Dagenham & Redbridge striker planning life after football after hitting milestone
After turning 40 on Friday, Jamie Cureton admits he is now starting to think about life after football more than ever.
The evergreen forward has played over 800 games in a career spanning 20 years that has taken him as far afield as South Korea.
Cureton has proved he can still hack it as a professional footballer, having netted once already this season as he looks to match last campaign’s total of 19 in the league.
But he is aware his career will not last forever and has begun to look at the options of what to do when he hangs up his boots.
“Everyone around me keeps telling me I have to think about what’s next. I’ve been doing a lot of media work and I really enjoy that,” said Cureton. “I’ve started my coaching badges, but it’s hard with playing. It’s hard to get stuff going.
“Anything within football, there’s so much nowadays you can do, I’d like to be involved. If I can do as many as possible, hopefully one falls in my lap and someone thinks I can do a job.”
The striker is the oldest member of Daggers’ attacking options by some margin, with the rest of the club’s forwards all under the age 25.
And Cureton says he hopes to be able to impart his experience on the likes of Christian Doidge, Matt McClure and Ade Yusuff.
“I spoke to the manager about taking the strikers, but he said I’ll be playing and he doesn’t want me doing too much,” he added.
“It’s hard to balance. I just want to play at the minute. Everything else takes a back seat, but I know it’s going to come and I’ll have to do something.”
Against Stevenage, Cureton had the opportunities to give himself the perfect birthday present with a goal.
But it was just one of those days a striker has when, try as they might, nothing seems to come off.
And even Cureton himself was disappointed he could not add to the goal he scored against former club Leyton Orient.
“It was frustrating. I had a few half chances, one cleared off the line,” he added.
“On another day, I would have expected to score at least one. I know they’re not what people would call chances, but any time I have an opening, I should be taking it.
“With it being 1-1, it may have got us the win. I felt okay, I felt fit.”
Daggers supporters will hope Cureton remains fit for a good while yet.
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