‘Daft’ years behind Carroll on Newcastle return

ANDY Carroll has insisted his “daft” years are behind him as he prepares to resume his career at first club Newcastle.

The Gateshead-born 30-year-old striker burst on to the scene as a teenager at St James’ Park and found himself thrust into both the limelight and a series of off-field scrapes as his stock rose on it, eventually resulting in a thenBritish record £35 million switch to Liverpool in January 2011.

He said: “I’ve got no doubt that I was daft when I was here, and no doubt that I was daft for a couple of years after as well. But I met my missus, and we’ve got four kids living at home now, we’ve got animals, we’ve got responsibilities.

“There’s no more behaviour like it was, you know? I was stupid, I was young, and I was carried away with the lifestyle that I had.

“Now it’s completely different. I’m actually a dad, I’ve grown up, and got responsibilities. I’ve got a purpose.”

Despite the promise he showed during his first spell at Newcastle, Carroll’s career has not panned out the way he might have hoped with injuries limiting his involvement with clubs Liverpool and West Ham as well as England.

He said: “It’s not my fault. I don’t want to be sitting in the gym by myself doing rehab. I want to be outside doing what I love to do, playing football and being with the lads. I’ve been out of it for so long and I don’t want to be like that.

“People think you’re getting paid so it doesn’t matter. No, that’s not the case. I haven’t come into this job to get paid. Yeah, it pays well but I’ve come into it because I love it – there’s a difference.”

He added: “I’m more buzzing to put it on now, the shirt, than I was when I was 17.

“I’m so excited.”

Dundee manager James McPake.