Trevor Carson

By Phil Tooley

This article appeared originally in the Brentford Matchday Programme

On loan goalkeeper Trevor Carson has already shown his considerable abilities despite having played just five games for The Spireites.

At Dagenham & Redbridge two weeks ago, despite losing 3-0, Trevor played a blinder and he's kept two clean sheets so far, in the 1-0 wins over Grimsby Town and Rotherham United.

Born in Killyleagh, Northern Ireland on March 5^th 1988, growing up on the banks of Strangford Lough, the Irish U21 keeper loved where he lived; "It's a lovely little village, perhaps more famous than you think. David Healy's from there as well, there's a big castle that was once invaded by the Vikings."

On hero Healy, who's goalscoring exploits for Northern Ireland have become legendary he says; "It's absolutely great as a result and it's been like that for five years. He's just been given an MBE by the Queen and there aren't too many honours bigger than that. Growing up as a lad, David used to be at Manchester United so I was able to get my gloves signed by my idol Peter Schmeichel, that was great. David's now signed for Sunderland as well so I'm hoping to team up with him next season."

Does that hero worship of the Great Dane mean he's a Red Devil? "I was a United fan as a kid but you sort of grow out of it as you start going on trial to places and getting attached to places like I am at Sunderland and I follow the results and go to the games there when I can and after my spell here I'll always keep an eye on Chesterfield as well."

As a youngster he played for Killyleagh Boys but from a young age he was being tracked; "Ever since I was 14 or 15 I was going overseas, maybe I've been to 15 or 20 clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Rangers, all good experiences and I ended up signing for Sunderland when I was 16 years old. It was just like Killyleagh it has great, homely feeling about the place and that's what sold it for me."

Moving to The Stadium of Light meant he's worked with some excellent No.1's; "Ever since I first moved over it's been lovely to work with some very, very good keepers. It started with Mart Poom, Thomas Myhre, all great keepers that I've learned so much from. People think that I must have been getting frustrated but how can you get frustrated at 20 years old and working with keepers like that, it's a great learning experience, I just love it every day training and watching them. Darren Ward, Ben Alnwick, Marton Fulop and Craig Gordon too, all great keepers."

He's yet to play for the Black Cats' first team, so what are his highlights in the North East? "Captaining the reserves to win the Durham Challenge Cup has been my highlight at Sunderland so far though when I was only 17 I was on the bench when we won the Championship away at West Ham and then again for the last game of the season at a full house at the Stadium of Light when we were able to celebrate winning promotion. We'd already won the league, been promoted, it was great to be a part of it, going round Town on the open topped bus. Even though I hadn't played it was a great experience. "

Two men who helped him make up his mind to move to Saltergate were on loan here last season, David Dowson and Peter Hartley. "They couldn't have spoken any higher about the place. There were a couple of clubs interested in taking me on loan and the gaffer (Roy Keane) told me it was up to me to decide so I spoke to Pete and David for five minutes and they just sold the club to me. Marton Fulop as well, it was his first loan experience and he couldn't speak highly enough of the club."

On Keane Trevor says; "He expects your best because that's all he gives. He gave his best as a player who played at the highest level and that's what he expects off his players, not just on the pitch but off it as well. He was famously in the papers when a couple of lads saw the bare brunt of things for being late, he always keeps you on your toes. You know when the Gaffer's in the building. He has the odd day off but you know when he's in, there's a sort of atmosphere about the place then!"

His International career has seen him play for the U17's, U19's and now the U21's, all experiences he treasures; "It's been fantastic but in the U21's a bit frustrating because I've been battling with Jonny Tuffey, he's at Partick Thistle in the first team. It's been very frustrating and it's been one of the reasons I've come out on loan because to get into the National team at any level you have to be playing competitive games regularly.

"Even the recent Germany game where got beaten 3-0 was great. We were playing against some top quality players who've appeared in Champions League football, so it's been a great learning experience."

Who does he think are the men to watch from the U21 squad? "Johnny Evans who's at Manchester United and was on loan at Sunderland last season, Kyle Lafferty who's just moved to Rangers from Burnley, Martin Patterson who's gone to Burnley from Stoke. They've already made the step up and there are a couple of others who were with me in Germany, Corey Evans, who's Jonny's younger brother, he stood out, he was fantastic and he's only just 18 then there's one of my best mates, Chris Casement, he's at Ipswich and is going through the same experience as me, he's away on loan at Hamilton."

His appearance at home to Rotherham three weeks ago brought plenty of interest after he'd played for Northern Ireland in Germany the night before. His schedule went like this; "We kicked off at quarter past eight, got back to the Hotel at half past ten, straight to bed, woke up with an alarm call at half two in the morning, an hour's drive to Dusseldorf airport. An hour and ten minutes flight to Heathrow, Dave Thompson picked me up there at about 8 o'clock, got dropped off at my flat, had an hour's sleep and came to the game at Saltergate."

One man he knew before coming to Saltergate is Jamie Ward, a former U21 team mate; "He's a great outlet for us, he takes the pressure off us when he gets the ball. There's always a sense of expectation around the crowd that something will happen and nine times out of ten he makes it happen."

He has a clear view of where he wants to be in the future; "I'm an ambitious person. I wouldn't be at Sunderland if I didn't think I could make the grade but I know it's going to be tough. It's my last year on my contract up there and hopefully I can use this loan as a step to show the Gaffer and Sunderland what I can do. I think he does like me and hopefully one day he will give me the chance to carry on learning off the likes of Craig Gordon. I can only improve and hopefully get a game for Sunderland."

On signing on at Saltergate for the whole season he commented; "It's absolutely brilliant, a month's loan and you don't really know what you'll be doing but now I know what I have to do. If it had been for a month or two, I don't think I would have come down but being down here for a season, I'm treating it as a new year at Chesterfield, and for just one year I'll forget about Sunderland and give it my best shot here at Chesterfield."

And he seems to like what he's found; "It seems very friendly, everyone's friendly. It's a wake up call after the Stadium of Light and things at Sunderland but it's the sort of experience every 19 or 20 year old ought to go through, it's really good."

PHIL TOOLEY