Carlos Edwards

Carlos Akenhaton Edwards (born 24 October 1978 in Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago) is a Trinidad and Tobago Association football player. He is currently on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. from Sunderland A.F.C..

Club career

Edwards, a Midfielder Winger also adept at Defender_(association_football) Full_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. He was later signed by Wrexham F.C. for Pound sterling250,000 in 2000, along with Dennis Lawrence and Hector Sam, after a successive trial.

He helped the club win promotion to the Football League Second Division in 2002–03_in_English_football Football_League_Third_Division, 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 Second_Division.

However, he suffered a knee injury while on international duty in 2004 that put him on the sidelines for most of the 2004–05 in English football. The campaign ended in relegation for the club but Edwards did win his first silverware in English football in the form of the 2005 Football League Trophy.

With his Wrexham contract having expired, Edwards joined Football League Championship side Luton Town F.C. in 2005 in a three-year deal on a Bosman ruling. At Luton, he became popular with the fans with his flair and ability, winning the Young Members Player of the Season award for a strong first season with the club.

Edwards' form attracted a £1.5 million bid from Sunderland A.F.C. whom he joined on 2 January 2007, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract. Edwards began his Sunderland career brightly and netted 5 times in the remainder of the campaign. It was his spectacular 80th-minute winner against Burnley F.C. that confirmed Sunderland's promotion to the Premier League, after Derby County F.C. failed to beat Crystal Palace F.C. the following day.

His 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 Football League Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. on 2 October 2008 on a three-month loan.

International career

Edwards made his international debut for the Trinidad and Tobago national football team on 5 June 1999 against Grenada national football team in the Caribbean Nations Cup 1999, despite never having appeared at any youth level for his country before.

After playing his part in winning that tournament, he went on to become an established international and was part of the team that reached the World Cup Finals for the first team in the country's history and was duly selected for the squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. He played every minute of their participation during the competition, against Sweden national football team, England national football team and Paraguay national football team, respectively.

Edwards plays alongside fellow Trinidad and Tobago internationals Dwight Yorke and Kenwyne Jones at Sunderland.