Andy Carroll has taken charge of Dagenham & Redbridge.placeholder image
Andy Carroll has taken charge of Dagenham & Redbridge. | Getty Images
Andy Carroll had been expected to take on a Torquay side managed by Neil Warnock this weekend.
Football fans in the UK will take a particular interest in the National League South this weekend when ex West Ham striker Andy Carroll makes his managerial debut at Dagenham & Redbridge.
The 37-year-old has been given the interim job by the club’s new owner, YouTuber KSI. Carroll had been playing for Dagenham & Redbridge this season, having joined last summer.
The striker has netted six goals tin the National League South this season but has been injured since mid-December. He replaces Lee Bradbury, who was sacked despite recording a 3-2 win over Farnborough this week.
A statement from the club read: “We are very grateful to Lee for his focus, professionalism, and commitment during his time at the Club and for his contributions, both on and off the pitch, to stabilise the club last summer. “Dagenham & Redbridge wish him every success in his future endeavours.”
Carroll’s appointment has naturally piqued interest given his 248 Premier League appearances. The striker was once the subject of a British record transfer when signing for Liverpool from Newcastle United in 2011 for £25 million. The forward initially arrived at the Hammers on loan from Liverpool in 2012 before the London outfit paid £15m to make that move permanent 12 months later.
As with large parts of his career, Carroll's time at West Ham was ravaged by injury. His most successful Premier League campaign came during the 2015/16 season when he managed nine top flight goals - that included a memorable hat-trick in a 3-3 draw against Arsenal.
Carroll returned to his boyhood club of Newcastle United in 2019, where he stayed for two seasons. Then came a brief, but somewhat successful, Championship spell at West Brom in 2022 with three goals in 15 appearances. The striker then scored 11 goals in 42 appearances for Reading before heading to France.
Torquay United replace Neil Warnock ahead of Dagenham & Redbridge
The striker’s first match in the dugout this weekend had captured the imagination as he was set to face Neil Warnock’s Torquay United. The 77-year-old journeyman was working that role on an interim basis.
Reacting to the match up on social media platform X, one football fan labelled it ‘cinema’ with another one deeming it ‘sensational scenes’. Another wrote: “Didn’t have 2 sides managed by Andy Carroll and Neil Warnock playing against each other on my 2025/26 bingo card.”
However, football fans will be deprived of that blockbuster lineup as Torquay have just replaced Warnock with Jimmy Ball. The former Crystal Palace and Leeds United boss had just 18 days in the role before a new permanent manager was found.
In a statement confirming the appointment, Torquay said: "Torquay United AFC is delighted to announce the appointment of Jimmy Ball as the Club’s new First Team Manager. Jimmy joins United following a rigorous and considered recruitment process which attracted an incredible response from across the game.
"The Club received a high number of applications from very high-quality candidates, underlining both the size of the opportunity at Plainmoor and the enduring appeal of Torquay United. After an extensive process, the Board was unanimous in its belief that Jimmy was the outstanding fit for the role."
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