CARR-Y ON AND LIVE THE MOMENT
MARK CARRINGTON is treasuring every minute of Kiddy’s FA Cup run.
The 34-year-old has become a key part of Russell Penn’s side having joined in the summer after eight years at Wrexham.
At this stage of his career, the versatile midfielder is determined to savour every moment – and none more so than being able to share their win over Reading with his children Cruz, 5, and Milan, 3.
“You obviously don’t know if you’re going to get it again so I’ve learnt now that you do enjoy it,” Carrington told The NLP.
“I’ve got kids now as well. After Reading they were on the pitch. My little boy is only five but he’s football crazy. To see him on the pitch, and how excited he was, was unbelievable.
“It’s memories I obviously wouldn’t have had if I had packed up. It’s obviously spurred me on to
do more and it’s making me enjoy my football.
“The next day Cruz had his pictures all over the paper – he was taking them into school to show his mates. He’s very lucky, a lot will never get that opportunity, so it’s brilliant for him – it’s why I am doing it, for our kids.”
Carrington, who scored for the Red Dragons in the third round at Stoke City in 2015, admits he considered hanging up his boots until a conversation with Penn, who didn’t think he’d be lucky enough to land his former team-mate.
“I was at Wrexham for years and I made no bones that I envisaged I’d stay there for the rest of my career,” Carrington said. “With the takeover they wanted to go in a different direction, which is fair enough. So I was looking for a new challenge. I did think about packing up but I felt I have a bit in the tank and wanted to have one final go at it.
“It couldn’t have gone any better. I am loving it. It’s a brilliant club. I knew the gaffer anyway from playing with him, but what a guy – and even better as a gaffer.
“The spirit of the whole club, it’s community-based. We’ve got a really good thing going on.”