by Chris Bailey
AS A teenager who made his first team debut at Old Trafford more than a decade ago, Scott Carson would have reason to think he'd spend a long and illustrious career in the Premier League.
Instead, life mapped out a different route – but an older and wiser Carson insists he'll return a far better player should he finish the job with Derby.
Carson was last seen in the Premier League with West Brom back in 2011 and, if he'd been content to sit on the bench, would probably still be in the top tier now.
But his search for first-team football led to an arduous two-year spell at Bursaspor in Turkey before taking up the gloves at Wigan.
And, though the former Leeds youngster was powerless to prevent the Latics' slide into League One, Derby has so far proved a much happier home.
“You never know where you're going to end up. That's the thing I've learnt about football,” he said.
“I'd like nothing more than to play in the Premier League again and I'm certainly a lot better player than when I left. Hopefully, I'll be back there with Derby.
“Playing for two years in Turkey was tough. I really enjoyed the football, but with the huge change in culture and a young family, I was desperate to get back to England after two years. I had mixed fortunes at Wigan, but I got another big opportunity at Derby.
“I've come a long way – I've played another 100 or so games and, as a goalkeeper, you get better with game time, no matter how young or old you are.
“The older you get, you realise it's not about just making the unbelievable saves but being able to manage the game and the defence.”
That howler against Croatia in England's failed Euro 2008 campaign – think ‘wally with the brolly' – will always follow Carson around.
He was just 22 at the time and only now, at 30, does he believe he's fulfilling his potential after refusing to accept anything less than first team football.
“I feel I've played the best I have ever done this year – it's just been about trying to do it consistently,” Carson added. “When I was younger, people used to say ‘at 30 or 31, that's when you'll peak', and I feel as if I'm reaching it.
“I've never really had a chance to return to the Premier League. There'd been talk of being a No.2 or a No.3, but I've always wanted to play and that's why my career has taken me to a few different places. I've never been happy sitting on the bench.”
Carson is not the only Rams player chasing a second shot at the Premier League ahead of their play-off semi-final with Hull.
Andreas Weimann has found a new lease of life after being dumped by Aston Villa and Tom Ince, having flashed his potential at the top with Crystal Palace and Hull, will feel he has unfinished business. At least they have had a taster – most of the Derby squad are still smarting from defeat by QPR in the play-off final of 2014.
But the Rams seem to be building a head of steam at the right time. Since thumping Hull 4-0 last month, they were on a six-game unbeaten run pre-weekend.
Carson insists: “I think our style of play is suited to the Premier League and lately we've been working harder than we probably did earlier in the season.
“We had a blip after Christmas, but I think, apart from that, it's panned out well.”
