Darren Anthony Carter (born 18 December 1983) is an English professional footballer who plays for Northampton Town as a midfielder.A former England under-19 and under-20 international, he began his career with Birmingham City, and came to prominence at the age of 18 when his penalty won the club promotion into the Premier League in the 2002 First Division play-off final. He was loaned out to Sunderland in winter 2004, before he was sold on to West Bromwich Albion for £1.5 million in July 2005. In August 2007, he was sold on to Preston North End for a fee of up to £1.25 million. Loaned out to Millwall in the 2010–11 season, he later had to spend the 2011–12 season without a club after tearing a groin muscle during a trial game. He returned to action in the 2012–13 campaign with Cheltenham Town, and signed for Northampton Town ahead of the 2013–14 season.