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ANDY CARROLL has revealed that he flies between Bordeaux and London on £16 easyJet flights.
The 35-year-old former England striker transitioned from British football to a new adventure in France last year.
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Following a season with Ligue 2’s Amiens, Carroll signed with the historic club Bordeaux, which currently plays in the fourth tier.
The ex-Newcastle and Liverpool star is relishing his new life across the English Channel.
With five children back in England, the frequent flights from Bordeaux to London were a crucial aspect of Carroll’s decision to make the move.
“My best friend is a pilot with easyJet,” Carroll told The Times. “So I’m on staff travel and I get flights for 19 euros (£16).”
The Geordie became a local legend at Newcastle after advancing through their academy before transferring to Anfield in January 2011.
At that time, Carroll’s £35 million transfer to Liverpool made him the most expensive English player ever.
Arriving at Merseyside nursing an injury and having felt settled at Newcastle, Carroll faced challenges with the transition.
“It wasn’t easy; I was still young,” he recalls. “I stayed in a hotel, and I hated it. I was there alone, and it drove me mad.
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“I didn’t know anyone. I spent all day in my room, and I was going crazy.
“I was injured when I signed, so my connection with the team was non-existent. I thought, ‘I didn’t want to come here, and no one speaks to me.’ I was depressed at 21.”
Andy Carroll ‘playing 5D chess’ as former England star steals the show on debut after dropping down to the fourth tier
Carroll later went on to join West Ham, before making a return to Newcastle in 2019.
After two seasons at St James’ Park, he moved down a division to Reading, where he began to rekindle his love for the game.
Despite his achievements at the highest level, Carroll remains down-to-earth, embracing life as one of the teammates at fourth-tier Bordeaux.
He even enjoys cooking for his teammates and has plans to prepare a special meal for them soon.
Carroll expressed: “I might go for a Christmas theme or do a traditional old-school Whitley Bay fish and chips, with homemade beer batter and tartar sauce. I truly enjoy cooking.
“I went for lunch with eight of the lads today at a little Thai restaurant, and they’re a fantastic bunch. One of them speaks good English, but most are primarily French speakers. I can now understand significantly more than before. The players here are really helping me.”
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