After two-and-a-half years away from English football, one-time England international Carl Jenkinson completed a recent shock move to League Two newcomers Bromley after finding himself without a club over the summer.
The 32-year-old was once a Premier League player at the Emirates Stadium under Arsene Wegner, so the move to Hayes Lane may come as a shock to some people, particularly Arsenal supporters where Jenkinson spent eight years in total.
However, the last couple of years have been a little bit more difficult for the defender, and he’s spent time in Australia playing for both Melbourne City and Newcastle Jets after leaving Nottingham Forest.
With an England cap and 70 appearances for Arsenal under his belt, his signing looks to be a serious coup for Andy Woodman’s Bromley side in their first League Two season, and Jenkinson will be relishing the chance to play in England again after a couple of seasons away.
Charlton Athletic, Arsenal supporters will be shocked by Carl Jenkinson’s move
Jenkinson started his career at Charlton Athletic, and he impressed at The Valley, coming through the academy ranks before earning a first-team call-up during the 2010/11 campaign, doing enough in his first season in professional football to earn a move across London to Arsenal.
It speaks volumes of how impressive he was at Charlton that Arsenal signed him, and while he wasn’t always a first-team regular at the Emirates Stadium, making 70 appearances across nine years, also spending time on loan at both West Ham United and Birmingham City, he was an important member of Wegner’s squad, and someone that could also be relied on.
He did enough in his early days as an Arsenal player to win an England cap back in 2012, and he also helped the Gunners to FA Cup success in both 2014 and 2017.
With this in mind, supporters of both Charlton and Arsenal may be somewhat surprised to see him playing for Bromley at the age of 32, not a particularly old age at all.
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Carl Jenkinson’s senior career |
|
|---|---|
|
Club |
Seasons |
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Charlton Athletic |
2008-11 |
|
Welling United (Loan) |
2010 |
|
Eastbourne Borough (Loan) |
2010 |
|
Arsenal |
2011-19 |
|
West Ham (Loan) |
2014-15 |
|
West Ham (Loan) |
2015-16 |
|
Birmingham City (Loan) |
2017-18 |
|
Nottingham Forest |
2019-22 |
|
Melbourne City (Loan) |
2022 |
|
Newcastle Jets |
2022-24 |
|
Bromley |
2024- |
When Jenkinson left Arsenal in 2019 it would have been hard to envisage him playing for League Two newcomers in Bromley just five years’ time, but after a spell as a free agent, the one-cap England international will be relishing the chance to play football again.
His move to Bromley certainly raised eyebrows, but Jenkinson should be commended for making the brave decision to drop to League Two, and it shows that he feels like he’s still got plenty to give in professional football.
Signing Carl Jenkinson is a serious coup for Bromley
For a newly-promoted League Two side to sign a player with Jenkinson’s experience is a real coup for Bromley as they look to consolidate their positions as an EFL club.
Woodman’s side have made a solid start to life in League Two and sit 18th, and while their main priority will be staying in the division this season, Jenkinson’s signing shows they’re an ambitious outfit who have big plans.
With an England cap, 93 Premier League games and Championship experience under his belt, Jenkinson will bring a wealth of experience to Hayes Lane which will come in handy over the course of the 46-game season.
The 32-year-old was an unused substitute for Saturday’s 1-1 draw with MK Dons, perhaps understandable as he’s only just joined the club and isn’t quite up to speed, but there’s no doubt he’ll play a key role later this season.
Supporters may be shocked to see Jenkinson turning out in the fourth tier this season, but it’s a statement of intent from Bromley, and Andy Woodman will be hoping it’s a move that pays off as they look to become a force in the EFL.
