Brainy ace keen to shine
TOM Cursons reckons a background balancing seventh tier and university football has given him the maturity and leadership qualities to succeed during his first taste of the EFL at 23.
The 6ft 2ins striker signed for Harrogate in January, having plundered 25 goals for Northern Premier League outfit Ilkeston during the first half of the season.
He also turned out for the likes of Metropolitan Police, Badshot Lea, Walton & Hersham and Hartley Wintney as a teenager before becoming a sport science student at Nottingham Trent University, where he played football alongside further semi-pro stints with Gainsborough Trinity, Long Eaton United and Barwell.
Cursons confesses that combining both provided him with contrasting environments and responsibilities, not to mention tired limbs at times. But, having opened his Sulphurites account during a vital 3-2victory over Tranmere earlier this month, he feels his unconventional football upbringing is beginning to pay off.
“It was a lot – five days a week all-in with club training, uni training and matches,” Cursons told The FLP.
“There were some late nights and heavy legs, but they were two different challenges.
“In Non-League football, I was one of the younger lads and you have to grow up quite quickly, not just in terms of how you play, but how you are as a human.
“You’re going into a changing room full of men with real lives in terms of mortgages to pay and kids to look after.
“Then, when I was playing for the uni, I was one of the older lads and playing at a decent level on a Saturday, so I was expected to lead the boys, which I really enjoyed.
“I kept doing my extras after training and living my life right, and I’d like to think that’s starting to pay off.
“I had a couple of trials when I was younger, but nothing particularly serious, so I’ve taken a slightly different route to a lot of players but, now I’m here, it’s my job to stay here as long as possible.”
Heroics
Cursons’ goal heroics for Ilkeston alerted a number of potential suitors with Derby, Bolton, Barnsley, Peterborough and Chesterfield all reported to be monitoring his progress prior to Harrogate swooping. Despite that interest, though, his head was never turned and Cursons reasoned that a switch to Wetherby Road represented a sensible step up.
“The interest was more of a motivator for me than anything,” he said.
“If clubs were watching me, I wanted to give them reasons to keep coming.
“I just tried to keep putting the ball in the net and the attitude I had was that if I couldn’t do it in front of four or five scouts, then how could
I do it in front of 4,000 or 5,000 fans week in, week out in the Football League?
“There were teams higher that were having a look, without anything concrete coming up, and I felt that League Two wasn’t a massive jump and one that would be manageable.
“It was also going to be a chance to go somewhere and play. I’ve been starting games in recent weeks and I want to keep my shirt now.”
Cursons cut short his master’s degree in clinical nutrition at the University of Nottingham for the opportunity to turn professional with Harrogate.
And he is now relishing the chance to prove he can be as clinical as he was for Ilkeston.
“The first few weeks were tough, because it’s an increase in pace and technical ability, but I feel like I’ve found my feet now and it’s time to really kick on and make an impact,” he added.
“I’ve had other chances to score that I could have done better with, so I know it’s there for me.
“I just need to fine-tune a few things to get firing again.”
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