A defender, Carter was used mostly at full-back and kicked just the one goal in his 16 seasons of football. That goal came in a game against Melbourne at the SCG in 1986. After spending his first six years with the now defunct Fitzroy during the late 1970s, Carter left the club and joined [Port Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne Football Club|Port Melbourne] of the Victorian Football Association. He was picked up by South Melbourne after half a season and went on to play his best football there in the 1980s.