Carlos cultivates Caribbean Cats’ club

11:05am Wednesday 17th January 2007

THE arrival of both Niall Quinn and Roy Keane might have enhanced Sunderland's status in Ireland, but new signing Carlos Edwards believes the club's biggest overseas fanbase is now located in Port of Spain.

In the past, the capital of Trinidad & Tobago was a stronghold for Caribbean fans of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal, with youngsters regularly walking the streets wearing the colours of English football's traditional big three.

Since Edwards joined his compatriot Dwight Yorke at the Stadium of Light, though, the red and white replica shirts have tended to be of a striped variety.

And according to his family and friends on the Trinidadian mainland, where the country once revelled in its reputation for sunshine, now it is proud with its relationship to Sunderland.

"It's big news back home because, all of a sudden, there are two Trinidad internationals playing for the same team," said Edwards, who starred for his country in last summer's World Cup, a tournament that saw the Soca Warriors narrowly fail to hold England to a goalless draw.

"I never knew that so many people had my mobile number. It's been ringing non-stop, but everyone's been leaving really nice messages telling me how interested they are.

"Everyone has their favourite team when they are growing up back home and, seeing as Trinidad has a small population and doesn't have the basic requirements for a professional league, most of those teams are English.

"It's hard to say which team people favour more. It used to Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal - at the moment it's swinging more towards Chelsea - but in the last few weeks I think it's started to be Sunderland.

"The awareness of what's happening here at Sunderland has gone through the roof. It seems like everyone in Trinidad is logging onto the website to see what's happening at the club.

"The interest is already unbelievable.

I phoned one of my friends earlier this week and she said, I'm going onto the website every day to see what type of club Sunderland is'. People who I thought had no interest in football are becoming Sunderland fans."

It also helps, of course, that Edwards is following in the footsteps of Trinidad & Tobago's most famous footballer.

When Dwight Yorke left his native Tobago in 1989, he did so as a promising youngster hoping to carve out a career in the professional game.

When he eventually returns to see out the final days of his retirement, however, he will find a national stadium named in his honour and a level of respect that is otherwise reserved for Trinidad & Tobago's other sporting superstar, Brian Lara.

"Dwight's paved the way for the likes of myself and the rest of the lads that are playing in Europe,"

said Edwards. "It wouldn't have been possible without him.

"People were watching Dwight in his prime and thinking, Lets have a look at where he came from and see if there's any more talent there'. He paved the way for my career and I can't thank him enough for that."

While Edwards is unlikely to emulate all the achievements of his team-mate, he is rapidly establishing himself as one of the foremost footballers in the Caribbean.

Roy Keane's willingness to pay Luton £1.4m to secure his services underlines his obvious potential and, while his Sunderland career currently amounts to just one start and one substitute appearance, his pace and invention have already been of benefit to a squad that was lacking a threat on the right wing.

Saturday's trip to Sheffield Wednesday will provide him with another chance to impress and, after swiftly settling into life with the Black Cats, the 28-year-old is confident of making a significant contribution in the second half of the season.

"From the first day in training, the guys and the management staff welcomed me and showed me around," he explained.

"To be honest, I'm still picking my jaw off the ground from the day I first came. I couldn't believe the standard of the facilities and the stadium, and I'm still a bit shellshocked."