Veteran midfielder Darren Carter has today extended his Cheltenham Town contract until the end of the season.
Robins midfielder Darren Carter has today signed a contract extension which will see him through until the end of the current season.
Darren, 29, signed for the club back in August in an effort to rebuild his career following a serious groin injury and he has done just that under the stewardship of Mark Yates and Cheltenham Town. The box to box midfielder, before joining Cheltenham, had never played football outside the two top divisions in the country but he made his debut for the club away from home against Aldershot Town and helped guide Cheltenham to a 1-0 victory.
To date Darren has made 24 starting and three substitute appearances for the club and he has also scored five goals.
"I've always been open about the fact I wanted to stay," said Darren.
"It has dragged on until now and I would have loved it to have been done earlier but I'm happy to have signed the deal. I want to be here and helping the boys towards promotion. The gaffer gave me the opportunity to get myself back on track and it has been about proving myself. I'm feeling great but I haven't hit the form I know I'm capable of. Promotion is on our minds and it is either that or nothing now."
'Carts' started his career with Birmingham City, rising up through their youth ranks, and he made his debut for the club at the age of 18 in a 1-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion. He made over 40 appearances for the club and enjoyed a loan spell with Sunderland before moving to West Brom for a reported £1.5m. His first goal for the Baggies came in a 2-1 win over Arsenal and that particular strike won him the club's goal of the season award. He later signed for Preston in 2007 but found himself on the transfer list before being loaned out to Millwall. He was released by Preston and he suffered a groin injury whilst on trial with Brighton.
That injury kept Darren out of the game for well over a season but he made his comeback for Cheltenham after signing a six month contract on Thursday 23 August 2012. He made his debut away from home as a substitute against Aldershot and he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-1 victory over Oxford in npower League Two.
Darren is unavailable for tonight's game through injury, the same ankle injury that kept him out of the Morecambe fixture. Darren should be back fit and ready for next weekend's game at home to Torquay.