'CARTS' signed for Albion in a £1.5million move from Blues in July 2005, putting pen to paper on a three-year Hawthorns deal, plus a further year's option in the club's favour. He made his full debut for the Baggies in a 3-2 defeat by his former club in August 2005 but failed to hold down a regular place in Bryan Robson's starting XI that term. Carter, however, did scoop the Goal-of-the-Season award for his late winner against Arsenal at The Hawthorns in October. The former England Under-20 international came through the ranks at St Andrew's before making his senior debut for Steve Bruce's men at the tender age of 19 in a 1-0 defeat at Albion in January 2002. And he achieved cult status at Blues by firing the club into the Premiership with the winning spot-kick in their play-off final penalty shoot-out victory over Norwich at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium just four months later. The left-footed dynamo impressed on loan at eventual Championship champions Sunderland at the start of 2004/05 - notching once in ten games, including two as a substitute. That form prompted Bruce to recall him to his Premiership starting XI, where he fired four goals in 14 starts, including an FA Cup brace in a 3-0 win against Leeds. In total, Solihull-born Carter made 53 appearances, including 21 as a substitute, for Blues, scoring five times. |
