Promotion Personalities – Eric Curwen

The following article was published during the 1989-90 season in the match day programme and is reproduced here in full. 

Eric Curwen, the subject of this week’s profile, had an outstanding schoolboy football career. A native of Blackpool, he played for the town schoolboys team and also represented Lancashire and England at Schoolboy level. Eric became an apprentice professional with Everton on leaving school in 1963 and turned professional in May 1965. He remained at Goodison Park until 1 December 1966 before being signed by Southport’s manager, Billy Bingham. At Everton he was a member of their F.A. Youth Cup winning team in 1964-65 defeating Arsenal 3-2 on aggregate in the final. The Everton team contained a number of well known names and read as follows: Barnett, Pearson ( who joined Southport in 1967-68 ), D’Arcy. Hurst, Curwen, Yaeger, Wallace, Glover, McCloughlin, Husband and Maher. In the second leg David Grant whose father was a former Everton and Southport wing-half replaced Yaeger. Eric soon developed into a fast moving and competent back at Haig Avenue and did not have to wait long for his initial first team appearance which was at left-back on 28th February 1967 against Blackpool in the Lancashire Senior Cup, a match that ended in a 3-9 win to the Sandgrounders.

He made his Football League debut at Newport County on 18th March and went on to play in the last thirteen Fourth Division matches as well as a further Lancashire Senior Cup tie at Oldham Athletic.

Eric was a regular member of the side the following season, missing just three League games. In addition he also played in a League Cup tie, a Liverpool Senior Cup tie and six Northern Floodlit games. where he gained a winners’ medal. He also played three F.A. Cup ties that season, a run which culminated in a narrow home defeat by Everton. What is more Southport came within ten minutes of forcing a replay after defending bravely for most of the game. Eric was one of six former Evertonians in the Southport Side – Dave Pearson, Arthur Peat, Amby Clarke, Stuart Shaw and Alex Russell being the others. 1968-69 was Eric’s last season at Haig Avenue and he made 33 appearances, bringing his total League appearances for the club to 89 games. He also appeared in three Football League Cup games.

At the end of the season he joined Formby and took up teaching which he still does in the Blackpool area. He has also had spells with Blackpool Rangers and Poulton, where he now resides. A wiry and assertive defender. Eric is still remembered by Southport supporters as being strong in recovery and precise in the placing of his passes and clearances.

Mike Braham