Roy Carroll to depart Linfield

Veteran goalkeeper Roy Carroll will leave Linfield when his current contract expires at the end of the month. 

41 year-old Carroll suffered a serious knee injury in January and his recovery is still ongoing.

Linfield were prepared to invite the former Manchester United netminder to participate in pre-season training with the club to assist with his return to fitness.

However, with Carroll anxious to continue playing and no new contract offer incoming, the Enniskillen native has opted to leave Windsor Park. 

Blues’ boss David Healy played for Northern Ireland alongside Carroll and he praised the 45-time capped custodian on the Linfield club website. 

“Personally, I want to thank Roy for his excellent service, leadership, hard work and dedication over the past three years at Linfield. He will and should be remembered as one of the greatest goalkeepers in Irish league and Northern Ireland history.” 

“At Linfield, he proved to be not only hugely popular but also and even more importantly - highly successful - in his time with us.”

David Healy added; “At Roy’s age and in view of the seriousness of his injury, we were always going to need other goalkeepers to step up and thankfully, that’s how things turned out at the tail end of the season.”

“It’s never easy when big characters and players of the quality Roy possess have to, or choose to leave, but for the long term, myself as the manager, has to make decisions for the future of the football club.”

Linfield are hoping that Conor Mitchell, who joined Linfield in January, after being on loan at St. Johnstone from Burnley, will move to Windsor Park permanently having been released by the Turf Moor club.

Carroll kept 38 clean sheets in 62 league appearances for Linfield and Healy concluded. 

“He leaves with our gratitude, our very best wishes for all he does in the future and in particular, for a full recovery from the unfortunate injury he sustained in January. He leaves us all with many great memories.”