DARREN Currie is ready to live his dream and is confident he won't be hurting old friends in the process.The 30-year-old looked as if he was going to see out his career as a journeyman midfielder until Joe Royle splashed out £250,000 to give him the opportunity of achieving his Premiership ambition.

By Derek Davis

DARREN Currie is ready to live his dream and is confident he won't be hurting old friends in the process.

The 30-year-old looked as if he was going to see out his career as a journeyman midfielder until Joe Royle splashed out £250,000 to give him the opportunity of achieving his Premiership ambition.

Currie signed from Brighton last December and enjoyed a memorable scoring debut at QPR but goes into the last day of the season ready to fire the Blues into the top flight, even if that means relegating his old club.

The former Wycombe Wanderers, Shrewsbury, Barnet, Plymouth and Leyton Orient winger, is one game away from tasting top-flight football for the first time and nothing is going to stop him now.

Currie said: “I'm an Ipswich player now and that is the most important thing. I have the opportunity on Sunday of fulfilling a lifelong ambition and I won't let anything get in the way of that.

“It is tantalisingly close. I felt it would come down to this game at Brighton but we go there in good form. We are happy with the result on Saturday, so all we can hope is we do our bit and hope Reading can do us a favour.”

Currie told the EADT six weeks ago that he expected it to come down to the last day although he didn't want to be put in the situation of sending the Seagulls down.

Mark McGhee's side are three points ahead of third from bottom Crewe and are hoping to either pick up a point against Town, or hope Alex fail to beat Coventry on Sunday.

Both could avoid the drop if Gillingham lose at Nottingham Forest and Crewe win.

Currie last night said: “Life has a habit of throwing things like this in front of you. But I honestly believe they are safe.

“They have a three-point cushion and hopefully that will be enough with Crewe dropping points on the final day.

“I'm chuffed to bits that they will be safe. I did my bit for them when I was there and they are a fantastic bunch of lads.

“I owe a lot to Mark McGhee and Bob Booker for their help and support at the beginning of the season, so I'm thrilled to bits that they are going to get the chance to play in the Championship next year.

“All I hope now is a that they get their stadium and have another successful season next year.”

As a veteran of 12 games for Albion at Withdean, which is basically a sports centre, Currie knows how home advantage works well for Albion.

He said: “Brighton have had a lot of success there over the years and have used the stadium and the surroundings to their advantage.

“It is not a proper stadium and you can't get many fans in to create a good atmosphere.

“When I was there I could see the big clubs would come down and were not impressed with the surroundings and that worked against them sometimes.

“But I'm sure with the prize at stake the lads will get their heads down”

Currie scored twice in his dozen games at the Withdean, and after his miss at Leeds, Sunday would be a good time to get his third at that ground and take his Town tally to four.

derek.davis@eadt.co.uk