{{short description|English professional rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Use British English|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Carl Forster |fullname = Carl Forster |image = Carl Forster.jpg |image_size = 200 |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1992|6|4}} |birth_place = St Helens, Merseyside, England |height = {{convert|185|cm|ftin|0|abbr=on|order=flip}}<ref name=" Superleague">{{cite web|url= http://www.superleague.co.uk/matchday/player/3244|title= Carl Forster Salford Red Devils |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=2015|website= www.superleague.co.uk|publisher= Rugby Football League|access-date=20 July 2015}}</ref> |weight = {{convert|110|kg|stlb|abbr=on|order=flip}}<ref name="Superleague"/> |position = {{Rlp|PR}} |club1 = St Helens |year1start = 2011 |year1end = 14 |appearances1 = 5 |tries1 = 0 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 0 |club2 = → Swinton Lions |year2start = 2012{{small|(loan)}} |year2end = |appearances2 = 12 |tries2 = 0 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 0 |club3 = {{nowrap|→ Rochdale Hornets}} |year3start = 2013{{small|(loan)}} |year3end = |appearances3 = 12 |tries3 = 1 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 4 |club4 = → Whitehaven |year4start = 2013{{small|(loan)}} |year4end = |appearances4 = 3 |tries4 = 1 |goals4 = 0 |fieldgoals4 = 0 |points4 = 4 |club5 = → London Broncos |year5start = 2014{{small|(loan)}} |year5end = |appearances5 = 5 |tries5 = 0 |goals5 = 0 |fieldgoals5 = 0 |points5 = 0 |club6 = → Whitehaven |year6start = 2014{{small|(loan)}} |year6end = |appearances6 = 19 |tries6 = 3 |goals6 = 0 |fieldgoals6 = 0 |points6 = 12 |club7 = {{nowrap|Salford Red Devils}} |year7start = 2015 |year7end = 16 |appearances7 = 16 |tries7 = 1 |goals7 = 0 |fieldgoals7 = 0 |points7 = 4 |club8 = → Swinton Lions |year8start = 2016{{small|(loan)}} |year8end = |appearances8 = 4 |tries8 = 0 |goals8 = 0 |fieldgoals8 = 0 |points8 = 0 |club9 = Whitehaven |year9start = 2017 |year9end = 18 |appearances9 = 34 |tries9 = 26 |goals9 = 0 |fieldgoals9 = 0 |points9 = 64 |club10 = Rochdale Hornets |year10start = 2019 |year10end = 20 |appearances10 = 8 |tries10 = 3 |goals10 = 0 |fieldgoals10 = 0 |points10 = 0 | club11 = Barrow Raiders | year11start = 2020 | year11end = 22 | appearances11 = 39 | tries11 = 2 | goals11 = 0 | fieldgoals11 = 0 | points11 = 8 | club12 = {{nowrap|North Wales Crusaders}} | year12start = 2023 | year12end = 24 | appearances12 = 22 | tries12 = 4 | goals12 = 0 | fieldgoals12 = 0 | points12 = 16 | coachteam1 = Whitehaven | coachyear1start = 2017 | coachyear1end = 18 | coachgames1 = 71 | coachwins1 = 59 | coachdraws1 = 2 | coachlosses1 = 10 | coachteam2 = {{nowrap|Rochdale Hornets}} | coachyear2start = 2019 | coachyear2end = | coachgames2 = 7 | coachwins2 = 2 | coachdraws2 = 0 | coachlosses2 = 5 | coachteam3 = {{nowrap|North Wales Crusaders}} | coachyear3start = 2023 | coachyear3end = 25 | coachgames3 = 66 | coachwins3 = 33 | coachdraws3 = 0 | coachlosses3 = 33 | retired = no | source = <ref>[http://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Carl-Foster/ Love Rugby League]</ref><ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/carl-forster/summary.html Rugby League Project]</ref> | updated = 4 October 2025 }}
'''Carl Forster''' (born 4 June 1992) is an English professional rugby league coach who is an assistant coach at the Bradford Bulls in the Super League. He is a former professional rugby league footballer and former head coach.
He played for St Helens in the Super League, and on loan from Saints at a number of clubs.
He has previously coached Whitehaven in League 1, Rochdale Hornets in the Championship and the North Wales Crusaders in League 1.
==Background== Forster was born in St Helens, Merseyside, England.
==Playing career== ===St Helens=== He signed for Saints from local amateur club Pilkington Recs in 2009. 2011's Super League XVI was his first as a professional with St. Helens. He enjoyed Grand Final success with St. Helens Academy.<ref name="St Helens Profile">{{Cite web|url=http://saintsrlfc.com/player/105|title=St Helens Profile|publisher=saintsrlfc.com|date=2010-11-19|access-date=2010-11-19|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129061830/http://saintsrlfc.com/player/105|archive-date=2010-11-29|df= }}</ref> In June 2012, Carl signed a 2-year contract with St. Helens.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/18355439|title=Carl Forster|access-date=2012-06-09}}</ref>
===Salford Red Devils=== He played for Salford in the Super League until the end of 2015.
===Swinton Lions=== In the 2016 season, Forster played for Swinton.
===Whitehaven RLFC=== For the 2017 season, Forster played for Whitehaven while also serving as the team's head coach.
===Rochdale Hornets=== In 2019, Forster moved on to the Rochdale Hornets as player-coach before moving back to Whitehaven that season on loan after re-signing from Rochdale.
===Barrow Raiders=== On 23 September 2019, it was reported that he had signed for Barrow in the RFL League 1 on a Player-only one-year deal.<ref>{{cite web|website=Love Rugby League|date=23 Sep 2019|accessdate=21 Mar 2021|title=Carl Forster joins Barrow|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/carl-forster-joins-barrow/}}</ref>
===North Wales Crusaders=== On 5 November 2022, it was reported that he had taken up the player-coach role at North Wales Crusaders in the RFL League 1 for the 2023 season.<ref>{{cite web|website=Love Rugby League|date=5 Nov 2022|accessdate=7 Nov 2022|title=North Wales Crusaders appoint player-head coach for 2023|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/north-wales-crusaders-appoint-player-head-coach-for-2023/}}</ref>
On 4 October 2025, only days after winning the League One Coach of the Year award, it was reported that he had left the club to take up a full-time Super League coaching opportunity<ref>{{cite web|website=Total RL|author=Stephen Ibbetson|date=4 Oct 2025|title=Carl Forster leaves North Wales Crusaders for Super League role|url=https://www.totalrl.com/carl-forster-leaves-north-wales-crusaders-for-super-league-role/}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.whitehavenrl.co.uk/team/players/player?523757-carl-forster Whitehaven profile] *[http://www.whitehavenrl.co.uk/team/coaching_staff Whitehaven coaching profile] *[http://www.saints.org.uk/saints/player.php?num=16706 Saints Heritage Society profile]
{{Navboxes |title= Coaching positions |list1= {{North Wales Crusaders coaches}} {{Rochdale Hornets coaches}} {{Whitehaven RLFC coaches}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forster, Carl}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century English sportsmen Category:Barrow Raiders players Category:English rugby league coaches Category:English rugby league players Category:London Broncos players Category:North Wales Crusaders coaches Category:North Wales Crusaders players Category:Pilkington Recs players Category:Rochdale Hornets coaches Category:Rochdale Hornets players Category:Rugby league players from St Helens, Merseyside Category:Rugby league props Category:Salford RLFC players Category:Swinton Lions players Category:St Helens R.F.C. players Category:Whitehaven R.L.F.C. coaches Category:Whitehaven R.L.F.C. players