning to Stanley, Carden was allowed to join Cambridge for the remainder of the season on 3 January 2008.[2] Carden was influential as Cambridge reached theConference Premier play-off final atWembley in May 2008.[3]
Although initially leaving Cambridge after their defeat in the play-off final to joinWrexham,[4] Carden returned to Cambridge on 23 June 2008 as a player and assistant manager toGary Brabin, his first management role.[5] He was appointed ascaretaker manager at Cambridge on 13 July 2009 after Brabin left the club following a second successive play-off final defeat in May.[6] On 22 July Carden signed a three-year deal as player and assistant manager at Cambridge, despite there being no full-time manager in place at the time.[7] FollowingMartin Ling's appointment as manager, Carden returned to assistant manager duties on 27 July 2009, but was forced to regain control after Ling's unexpected departure after only nine days at the club.[8][9] After managing Cambridge to a win and a loss in their first two games of the season in August 2009, Ling was reappointed as manager on 12 August, leaving Carden once again as assistant manager.[10]
On 18 February 2011, Carden signed on loan forLuton Town until the end of the2010–11 season, linking back up with Luton assistant manager Gary Brabin, who he had previously worked with at Cambridge.[11] During that loan spell, Carden played against Cambridge despite being the club's assistant manager. On 16 June 2011, Carden had his contract at Cambridge United terminated.[12] On 27 August 2011, Carden was appointed first-team coach at Luton, joining up once again with Gary Brabin, who was now the club's manager. Carden was registered as a player, and made his first appearance of the season in a 2–2 draw againstEbbsfleet United.[13] He remained with Luton as a coach until January 2013, when his contract was terminated.[14]
Carden was appointed Southport manager in January 2015 following the departure of Gary Brabin toEverton.[15] Carden successfully kept Southport in the Conference Premier with some crucial wins against Halifax, Aldershot and Torquay United. However, he left the club in November 2015.[1] He was appointed interim manager ofTranmere Rovers in September 2016 after a spell as assistant manager.[16] On 26 October 2016, Paul Carden was named manager ofWarrington Town F.C.[17]
On 21 November 2021,National League North sideAFC Telford United appointed Carden as their First Team Manager on a two-and-a-half-year contract. The club was rooted to the bottom of the league at Christmas, but their form improved following Carden's appointment and they eventually finished the 2021/22 season in 20th place, above the relegation zone. Carden was sacked on 9 October 2022 with the club rooted to the bottom of the league table.[18]
Carden was appointed manager ofNantwich Town in February 2023.[19] Nantwich were relegated from the Northern Premier League on 23 April 2023.
On 21 September 2024, Carden returned to former club Warrington Town, now of the National League North.[20]
Chester City
Warrington Town
