Jamie Cureton

Jamie Cureton (born 28 August 1975) is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a striker for Template:English football updater club Kings Park Rangers. He began his career at Norwich City in 1994, and after the club's relegation from the Premier League, spent 21 seasons competing in The Football League, as well as one season at South Korean side Busan I'Cons in 2003. Subsequently, he has continued his career with several non-league clubs, including periods as a player-coach and player-manager.

One of the only eight English outfield footballers to have made over 1,000 competitive appearances, his career has spanned ten tiers of the football pyramid from the Premier League to the Eastern Counties Division One North, and has seen him score over 350 goals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He is the only player to have scored in the top 10 divisions of the English football pyramid.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Cureton's longest associations have been with Norwich City (five seasons), Bristol Rovers and Enfield (four seasons each). His 2022–23 Essex Senior Football League title with Enfield, as player-manager, is his only club trophy, though he has been part of five promotions and won the 2006–07 Football League Championship Golden Boot.

Playing career

Early years

Born in Bristol, Cureton began his professional career with Norwich City, before moving on to Bristol Rovers. In 1993, he turned down an offer from Manchester United to stay at Carrow Road.<ref name=independent>Template:Cite news</ref> An England youth international, he achieved significant status with the Norwich fans when he dyed his hair yellow and green for an East Anglian Derby game against Ipswich Town in 1996 and subsequently scoring in the same fixture. He was sold by Mike Walker to Bristol Rovers in 1996.

Bristol Rovers

Cureton enjoyed a prolific spell at his hometown club. This was particularly the case during the 1999–2000 season where he struck up a partnership with Jason Roberts that almost took the club to promotion. After the club dipped out of the play-off places on the final day of the season he decided his future lay with pastures new, and headed to Reading.

Reading

Cureton moved to Reading in 2000, playing there for three years. While at the club, the Reading supporters' trust had a newly discovered star in the "Perseus" constellation named after him.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Here he struck a formidable partnership with Martin Butler, becoming one of the most feared combinations in the Football League. In his first season (2000–01), he scored 30 goals, including a goal in the play-off final against Walsall, a game which Reading went on to lose 3–2. The following season however, it was Cureton who scored the goal to get Reading promoted. He scored the equaliser against Brentford in the closing stages, with a deft flick to help it over the keeper, into the corner of the net.

Busan I'Cons

Cureton then made a mid-2003 switch to K League side Busan I'Cons (now Busan IPark), playing under former Chelsea manager Ian Porterfield.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He failed to settle in East Asia however, describing the move as "another big mistake" in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Cureton's time playing in South Korea is documented in the book, Who Ate All the Squid?: Football Adventures in South Korea.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Return to England

File:Dwight Yorke 2007.jpg

Cureton receiving a yellow card during a 2007 match for Colchester against Sunderland.

After being released from his contract at Busan, he returned to England and joined Queens Park Rangers on 30 January 2004.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> One of the more memorable of the six goals he scored there was a volley from a tight angle against Coventry City which echoed Marco Van Basten's goal against USSR in the Euro 1988 final.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> After a mostly unsettled season at Loftus Road though, he joined Swindon Town in June 2005.

He failed to make his mark in his first spell at the club and subsequently joined Colchester United on loan.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He then briefly returned to Swindon Town as they failed to avoid relegation to League Two. After Swindon's relegation, Cureton activated a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave Swindon on a free transfer, and rejoined Colchester on a permanent basis.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His first full season with the U's proved to be hugely successful as the Essex club managed a 10th-place finish in the Championship, partnering Chris Iwelumo.

One of Cureton's main highlights in a Colchester shirt was the hat-trick he scored in the 3–0 away win against Essex rivals Southend United on 7 April 2007.

His 23 goals in the 2006–07 season gave him the Championship Golden Boot as the league's top scorer, and made him the first Colchester United striker since Tony Adcock to score 20 league goals in a season; the first for 22 years.

On 5 June 2007, due to agent demands, Cureton handed in a transfer request to Colchester United, citing Colchester's ambitions differing from his own.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This inevitably fuelled speculation that Cureton might return to Norwich City, the club where he began his career. Cureton himself stated that he would like to return to the club.

Colchester initially rejected the transfer request, saying that Cureton was an important part of the club's future and that they wanted to keep him,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> though Norwich City manager Peter Grant confirmed that he would like to sign Cureton.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Cureton moved to Norwich City for £825,000 on 29 June 2007.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was signed as a replacement for Robert Earnshaw,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Norwich's top scorer of the 2006–07 season, who left for Derby County in a £3.5 million deal the same day.

Norwich City

After his success at Colchester United, Cureton returned to Norwich City. He scored two goals in the League Cup against Barnet and two on his league debut for Norwich against Southampton. Cureton continued to play very much a bit part during the season and one of his goals came during the Canaries' 1–0 win at Scunthorpe United, a victory that lifted Norwich clear of the relegation places ahead of the Christmas and New Year fixtures.

Due to lack of first team football, on 27 November 2008, Cureton joined Barnsley on a 3-month loan deal,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but on 14 January 2009, he was recalled to Norwich City after Glenn Roeder's termination as manager.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

When Norwich played Barnsley on the following weekend, the Canaries were 4–0 victors with Cureton scoring their second.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Cureton played his 100th game for Norwich City against Coventry but put in a bad performance and was dropped for the rest of the season.

The following season, newly appointed manager Paul Lambert started Cureton for the first three games, only to drop him to the bench for the next two games, leaving him an unused sub for both.

Cureton scored his first two goals of the season, against Leyton Orient and Bristol Rovers, both in which he came on as a late sub. Cureton scored the winning penalty in a Football League Trophy match against Swindon. However this was to be his last appearance for Norwich as after this he failed to even secure a place on the bench. After being loaned out to Shrewsbury for the remainder of the season Cureton was released by Norwich City.

Cureton joined Shrewsbury Town on loan until the end of the 2009–10 season on 16 February 2010 from Norwich.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Exeter City and Leyton Orient

Cureton spent the 2010 pre-season on trial with Exeter City, stating he would like to link up with a club closer to his Bristol home, and joined on a short-term deal in August 2010. A contract extension saw him continue with the Grecians until the end of 2010–11, a season in which he finished as the club's top scorer, with 20 goals in all competitions, and won the Supporter's Player of the Year and Player's Player of the Year awards. A deal was offered for Cureton to stay at Exeter for 2011-12 was declined by Cureton, who instead joined Leyton Orient in June 2011. He scored his first and only goal for the O's on 7 January 2012, in a 4–1 loss at Carlisle United,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> before re-joining Exeter on loan just under two months later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He scored one goal in seven appearances as the Grecians were relegated from League One. Cureton was released by Orient after the expiry of his contract in May 2012,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and signed a permanent deal with Exeter in July 2012. He played 42 games in 2012–13, scoring 21 goals, but was released at the end of the season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Cheltenham Town

File:Jamie Cureton 08-02-2014 1.jpg

Cureton playing for Cheltenham Town in 2014

On 17 June 2013, it was announced that Cureton had agreed terms on a one-year deal with Cheltenham Town.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He ended the season with 11 goals in 36 appearances which included 12 substitute appearances. He was released by the club on 7 May 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Dagenham & Redbridge

On 24 July 2014, Cureton agreed a one-year deal with League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge, the 14th club of his senior career.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following the retirements of Ryan Giggs and Kevin Phillips and Ian Goodison's departure from Tranmere Rovers, 39-year-old Cureton was the oldest onfield player in all four of England's top divisions. He was awarded Player of the Year 2014–15 at the Daggers on the last home game of the season.<ref name=independent/>

Later career

Cureton signed a short-term contract with Farnborough in August 2016,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> before moving to Eastleigh of the National League the following month.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In early December, he departed Eastleigh after a change of management, and briefly re-joined Farnborough, scoring in his first game since returning to the club in a 3–2 home defeat against Hanwell Town,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> before joining St Albans City that same month.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He returned to Farnborough in April 2017 on dual registration for the remainder of the 2016–17 season,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and in July a permanent deal of one year was agreed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Having scored ten goals in 23 league appearances for Farnborough, Cureton joined Bishop's Stortford midway through the 2017–18 season, making his début in a 3–0 defeat to Royston Town on 1 January 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In April 2019, Cureton reached the landmark of 1,000 senior club appearances, scoring twice as Bishop's Stortford beat Brightlingsea Regent 3–2.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2019 he signed dual registration terms with Enfield, who groundshare with Bishop's Stortford. After being sent off eight minutes into his debut on 8 October, he scored in his second appearance on 24 October, becoming the first player to score in the top nine levels of English football.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In February 2020, Cureton signed for Isthmian Premier League side Hornchurch.<ref>Cureton's name speaks for itself says Hornchurch boss Stimson Template:Webarchive Romford Recorder, 6 February 2020</ref> In June 2020, following a brief spell at the club in the 2019–20 season,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Cureton signed for Enfield.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 7 October 2023, Cureton, after announcing his retirement from senior football,Template:Citation needed joined fellow Isthmian League side Maldon & Tiptree as a coach and was part of the coaching staff for his first game against former club Enfield.<ref name="Maldon & Tiptree – Jamie Cureton">Template:Cite web</ref> He came out of retirement as a player in March 2024, appearing as a late substitute in Maldon & Tiptree's 1–0 defeat to Wroxham on 2 March.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During the 2024–25 season, Cureton again returned from retirement while manager of Cambridge City, making his début for the club, aged 49, on 5 April 2025, as a late substitute in a 1–2 loss to Ipswich Wanderers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As player-manager he played the full 90 minutes in their 1–0 win vs Sporting Bengal on 21 April 2025 in the last home game of the season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In October 2025, Cureton joined Eastern Counties League Division One North club Kings Park Rangers.<ref> Template:Cite tweet</ref> He made his league debut for the club on 18 October, as a second-half substitute in a 4–0 win over Diss Town.<ref>https://fulltime.thefa.com/displayFixture.html?id=28166121</ref> On 25 October, he scored his first goal for the club, becoming the first player to score in all of the top ten divisions in English football.<ref> Template:Cite web</ref>

Coaching career

Cureton was appointed as an assistant coach at Arsenal's academy in September 2017.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Following the resignation of Adam Flint in September 2018, Cureton became manager of Bishop's Stortford alongside club owner Steve Smith, as an interim to begin with.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They guided Stortford to a seventh-place finish in the Isthmian Premier that season. In October 2019 he took sole charge of the position.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In September 2020, he was appointed manager while still an active player at Enfield, becoming player-manager.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During the 2022–23 season, Cureton guided Enfield to the Essex Senior League title and promotion to the eighth tier.<ref name="22/23 Champions">Template:Cite tweet</ref> He departed the club on 11 September 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 7 October 2023, Cureton Template:Citation needed joined fellow Isthmian League side Maldon & Tiptree as a coach and was part of the coaching staff for his first game against former club Enfield.<ref name="Maldon & Tiptree – Jamie Cureton"/>

On 17 May 2024, Cureton was appointed manager of Isthmian League North Division club Cambridge City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 17 September 2025, Cureton was relieved of his position at Cambridge City owing to the clubs poor start to the season. The club sat 18th in the Isthmian League North Division with 4 points from a possible 21 and out of the F.A Cup. after being beaten by lower level club Mulbarton Wanderers F.C..

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Norwich City	1994–95<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	Premier League	17	4	2	0	1	0	—		20	4
	1995–96<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	First Division	12	2	0	0	0	0	—		12	2
	Total		29	6	2	0	1	0	—		32	6
AFC Bournemouth (loan)	1995–96<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	Second Division	5	0	—		—		1<ref group=lower-alpha name=FLT>Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy</ref>	0	6	0
Bristol Rovers	1996–97<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 1996/1997">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Second Division	38	11	1	0	0	0	1<ref group=lower-alpha name=FLT/>	0	40	11
	1997–98<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 1997/1998">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Second Division	43	13	2	0	2	0	2<ref group=lower-alpha name=FLT/>	1	49	14
	1998–99<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 1998/1999">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Second Division	46	25	6	2	2	1	1<ref group=lower-alpha name=FLT/>	1	55	29
	1999–2000<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 1999/2000">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Second Division	46	22	1	0	4	1	2<ref group=lower-alpha name=FLT/>	1	53	24
	2000–01<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2000/2001">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Second Division	1	1	—		—		—		1	1
	Total		174	72	10	2	8	2	6	3	198	79
Reading	2000–01<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2000/2001"/>	Second Division	43	26	3	1	2	1	5<ref group=lower-alpha name=FLP>Two appearances and one goal in Football League Trophy, three appearances and one goal in Second Division play-offs</ref>	2	53	30
	2001–02<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2001/2002">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Second Division	38	15	2	1	2	0	0	0	42	16
	2002–03<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2002/2003">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	First Division	27	9	2	0	1	0	2<ref group=lower-alpha>Appearances in First Division play-offs</ref>	0	32	9
	Total		108	50	7	2	5	1	7	2	127	55
Busan I'Cons	2003<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2003">Template:Cite web</ref>	K League	21	4	—		—		—		21	4
Queens Park Rangers	2003–04<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2003/2004">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Second Division	13	2	—		—		—		13	2
	2004–05<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2004/2005">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Championship	30	4	1	0	2	1	—		33	5
	Total		43	6	1	0	2	1	0	0	46	7
Swindon Town	2005–06<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2005/2006">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	League One	30	7	—		1	0	1<ref group=lower-alpha name=FLT/>	0	32	7
Colchester United (loan)	2005–06<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2005/2006"/>	League One	8	4	2	3	—		—		10	7
Colchester United	2006–07<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2006/2007">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Championship	44	23	1	1	1	0	—		46	24
	Total		52	27	3	4	1	0	0	0	56	31
Norwich City	2007–08<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2007/2008">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Championship	41	12	2	0	2	2	—		45	14
	2008–09<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2008/2009">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Championship	22	2	0	0	1	0	—		23	2
	2009–10<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2009/2010">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	League One	6	2	0	0	0	0	2<ref group=lower-alpha name=FLT/>	0	8	2
	Total		69	16	2	0	3	2	2	0	76	18
Barnsley (loan)	2008–09<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2008/2009"/>	Championship	8	2	—		—		—		8	2
Shrewsbury Town (loan)	2009–10<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2009/2010"/>	League Two	12	0	—		—		—		12	0
Exeter City	2010–11<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2010/2011">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	League One	41	17	1	0	0	0	5<ref group=lower-alpha name=FLT/>	3	47	20
Leyton Orient	2011–12<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2011/2012">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	League One	19	1	2	0	2	0	0	0	23	1
Exeter City (loan)	2011–12<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2011/2012"/>	League One	7	1	—		—		—		7	1
Exeter City	2012–13<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2012/2013">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	League Two	40	21	1	0	1	0	0	0	42	21
	Total		47	22	1	0	1	0	0	0	49	22
Cheltenham Town	2013–14<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2013/2014">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	League Two	35	11	1	0	0	0	0	0	36	11
Dagenham & Redbridge	2014–15<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2014/2015">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	League Two	45	19	2	0	1	1	0	0	48	20
	2015–16<ref name="Games played by Jamie Cureton in 2015/2016">Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	League Two	38	7	5	1	0	0	2<ref group=lower-alpha name=FLT/>	1	45	9
	Total		83	26	7	1	1	1	2	1	93	29
Farnborough	2016–17<ref name=Aylesbury>Template:Cite web</ref>	SL Division One Central	7	8	3	1	—		—		10	9
Eastleigh	2016–17<ref name=Soccerway/>	National League	7	1	—		—		—		7	1
Farnborough	2016–17<ref name=Aylesbury/>	SL Division One Central	1	1	—		—		—		1	1
St Albans City	2016–17<ref name=Soccerway>Template:Cite web</ref>	National League South	15	4	—		—		2<ref group=lower-alpha>One appearance and one goal in Herts Senior Cup, one in Herts Charity Cup</ref>	1	17	5
Farnborough	2016–17<ref name=Aylesbury/>	SL Division One Central	8	6	—		—		—		8	6
	2017–18<ref name="Aylesbury" />	SL Premier Division	23	10	1	0	—		7	3	31	13
	Total		31	16	1	0	—		7	3	39	19
Bishop's Stortford	2017–18<ref name=Aylesbury/>	SL Premier Division	20	9	0	0	—		0	0	20	9
	2018–19<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	IL Premier Division	36	22	1	0	—		6	3	43	25
	2019–20<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	IL Premier Division	26	16	2	2	—		3	0	31	18
	Total		82	47	3	2	—		9	3	94	52
Enfield	2019–20<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Essex Senior League	2	0	0	0	—		0	0	2	0
Hornchurch	2019–20<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	IL Premier Division	8	2	0	0	—		0	0	8	2
Enfield	2020–21<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Essex Senior League	7	2	0	0	—		2	0	9	2
	2021–22<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Essex Senior League	15	3	0	0	—		2	3	17	6
	2022–23<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Essex Senior League	0	0	0	—		1	0	1	0
	Total		22	5	0	0	—		5	3	27	8
Maldon & Tiptree	2023–24<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	IL Division One North	2	0	0	0	—		1<ref>Appearance in Essex Senior Cup</ref>	0	3	0
Cambridge City	2024–25<ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref>	IL Division One North	3	0	0	0	—		0	0	3	0
Cambridge City	2025–26<ref name="auto"/>	IL Division One North	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0
Kings Park Rangers	2025–26<ref>https://fulltime.thefa.com/displayTeam.html?divisionseason=575593296&teamID=258479981#tab-2%7C</ref>	Eastern Counties Division One North	4	1	0	0	—		0	0	4	1
Career total			960	352	44	12	25	7	48	19	1,077	390

Honours

As a player

Reading

• Football League Second Division runner-up: 2001–02<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Queens Park Rangers

• Football League Second Division runner-up: 2003–04

Individual

• Football League Championship Golden Boot: 2006–07<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• PFA Team of the Year: 2012–13 League Two<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

As a manager

Enfield

• Essex Senior Football League Champions: 2022–23<ref name="22/23 Champions"/>

See also

• List of men's footballers with the most official appearances

External links

• England profile at theFA
• Template:Soccerway
• Template:K League player
• Template:Soccerbase