Having reviewed Paul Carden's career in part 1 of this article, we now talk about his return to Cambridge this summer, his new role, and his hopes and plans for the future.

With the season ending in the heartache of defeat at Wembley, and with his loan from Accrington due to expire on 30th June, Paul's thoughts began to turn to this season. Having only played four games for Accrington last season before joining us on loan, he knew his future probably lay away from the League Two side.

"With them sending me out on loan in November the chances of me going back there were very slim, even though I had another year left on my contract, and people had already started to contact me asking about this season," he recounts.

"I spoke with Jimmy (Quinn) and he offered me a deal here as a player but I already had an offer on the table from Wrexham and I couldn't turn it down. It was similar sort of money but it was at home and we'd just had the baby so it was the best option all round."

As widely reported during the summer, Paul signed what he thought was a 'pre-contract' agreement with Wrexham, only to find it was not valid because his contract still had a full year to run. He explains: "It later turned out Accrington weren't happy with this because there had been a couple of cash offers for me, and Wrexham shouldn't have put a contract in front of me.

"Accrington had allowed Wrexham to speak to me but not to officially offer me anything to sign and in any case the contract I'd signed with Wrexham held no water because it was a pre-contract and I still had a year left, and you can only sign a pre-contract if you have six months or less left on your contract.

"So that fell by the wayside and it was really just a small error on Wrexham's part that caused the whole situation."

Things moved quickly after that, as Cambridge United were looking for a new manager and were also keen to retain Paul's services, and when he spoke to Accrington again after the Wrexham move fell through he learned that they had accepted a nominal fee from Cambridge.

"When I spoke to the Chairman Phil Law and George Rolls it was a position and a chance to progress and have a say that I couldn't turn down," he explains. "They asked me about various managers and I mentioned Gary, and they'd already heard good things about him and asked us to come down as a management team and have an interview.

"Obviously we jumped at the chance and the rest is history. We're delighted to get the opportunity and hopefully we can bring success to the club."

It has been a busy year for Paul, with wife Jennifer giving birth to baby Will six months ago, followed by the excitement of the play-offs, the uncertainty of his next club, and then the big decision to move south and away from close family with a new baby in tow.

"There were a few tears when Jen left her family behind but we're not really that far away and we've got a lovely house in Ely now so things are settling down and we're happy. Hopefully that stays the case because you need your family to be happy and they have to be your priority in life."

Also moving to a house near Ely is winger Andy Parkinson, and when Paul reveals that manager Gary Brabin is also looking at the area he jokes, "It'll be like a mini Scouse invasion of Ely - you can imagine the three of us walking into a pub and the music stops playing and everyone turns and looks at us!

"But it's a lovely place," he adds. "I told Parky about it and he's had a look and found somewhere and the manager's found somewhere now so we'll have a little community out there."

Paul famously first met Gary in 1996 when he was a second-year YTS at Blackpool and Brabin was a prospective new signing who arrived at the ground for talks.

"I was a cheeky kid who'd just finished my jobs and as he walked out of the office I asked if he'd signed and obviously he heard my accent and asked where I was from and if I wanted a lift home," Paul recalls. "I was in digs just around the corner but a week later he'd signed and that weekend he even ended up dating the sister of the girl I was going out with at the time, which was a weird coincidence, and then I was allocated to clean his boots, which is something he's ever so proud of and tells everyone!"

Their paths crossed again in early 2002 when Brabin was signed by Chester as they battled to escape relegation from the Conference: "Chester were struggling and he came in and played about 18 games to the end of the season and got the Player of Year.

"He played at centre half and scored a few goals, and he was basically clearing the balls at one end with his head and scoring at the other with his head. One manager said 'If you could get a boot to fit his head he'd have the hardest shot in the world', which I totally agree with."

Although Brabin left Chester at the end of that season, while Carden stayed to lead them back into the League two years later, they lived barely a mile apart in Liverpool and maintained the friendship that started at Blackpool 12 years ago.

"I've always looked up to him and he's advised me about my career and always encouraged me, and he's even made a few cheeky offers to try to take me on loan to clubs when he's been coaching or assisting somewhere and I've been going through an unhappy spell somewhere."

Giving an insight into Brabin's reputation as a motivator, he adds, "He's always looking to get the best out of people and he always says if you're playing with a smile on your face you're a better player."

Although he has returned the club in a player-assistant manager role, Paul confirms that both he and Brabin want his main priority at the moment to be his performances on the pitch.

"The Gaffer is a good coach with good ideas and he's very hands-on, and at 29 I'm not old in terms of playing football these days and we both want me to play for as long as I can, so the coaching is down to him. My main help to him is off the pitch with organisational things like where we're going to be training and looking after lads who we're bringing in and sorting things out for the lads who are already here."

However, Paul has started taking his coaching qualifications and he is keen to work with the younger players and do additional work with them to help them progress, as he explains: "There isn't a lot of pressure on me at present regarding the coaching side of it, but I'm taking a few sessions with lads who aren't in the squad.

"I just want to be helping the young lads along and encouraging them and talking to them, or if we feel there's something that certain players need to work on the Gaffer will ask me to take the young lads one morning or afternoon and just go through different things with them and try to put my experience across that way.

"Rather than getting in everyone's faces and telling them what to do, I'm a player like everyone else but if the Gaffer wants me to help certain players then - as the title says - I'm here to assist him."

Paul was also named as captain on the eve of the new season, which is a role he has filled before, most notably at Chester where he was captain of the Conference winning side.

"Apparently he'd asked a few people about it and they agreed with it, and I will never turn a captain's armband down. To be captain of a club is an honour and a privilege and if he regards me as a captain on the pitch then I'm happy to do that and hopefully I can be a successful captain as well as a successful assistant manager.

"I just want to do well and win. People say it really doesn't matter who wears the armband, which is correct, but if someone gives it to me I'll accept the honour and as long as I'm helping the team around me I'll always be grateful for an opportunity like that."

Looking further ahead, Paul confirms that his ambition is to stay in the game when his playing career is over: "Definitely. It's something I dearly want to go into and it's why I took the opportunity here.

"I'm always talking about football; my wife will tell you I bore her to death of talking about football - it's all I do! I love talking football with anyone, and it's something I want to be a part of and be successful in - and I believe I can be a success."

He and Brabin have been joined by former U's defender and Bedford Town manager Stuart Bimson in the role of first team coach, and he is pleased with the way they work together.

"Bimmo brings a lot of enthusiasm and experience and he's got good coaching drills, but he also brings some banter too, which is important around a football club. He takes some of the pressure off me and the Gaffer and we make a good team."

Ending with his hopes and ambitions for this season, Cards believes that the squad has the quality and depth to have a successful season if they gel quickly enough.

"We certainly have enough ability; whether bringing so many players in in a short space of time allows us to hit the ground running and maintain that is something that only time will tell.

"We've made a good start but we've got some injuries to key players, which is unfortunate, but that's why you have a squad and hopefully the lads we've brought in to stake a claim for themselves can do that and then you'll see the benefit of the squad.

"I just want to get promotion. Whether that's finishing fifth in the league and going up with a last minute own-goal in the final or winning the league by 20 points, then I'll accept whatever it takes to get promoted - with open arms!"

Andrea Thrussell
web@cambridge-united.co.uk

*A shorter version of this interview was published in the programme for the match against Kettering on Monday 25th August, 2008.

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