Michael Carrick: Between the Lines
'The whistle blows and I set off for the one kick I know will stay with me for the rest of my life, maybe even define my life...'
Michael Carrick was the heartbeat of Manchester United. For more than a decade he was the player that made them tick. Loved by his managers, lauded by his fellow professionals, worshipped by the Old Trafford faithful, yet regularly misunderstood by the wider public, Carrick was a player like no other.
Intelligent, calm, thoughtful - in many ways the opposite of the archetypal English midfielder - Carrick has always been his own man and is typically forthright. In his book he reveals what it's really like to win relentlessly under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, shows us the hidden secrets of the famous Carrington training ground, invites us to experience the camaraderie and clashes inside the United dressing room, and lets us feels what it's like to walk out on the Old Trafford pitch alongside some of the biggest names in the game - from Ronaldo to Scholes to Giggs, Rooney and the rest.
A deeply personal book, Between the Lines reveals for the first time Michael's battles with mental health, his struggles with the national side, as well as the redemption he has found with his family and his team.
From growing up in the north-east to winning the Champions League and five Premier League titles with Manchester United, via West Ham and Tottenham, Carrick's story reveals him to be his own man: fearless, thoughtful, intelligent and honest.
*All of Michael Carrick's proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Michael Carrick Foundation, dedicated to providing financial support to community services that will give underprivileged children living in the North and North East better opportunities so that they feel safe, valued and inspired.*
A product of the famous Wallsend Boys Club, Michael Carrick is one of the most successful players to come out of the north-east.
In his seventeen-year professional career, Carrick has played for West Ham United, Swindon Town, Birmingham City, Tottenham Hotspur and most famously Manchester United for whom he was club captain, as well as winning 34 caps for England.
Carrick has won twelve major trophies at United, winning the Premier League five times, as well as three League Cups, the FA Cup, the Europa League, the Club World Cup and the Champions League.
In 2017, Carrick set up the Michael Carrick Foundation, a registered charity that focuses on ensuring that children have suitable provision in their communities to keep them safe and engaged in positive activities.