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Archived News from December 2002

STAGS SIGN TOM CURTIS
21st December 2002 18:12


mansfieldtown.net reports that Stags have acquired the services of midfield player, Tom Curtis from Division 1 club Portsmouth.

Tom, a 29 year old midfielder, has been in the professional game since 1991 when he was at Derby County as a junior, then moving onto Chesterfield on a free transfer where he made 235 league appearances, before signing for Portsmouth for £50,000.
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BBC Nottingham online reports that he will sign on a free transfer, on an 18 month contract.

Curtis played on loan against us for Tranmere this season.
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Stags land Curtis
CHAD website:
FORMER Chesterfield midfield stalwart Tom Curtis today joined Mansfield Town ahead of tomorrow's six-pointer at Barnsley.
Curtis has arrived on a free transfer from First Division trailblazers Portsmouth and has been given a deal until the end of next season.
The 29-year-old, who played almost 300 gmes for the Spireites over seven years, has already been out on loan at Tranmere this season and was part of the side hammered 6-1 at Field Mill.
Exeter-born Curtis was a Derby County trainee and, after his long spell at Chesterfield, moved on to Pompey for £150,000 in summer of 2000.
However, a broken ankle wrecked his chances of becoming a regular down there and he went out on loan to Walsall in September 2001.
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Career details from Soccerbase.com
Real name Tom Curtis
Height 5.08
Weight 11.05
Date of birth 01-03-1973
Place of birth Exeter
Position Midfielder
Nationality England
All time playing career
Club From To Fee League FA Cup League cup Other
Tranmere 31-08-2002 30-10-2002 Loan 8 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 2 (0) 0 1 (0) 0
Walsall 21-09-2001 11-11-2001 Loan 3 (1) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Portsmouth 03-08-2000 £ 50000 7 (6) 0 0 (0) 0 1 (1) 0 0 (0) 0
Chesterfield 12-08-1993 03-08-2000 Free 235 (5) 12 18 (0) 1 20 (1) 0 11 (1) 0
Derby 01-09-1991 12-08-1993 Junior No appearance data available
Totals £ 50000 253 (12) 12 18 (0) 1 23 (2) 0 12 (1) 0
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
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CURTIS OUT TO REVIVE CAREER
IAN WILKERSON, Evening Post, 21 December 2002

New Mansfield signing Tom Curtis said today he is ready to get his career back on track and help the Stags off the bottom of the Division Two table.

Curtis became Keith Curle's first permanent signing when he completed a free transfer from Division Two leaders Portsmouth and signed an 18-month contract at Field Mill.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who made 290 appearances for the Stags' arch-rivals Chesterfield after starting his career at Derby County, was expected to go straight into the squad for this afternoon's clash with fellow strugglers Barnsley.

He said he was relishing the opportunity of first-team football after a frustrating two years at Fratton Park.

He said: "I played for Portsmouth reserves on Wednesday and I knew there were a few people who were interested but I spoke to Keith Curle and it all went on from there.

"I had seven-and-a-half years at Chesterfield and they gave me an opportunity when I left Derby and I really enjoyed my time there.

"But I moved on and things didn't really go that well for me at Portsmouth, mainly because I had injuries.

"At my age, I really need to be playing football and I need to be doing it regularly."

Curtis has been out on loan at Walsall and Tranmere over the last two years and was a member of the Rovers team that was beaten 6-1 by Mansfield earlier in the season.

He was impressed with the Stags that day and couldn't believe they were a side at the bottom of the table.

He said: "I'm very happy to be coming here. It's an opportunity for me to play for an ambitious club and fight for a place in the first team.

"When I played here for Tranmere, I couldn't believe they were a team at the bottom of the league. They are a strong attacking outfit but the problems have obviously been in the number of goals they are letting in.

"They certainly don't have a problem scoring.

"But it was hard at Pompey because they are doing so well and it was frustrating for me because I wasn't involved but I'm obviously looking forward to getting started.

"The club is obviously not in a great position but we have got 25 games to get out of it and I want to play my part."

Curle believes Curtis will bring a lot of qualities to his side's midfield and was delighted to have got his man.

He believes there will now be more competition for places and that can only help the Stags in their battle against the drop over the second half of the season.

He was also delighted to have sorted a deal out before the onset of the busy Christmas period.

Curle said: "We have got four midfielders and they are all a bit in the same ilk and he will be able to give us something different and stop teams walking through us and scoring goals.

"I have watched him a couple of times and have spoken to a lot of people about him and I knew he wanted to move.

"He is going to bring us experience, enthusiasm and aggression.

"We have got four games in the space of about ten days and he is type of player I would expect to be playing in all of them.

"I don't know who is going to be his best partner but it is going to create competition in the middle of the park.

"People know that is they only give 90%, there will be someone waiting to take their place."

Meanwhile, defender Mark Lever will not be joining Lincoln City after Imps manager Keith Alexander decided chasing a forward was more of a priority.



 

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