Currie out to ruin uncle's big day

By Derek Davis

DARREN Currie is looking to wreck his uncle Tony's day tomorrow by slowing Sheffield United's pursuit of a Premiership place.

Blades and England legend Tony Currie still works as part of United's community staff and, along with brother Paul, Darren's father, will be a guest of the Town star for tomorrow's Championship encounter.

But the younger Currie, voted Powergen/EADT Player of the Month for his sparkling displays in December, is determined to make it a miserable afternoon for Tony and his Sheffield mates.

Currie said: “I spoke to my uncle earlier in the week and he is quite happy with the way the season is going and is quite confident that he is finally going to see his beloved Blades back in the Premiership but I'm looking to spoil his party on Saturday. No doubt I will catch up with him after the game and have a chat but, hopefully, he will have the hump.”

Upbeat Currie appreciates the Blades, second in the Championship and nine points clear of third-placed Leeds, will be a tough nut to crack but feels Town's recent form, along with added firepower, can provide a shock, albeit not quite in the same league as Colchester United's 2-1 FA Cup victory.

Currie said: “Now we have got Sheffield United and they will be fresh after resting half-a-dozen players against Colchester and wanting to put that FA Cup defeat behind them.

“They are now looking at the run into the Premiership and, like we were this time last year, are in a position where they won't fear anyone.

“They will come to Portman Road flying high but we can surprise them. I'm sure word has got round football that we are playing a lot better than results suggest and we are in decent form now and will be wary of us.

“They know that we are the sort of team that, on a good day, can play well enough to turn them over.

“It is a big game for both of us and we are looking for a little surge towards the play-offs.”

As the club's leading assist in Town's goals, Currie is hoping new £150,000 signing Alan Lee can get on the end of his pin-point crossing and start getting the goals the Blues have been missing.

He said: “Alan was the first person I saw when we turned up for training on Thursday morning and it is surprising just how big he is.

“With his track record in front of goal, and his height, it is encouraging for me as someone who will be pumping the ball into the box.

“We have needed a big lad and he will be able to hold the ball up and in turn that will bring our midfield more into the game in the final third.

“We have been frustrated at the lack of goals but, with Alan, and if we can get Nicky Forster and Sam Parkin fit, we will have strikers with plenty of goals in them.”

Currie topped the average marks handed out after every game to win the Player of the Month for December and was also in the Championship team-of-the-week during the month.

His prize for winning the EADT/Powergen accolade for the second time this season was a supply of training kit and footballs, which he donated to Cann Hall Primary School in Clacton.

He said: “It is great that a school benefits. The connection is with my kit sponsor and he suggested Canns Hill. I gave it to a school in Witham last time, so we are doing well for Essex.”

Currie modestly deflected the praise away from himself and insisted he would not have shone if not for his team-mates. He added: “It was a good month for me but I'm the type of player that relies heavily on those around me.

“I would not have played at the level I have been if it was not for those others. The whole squad deserves a mention for the way we played collectively over the Christmas and New Year period. We played extremely well and it was a bit frustrating that those performances only warranted four points.

“In any game you look for positives and over the holiday period there were loads of positives.”

A win over his famous uncle's side tomorrow would turn those positives into points and leave at least one half of the Currie family smiling.