https://www.safc.com/news/2024/november/12/catching-up-with-carl-winchester/ R&W: How do you look back on your time with Sunderland? CW:I’ve always said that when I was growing up, if anyone had said to me that one day I’d be playing for a team like Sunderland I would have snapped their hand off, so for me it was unbelievable to play for the club and the proudest part of my career by far. When I first joined it was covid, so the fans weren’t there, but once fans were allowed in and I got to experience paying in front of the supporters the buzz around the club was incredible. It was something you dream of. R&W: You were the first person signed after Lee Johnson took over. Having played under him at Oldham it must have been a boost to have an old manager want to sign you again? CW: Definitely. I was in total shock when the move came about. At the time I was with Forest Green Rovers and the biggest club in the EFL wanted me to sign for them. Signing for a manager you’ve played with before just gives you that bit of confidence that he believes in you. R&W: Tony Philliskirk is well known in Sunderland, and he played an important part in bringing you over to play in England in the first place after seeing you play for Linfield Swifts v Glentoran… CW:Tony brought me over to Oldham. He did unbelievably for me and treated me as if I was one of his own. Without Tony I wouldn’t have had the career I’ve had in England because he gave me the opportunity and he was the one pushing me to get into the first team once I was in England. I’ll always be thankful to Tony. R&W: Having previously been with Linfield, Oldham Athletic, Cheltenham Town and Forest Green Rovers did it bring different pressures to what you had experienced before when you came to play at the Stadium of Light? CW: I’d never experienced that kind of passion before I came to Sunderland. We were in League One and there was a demand that we should win every week which was understandable. I think it goes in your favour as well because the fans give you an extra boost. You are playing in front of such big crowds who are cheering you on and wanting you to do so well. I felt it gave you that extra five to ten percent. R&W: You scored four times at the Stadium of Light, a late equaliser and three winners in narrow victories. Do any of those important goals stick in your memory? CW: I can’t explain the feeling of scoring at the Stadium of Light. It’s any kid in Sunderland’s dream to play for Sunderland, let alone score for the team. When I scored my first goal and heard the roar it was completely incredible and just what you imagine as a kid when you are playing in a big stadium in front of big crowds. Scoring for Sunderland were the best moments of my career by a mile. R&W: During the promotion season of 2021-22 you got back into the Northern Ireland squad. You’d have been disappointed to not add to your first cap you won in 2011 but you must have felt the call up was a recognition of how well you were playing for Sunderland? CW: We had Corry Evans playing for us and that helped, but if you are playing for a club like Sunderland you are going to come under the international spotlight. It was disappointing that I couldn’t add to the international cap I already had but it was good to get the recognition of a call up. R&W: You’d made 45 appearances in 2021-22 and then were ruled out of the play-offs through a groin injury which must have been one of the most disappointing part of your career. CW: It was heart-breaking. When I went for a scan and got the results back, I realised immediately my season was over. I was gutted because we still had important games to play and I wanted to try and help the team. R&W: You weren’t fit to take part in the play-off final but did you get a medal or anything for having played so many times in a promotion season? CW: I went to the game as a fan. I’d never seen anything like the crowd or the atmosphere. I was so disappointed that I couldn’t be part of the final, but we got the job done in the end and I was pleased that I’d been able to play a part in the season. I got a medal and it’s framed back home with one of my Sunderland shirts. It is the biggest achievement of my career to have won promotion with Sunderland. R&W: The fans took to you at Sunderland and nicknamed you ‘Winiesta’. How important was it for you to know you had earned the respect of the supporters on Wearside? CW:It’s massive. I say to people that you need to be a certain type of person to play for Sunderland. The fans at the club give absolutely everything to support the club and you’ve got to give it back. You know that if you give total effort for the team that’s all the fans want. It’s a working-class city and I’m from a working-class family myself so all I tried to do was give it my all and I knew that was appreciated. R&W: You won Shrewsbury’s Player of the Year award last season so are clearly still doing well and enjoying your football... CW: I’m still enjoying it. I’m playing in League One which is where I’ve spent most of my career but as a boy from west Belfast, I’m proud of what I’ve done and especially playing for Sunderland.
Genuinely liked him. Not just saying that because he speaks highly of us. Scored a couple of belters aswell.
This Poor period for the club but Winchester was a decent signing at the time, done a job and always gave everything. No complaints
