Canice Carroll

Canice Michael Carroll (born 16 January 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for club Oxford City.

Carroll is a product of the Oxford United youth system and began his professional career with the club, before moving to Brentford in 2018. After loan spells at Swindon Town and Carlisle United and a short period with Stevenage, he moved to Scotland to join Queen's Park in 2020. In 2021, Carroll moved into non-League football. Born in England, Carroll was capped by the Republic of Ireland at youth level.

Club career

Oxford United Adept as a central defender, full back or a midfielder, Carroll came through the youth system at hometown club Oxford United and began a scholarship in July 2015. His progression was such that he was offered a -year professional contract in August 2015 and signed it on 5 February 2016. Carroll made his debut for the club as a substitute for Alex MacDonald after 82 minutes of a 2–0 Football League Trophy Southern Area quarter-final victory over Dagenham & Redbridge on 11 November 2015.

Carroll made seven appearances during the 2016–17 season and was named as the Us' Young Player of the Year. He was an unused substitute during the 2–1 2017 EFL Trophy Final defeat to Coventry City at Wembley Stadium.

Carroll made something of a breakthrough during the 2017–18 season, making 17 appearances and scoring his only goal for the club, He departed the Us on 9 August 2018, having made 25 appearances and scored one goal during seasons as a professional at the Kassam Stadium. He featured regularly for the B team and was an unused substitute on one occasion for the first team before joining League Two club Swindon Town on loan until the end of the 2018–19 season in January 2019. Deployed predominantly as a defensive midfielder, Carroll made 17 appearances and scored one goal during his spell.

Despite being a member of the Brentford first team's Austrian training camp during the 2019–20 pre-season, Carroll joined League Two club Carlisle United on loan for the duration of the 2019–20 season. On 10 August 2019, his second match for the club, Carroll received the first red card of his career, for a "two-footed lunge" on Jordan Lyden during a 3–2 defeat to former club Swindon Town. The loan was ended on 31 January 2020,

Stevenage On 31 January 2020, Carroll transferred to League Two club Stevenage on a contract running until the end of the 2019–20 season. Prior to the season being ended early, he made four appearances and was released when his contract expired.

Queen's Park On 2 November 2020, Carroll signed a contract running until the end of the 2020–21 season with Scottish League Two club Queen's Park. He made his debut later that day in a 0–0 Glasgow Cup group stage draw with Rangers B. Carroll made 14 appearances during the remainder of the Spiders' Scottish League Two championship-winning season and was released when his contract expired.

Non-League football On 4 August 2021, Carroll signed a one-year contract with National League South club Oxford City. He made 28 appearances and scored two goals during a 2021–22 season which concluded with defeat in the National League South playoff semi-finals. Carroll signed a new one-year contract in June 2022. He made 52 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals, during the 2022–23 promotion-winning season. Carroll signed a new one-year contract in June 2023 and made 33 appearances during a 2023–24 season which concluded with immediate relegation back to the Conference South. Carroll ended his three-season spell on 113 appearances and seven goals. After making 16 appearances, Carroll made 11 appearances during the remainder of the 2024–25 season and was released when his contract expired. On 23 June 2025, Carroll transferred to National League South club Chippenham Town. He made 20 appearances and two goals prior to the termination of his contract by mutual consent on 26 March 2026. The following day, Carroll made a second return to Oxford City. He made six appearances and scored one goal during the remainder of the 2025–26 season and was retained for 2026–27.

International career Carroll has been capped by the Republic of Ireland at U17, U18 and U19 level. He was nominated for the International U17 Player of the Year award at the 2016 FAI International Football Awards. Carroll was named in the U21 squad for the 2019 Toulon Tournament and made one appearance in the tournament, with a start in a shootout defeat to Mexico U22 in the third place play-off.

Career statistics

Honours Oxford United EFL Trophy runner-up: 2016–17

Queen's Park Scottish League Two: 2020–21

Individual Oxford United Young Player of the Year: 2016–17