Forgotten Premier League star, 35, rescues fourth-tier team with last-gasp debut brace

Former Liverpool striker Andy Carroll netted 2 goals connected debut for Bordeaux arsenic they came from 2-0 down to gully with Voltigeurs de Chateaubriant successful the 4th tier of French football

Andy Carroll has already endeared himself to the Bordeaux fans aft scoring doubly connected his debut to unafraid a draw.

Carroll made the astonishment determination to the fourth-tier French side earlier this week aft a spell with Ligue 2 broadside Amiens. Bordeaux’s nine connection touted the 35-year-old erstwhile England striker’s "size, his goal-scoring endowment and his warring spirit” – and each 3 were successful grounds connected Saturday.

Bordeaux were relegated to the 4th tier of French shot aft filing from bankruptcy and their struggles person continued connected the transportation this season. They are yet to triumph this play and appeared to beryllium heading for decision erstwhile distant broadside Voltigeurs de Chateaubriant took a 2-0 lead.

However, Carroll had different ideas. The large Geordie striker turned successful a rebound expertly connected the volley to propulsion a extremity backmost from adjacent scope successful the 72nd infinitesimal earlier providing a trademark header for the equaliser. Rising highest from an outswinging country successful the 88th minute, helium powered the shot into the apical country from 8 yards retired earlier celebrating wildly with his caller team-mates successful beforehand of the location fans.

Les Girondins are inactive yet to prime up a triumph successful 4 matches successful the Championnat National 2, but present they person anticipation successful the signifier of Carroll, who is delighted with his start. “Debut double. The travel starts here,” helium wrote connected Instagram.

“I privation to effort and marque past here,” helium told reporters. “The assemblage and the supporters were fantastic passim the game, adjacent though we were 2-0 down. I deliberation they motivated america and kept america going. That’s astir apt however we came back.”

Carroll is simply a bully lucifer with Bordeaux, having himself gone from the apical of the crippled to little divisions. Liverpool paid Newcastle £35million to unafraid his services successful 2011, but helium ne'er made the people astatine Anfield. Nevertheless, helium scored 2 goals successful 9 caps for England, playing astatine Euro 2012 for his country, and registered 54 goals successful 248 appearances during spells with Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham.

Bordeaux person six Ligue 1 titles successful their past and past lifted the trophy successful 2008/09 with Zinedine Zidane among their ranks and with Laurent Blanc arsenic manager. But fiscal issues person seen them autumn connected hard times and unit them to commencement again successful the 4th tier.

Despite the deficiency of a triumph successful 4 games truthful acold – and the broadside sitting 15th retired of 16 teams successful the part – determination has been immoderate agleam sparks. Goalkeeper Lassana Diabate made headlines earlier this period aft scoring a melodramatic precocious equaliser and the team’s tone remains successful place.

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