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Tony Currie (footballer)

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This article is about the English footballer. For the rugby league player, see Tony Currie (rugby league).

Tony Currie
Personal information
Full name Anthony William Currie
Date of birth (1950-01-01) 1 January 1950 (age 74)
Place of birth Edgware, Middlesex, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Queens Park Rangers
Chelsea
Watford
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1967–1968 Watford 18 (9)
1968–1976 Sheffield United 313 (54)
1976–1979 Leeds United 102 (11)
1979–1982 Queens Park Rangers 81 (5)
1983 Toronto Nationals[1][2] 6 (1)
1983–1984 Southend United 0 (0)
1984 Torquay United 14 (1)
Total 528 (80)
International career
1968 England Youth 3 (0)
1969–1973 England U23 13 (4)
1972–1979 England 17 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Anthony William Currie (born 1 January 1950) is an English former footballer who had significant spells for Sheffield United, Leeds United and Queens Park Rangers as well as representing England.

He was an effervescent and exuberant attacking midfield player with the vision and ability to strike long dangerous passes.[3] His nephew, Darren Currie, was also a midfielder.

Career

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Currie was a talented schoolboy footballer who represented Hendon Boys before joining Queens Park Rangers as an amateur, whilst working for a building firm. He joined Chelsea as an apprentice, but was released and moved to Watford to complete his apprenticeship, earning England Youth honours in the process. He turned professional in May 1967 and made his league debut the following season.

He was transferred to Sheffield United on 1 February 1968 for £26,500. He scored on his debut against Tottenham Hotspur with a header on 26 February but missed the next game on 2 March as it was his wedding day. 'TC' or 'Top Cat' as he was nicknamed by Sheffield United fans, was idolised in his time at Bramall Lane.[4] He went on to score 54 goals in 313 appearances and was also made captain by manager Ken Furphy in March 1974. In September 2014, as part of the club's 125th Anniversary celebrations, he was named Sheffield United's Greatest Ever Player[5]

In June 1976 he moved to Yorkshire rivals Leeds United for £250,000, making his Leeds debut in a 2–2 draw with West Bromwich Albion. His skills made him a firm favourite at Leeds, where he played a total of 124 games, scoring 16 goals. His curling shot during United's November 1978 4–0 home win against Southampton F.C. won[6] ITV's The Big Match Goal of the Season that year. Currie's form helped Leeds reach the League Cup semi–finals in 1978 and 1979, and in the 1978–79 season Leeds finished fifth to qualify for the UEFA Cup. As his wife was homesick for London this resulted in his sale to Queens Park Rangers in August 1979.[7]

Currie captained Rangers in the 1982 FA Cup final replay, though he conceded the penalty from which Glenn Hoddle scored the winning goal.[8] His career was badly affected by injuries and, after five goals in 81 games, he dropped out of league football and into semi-retirement from the game. He moved to Canada and spent two months playing for the Toronto Nationals, joining Chesham United on his return to Britain. He subsequently joined Southend United on non-contract terms before being persuaded by David Webb to join Torquay United in February 1984. He scored once in 16 games for the Gulls.[citation needed]

He moved to Tranmere Rovers in October 1984, but left without appearing in their first team, leaving him with 81 goals in 528 league games. He moved into non–league football, playing for Dunstable Town, Hendon and Goole Town before being appointed Football in the Community co-ordinator at Sheffield United in February 1988, a post he still holds today.

International career

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During his time at Sheffield United, he broke into the England team, winning the first of his 17 caps in 1972. He was capped 11 times whilst at Leeds.

He played in the World Cup qualifier against Poland, which was held at Wembley Stadium in 1973. England dominated the match, but could only draw 1–1 and failed to qualify.

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[9][10]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Watford 1967–68 Third Division 18 9 2 0 1 0 — 21 9
Sheffield United 1967–68 First Division 13 4 0 0 0 0 2[a] 0 15 4
1968–69 Second Division 35 4 1 0 1 0 3[a] 0 40 4
1969–70 Second Division 42 12 2 0 2 0 2[a] 0 48 12
1970–71 Second Division 42 9 1 0 2 1 3[b] 2 48 12
1971–72 First Division 38 10 1 0 5 1 — 44 11
1972–73 First Division 39 1 2 0 5 1 6[c] 3 52 5
1973–74 First Division 29 6 1 1 1 0 4[d] 1 35 8
1974–75 First Division 42 7 2 1 4 0 3[e] 2 51 10
1975–76 First Division 33 1 1 0 2 0 7[f] 1 43 2
Total 313 54 11 2 22 3 30 9 376 68
Leeds United 1976–77 First Division 35 1 5 0 1 1 — 41 2
1977–78 First Division 35 3 1 0 5 1 — 41 4
1978–79 First Division 32 7 3 0 7 3 — 42 10
Total 102 11 9 0 13 5 — 124 16
Queens Park Rangers 1979–80 Second Division 28 3 1 0 4 1 — 33 4
1980–81 Second Division 31 1 1 0 3 0 — 35 1
1981–82 Second Division 20 1 7 0 1 0 — 28 1
1982–83 Second Division 2 0 0 0 0 0 — 2 0
Total 81 5 9 0 8 1 — 98 6
Career total 514 79 31 2 44 9 30 9 619 99
  1. ^ a b c Appearance(s) in Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup
  2. ^ Two appearances two goals in Watney Cup; one appearance in Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup
  3. ^ Three appearances two goals in Watney Cup; two appearances one goal in Texaco Cup; one appearance in Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup
  4. ^ Two appearances in Texaco Cup; two appearances one goal in Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup
  5. ^ Appearance(s) in Texaco Cup
  6. ^ Two appearances in Anglo-Scottish Cup; five appearances one goal in Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup

References

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  1. ^ 73 Days – The Story of the Canadian Professional Soccer League
  2. ^ The Matador: The Life and Career of Tony Currie By Elliot Huntley, Pitch Publishing, 2015
  3. ^ Clarebrough, Denis. (1989) Sheffield United F.C., The First 100 years, page 108. ISBN 0-9508588-1-1
  4. ^ "Fantasy football". BBC. 21 November 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
  5. ^ "TC is the Top Blade". sufc.co.uk. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  6. ^ "Leeds United: My Whites playing days – Currie INTERVIEW – Latest Whites News". Yorkshire Evening Post. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  7. ^ "Leeds United Centurions: Tony Currie was in the right place, but at the wrong time – Leeds Live". 7 August 2018.
  8. ^ "The 1982 FA Cup Final Replay: QPR (0) – Tottenham Hotspur (1)". indyrs.co.uk. 27 May 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  9. ^ Tony Currie at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  10. ^ Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United: the Complete Record. Derby Books Publishing. pp. 424–441. ISBN 978-1-78091-019-2.
  • Huntley, E.J. (2007). A Quality Player: The Life and Career of Tony Currie. Pickard Communications. ISBN 978-1-905278-18-3.
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