Sutton United Football Club is delighted to confirm the signing of Charlie Carter, who joins the U’s on a permanent deal following his departure from National League South side Dorking Wanderers.

The talented and experienced midfielder confirmed his exit from Meadowbank earlier this month with a host of suitors circling for the former Dorking man, but he has opted to reunite with Chris Agutter following their time together at Stevenage, and will bring a wealth of know-how, leadership, work rate and real goal threat from midfield to his local club.

Indeed, Carter was born in Sutton and went to Cheam High School, before beginning his career in the youth setup at Fulham. He spent eight years in the academy at Craven Cottage before departing for Woking at the age of 16, captaining the Cardinals at various youth levels across three seasons.

He spent a season on loan at Chipstead where he scored ten goals, including his first senior hat-trick away at Sittingbourne, and later signed professional terms ahead of the 2017/18 season.

He went on to score 12 times in 46 games during his breakout year and found himself remaining in the fifth tier with a switch to Chesterfield, continuing his rise up the divisions with a move to League Two side Stevenage the following year. He spent three years in Hertfordshire and ended his maiden campaign as the club’s top scorer with six goals, before establishing his relationship with Agutter following the Sutton boss’ promotion from the Boro’s Academy, taking on an Interim Assistant Manager role at Broadhall Way.

The midfielder spent two games under the leadership of Robbie O’Keefe and Agutter before Paul Tisdale took charge, later departing the club at the end of the season. A return to the National League saw him make the switch to Eastleigh, being named the division’s Player of the Month after playing every minute during February, and concluded the 2022/23 campaign with 11 goals in 50 appearances as the Spitfires narrowly missed out on the play-offs.

Despite appearing frequently during the opening two months of the 2023/24 season, appearing 16 times, he expressed a desire to leave and opted to return to his native Surrey, joining Dorking – then in the National League – and went on to become a cult hero at Meadowbank in just two seasons.

The 29-year-old racked up more than 100 appearances for the club, scoring 37 goals from midfield, and was named club captain ahead of the 2024/25 season before helping the club to successive top seven finishes.

After opting to return to his hometown club, Carter said:

“I’m excited to now get all sorted and signed. I think speaking to the manager and everyone around the place, it’s a real positive time to be a Sutton United player. I’m excited to get going and looking forward to it.

Obviously I spent a lot of time growing up around these areas – Sutton, Cheam, Worcester Park, I went to school in Cheam. It does feel like coming home, I think that’s something that really drew me to the club as well – being so local and playing for your local club is a big thing.

So when something came up and they were interested, it really drew me to it.”

Head Coach, Chris Agutter, added:

“Charlie Carter is a magnificent signing. For me, he’ll be the best attacking midfield player in the league. I came up against him when he was at Dorking and know him from my time at Stevenage, proven in the Football League.

He’s a statement signing – as soon as we felt there was an opportunity, even if at the time it might have only been a 1% opportunity, as soon as we thought there was a chance of bringing Carts to the football club, we jumped on it and were really aggressive in trying to get him in the building – aggressive in a positive sense, in terms of being forceful and on the front foot.”

Welcome to Sutton, Charlie!