John Carew is a professional football player, born on September 9, 1979 in Lorenskog, Norway. His father is Gambian and his mother is Norwegian and he was born and brought up in Norway. On November 18, 1998, John Carew made his international debut for the Norway national team. As of 2008, he has appeared seventy times and has scored twenty one goals for his national side.
John Carew began his football career by playing for Vålerenga and was a part of the team that won the Norwegian Football Cup in 1997. After a couple of years, he moved to Rosenborg B.K and contributed for the winning of Norwegian Premiership League. On the field and to his close ones he is known by his nick name “Karev”.
With this success run at the Champions League, John Carew struck deal with the Spanish club Valencia CF, where he was a part of the winning side that won the league and also played in the final of the Champions League. In 2003, as a part of a loan program he played for A.S. Roma in Italy. In the following year, he signed with Be?ikta? J.K football club based in Turkey. After this successful season, John Carew was signed by the four time defending Ligue 1 champions Olympique Lyonnais. He played for the team that won French Ligue 1 championship 2006.
John Carew was signed by Aston Villa in a part-exchange deal with Olympique Lyonnais for Milan Baros on January 22, 2007. Later, he agreed to a contract that kept him in with this Birmingham-based club for a period of three and half years. While playing for Aston Villa, John Carew wears the number 10 jersey that was earlier worn by Milan Baros, the winner of Golden Boot at Euro 2004.
John Carew has gained experience by playing under some of the most reputed managers that includes Nils Arne Eggen in Rosenborg B.K., Rafael Benítez in Valencia CF, Fabio Capello in A.S. Roma, Vicente del Bosque in Be?ikta? J.K., Gérard Houllier in Olympique Lyonnais, and Martin O'Neill in Aston Villa F.C.
John Carew is well known for being a religious person, and also makes donations to charity. He contributes to organizations like Soccer Against Crime, MOT and Ungdom mot Vold, and was awarded as Kniksen of the year in 2005 and 2007. After joining Aston Villa, he has been a regular face at hospitals around Birmingham. He visits the children in these hospitals and donates a part of his payroll towards hospital running costs, a movement initiated by Aston Villa.
