He resigned in 1978 to manage Dartford and later managed Nuneaton Borough until 1985 when he left to become manager of his first club Northampton Town. He led the Cobblers to the Fourth Division title in the 1986–87 season. However, the title winning side's leading scorer Richard Hill was sold to Watford and his strike partner Trevor Morley to Manchester City and Carr's subsequent sides struggled for goals and went from being a free-scoring attacking side to a negative one relying on the offside trap.