Carlton Cole facts for kids
Cole commentating for TV in 2023
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 12 October 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Croydon, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2001 | Chelsea | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2001–2006 | Chelsea | 25 | (4) |
| 2002–2003 | → Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) | 7 | (1) |
| 2003–2004 | → Charlton Athletic (loan) | 21 | (4) |
| 2004–2005 | → Aston Villa (loan) | 27 | (3) |
| 2006–2015 | West Ham United | 256 | (55) |
| 2015–2016 | Celtic | 4 | (0) |
| 2016 | Sacramento Republic | 4 | (0) |
| 2017 | Persib Bandung | 5 | (0) |
| Total | 349 | (67) | |
| National team | |||
| 2002 | England U19 | 5 | (1) |
| 2002–2003 | England U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2003–2005 | England U21 | 19 | (6) |
| 2009–2010 | England | 7 | (0) |
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Carlton Michael George Cole (born on 12 October 1983) is an English football coach and former professional footballer. He played as a striker, scoring 52 goals in 288 Premier League games for four different clubs.
Cole started his career at Chelsea in 2001. During his time there, he also played on loan for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Charlton Athletic, and Aston Villa. In 2006, he moved to West Ham United. He left West Ham in 2013 but rejoined them a few months later. He was released by the club for a second time in May 2015.
After West Ham, he had short periods playing for Celtic in Scotland, Sacramento Republic in the United States, and Persib Bandung in Indonesia.
Carlton Cole played 19 games for the England under-21 team, scoring six goals. He made his first appearance for the senior England national team on 11 February 2009 in a friendly match against Spain.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Chelsea
Carlton Cole was born in Croydon, London. His father was from Nigeria and his mother from Sierra Leone. He began his football journey as a young player with Chelsea. He signed his first professional contract with the club in October 2000.
He made his first game for the Chelsea senior team on 6 April 2002. He came on as a substitute in a 3–0 win against Everton. Three weeks later, he started his first game and scored a goal as Chelsea beat Middlesbrough.
Loan Spells and Development
In the 2002–03 season, Cole started strong, scoring and assisting in the first match against Charlton Athletic. He later suffered a leg injury but returned to score two goals in a League Cup game against Gillingham. Chelsea's manager, Claudio Ranieri, praised Cole, calling him the best young player he had ever coached.
However, with other top strikers at Chelsea, Cole's chances were limited. He was loaned to Wolverhampton Wanderers for two months, where he scored one goal. Chelsea called him back early, and he went on to score six goals for them that season, helping the team push for a spot in the UEFA Champions League.
In July 2003, Cole signed a new six-year contract with Chelsea. But after new players joined the club, he was loaned to Charlton Athletic for the 2003–04 season. He scored five goals in 22 games, helping Charlton finish seventh in the Premier League.
The next season, 2004–05, he joined Aston Villa on loan. He scored three goals in 30 games, including one on his debut against Southampton. His season was interrupted by a knee injury he got while playing for England under-21s.
He returned to Chelsea in 2005, but with strong competition from other strikers, he only played 12 games in the 2005–06 season, scoring one goal in an FA Cup match. In total, he played 31 games for Chelsea, scoring eight goals, before moving to West Ham United in July 2006.
Time at West Ham United
Cole joined West Ham United in July 2006. He scored just seconds after coming on as a substitute in his first game for West Ham, helping them win 3–1 against Charlton. In his first season, he played 23 games and scored three goals.
The 2008–09 season was a great one for Cole. He scored twelve goals and made four assists. He started the season well, scoring four goals in his first eight games. His excellent form led him to sign a new five-year contract in November.
Continued Success and Challenges
Cole continued his good form in the 2009–10 season, scoring ten Premier League goals in 30 games. He was even linked with a big transfer to Manchester United. He missed some time due to a knee injury but still managed to score six goals in his first ten league matches.
In August 2010, there were rumors of a transfer to Liverpool. On 26 December, he scored two goals in a Premier League game for the first time in his career, helping West Ham win 3–1 against Fulham. He also scored two goals in a 4–0 League Cup win against Manchester United.
For the 2011–12 season, Cole stayed with West Ham despite interest from other clubs. He scored four goals in his first four starts, including the winning goal in a 4–3 victory against Portsmouth. On 19 May 2012, Cole scored his 15th goal of the season in West Ham's 2–1 win over Blackpool in the play-off final. This win meant West Ham returned to the Premier League. He finished the season as West Ham's top goal scorer.
In the 2012–13 season, Cole scored his first goal against Chelsea in a 3–1 win. He was sent off in a game against Everton, but the red card was later removed after an appeal. He mostly played as a substitute that season. On 21 May 2013, West Ham announced that Cole would be leaving the club after seven seasons.
Return to West Ham
On 14 October 2013, Cole signed a short-term contract to return to West Ham. He scored his first goals in his second spell on 30 November, scoring twice in a 3–0 win against Fulham. He went on to score four more goals that season. On 15 January 2014, Cole signed an 18-month contract, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2014–15 season.
In the 2014–15 season, Cole scored his first goal on 23 August in a 3–1 win against Crystal Palace. He also scored in an FA Cup match against Everton, which West Ham won on penalties. He played 23 league games that season, often coming on as a substitute. After nine years with West Ham, he was released by the club at the end of the season.
Later Career Teams
On 22 October 2015, Cole joined Scottish champions Celtic on a two-year deal. He said he was excited to join Celtic to win trophies. He made his debut on 29 November and provided an assist. On 10 January 2016, he scored his only goal for Celtic in a 3–0 win in the Scottish Cup. After just eight months, Celtic released him on 16 June.
On 9 August 2016, Cole signed with United Soccer League club Sacramento Republic in the United States. After four games, he left the club to go back to the UK. On 30 March 2017, Cole signed for Indonesian club Persib Bandung. He played five games without scoring a goal, and his contract was ended on 4 August.
Carlton Cole had a trial with AFC Wimbledon in January 2018 and scored in his first game for their development team. However, he was not offered a contract. On 29 March 2018, Carlton Cole officially announced his retirement from playing football.
International Career
Carlton Cole played for England at different youth levels. He made five appearances for the under-19 team, two for the under-20 team, and 19 for the under-21 team, scoring six goals.
He made his debut for the senior England national team on 11 February 2009 in a friendly match against Spain. He came on as a substitute and almost scored a goal. He played seven games for England, all as a substitute, which is a national record as of June 2021.
Coaching Career
In December 2018, Carlton Cole returned to West Ham United to work with the club's young players in the academy. He helps support the under-18 coaches.
Personal Life
Carlton Cole chose to play in Indonesia because it was close to Malaysia, where his wife, Sofea, lived in Kuala Lumpur.
Since retiring from playing, Cole has become a football expert and commentator. He co-hosts a show called "The Sports Bar Weekender" on talkSPORT radio.
Honours
West Ham United
- Football League Championship play-offs: 2011–12
See also
In Spanish: Carlton Cole para niños
