Darlington’s schoolboy striker makes his mark
TEENAGER Curtis Main still attends
South Shields Community
School but has already started
his football education by becoming
the youngster player in Darlington's
125-year history.
The 15-year-old came on for the
closing stages of Saturday's win
at Peterborough United and in
doing so set a new record.
Earlier this season the number
of players to have represented
the club reached the 1,000 mark,
and Main is now the youngest of
the lot following his appearance
as an 83rd minute substitute.
His appearance, in which he
played as a lone forward in a 4-5-
1 formation, means he takes the
record previously held by Dale
Anderson.
Exactly 21 years ago yesterday
Newton Aycliffe-born Anderson
made his debut aged 16 years 254
days, but Main does not turn 16
until June 20.
He is currently part of the
club's centre of excellence and
starts a two-year apprenticeship
next season.
Main had impressed when invited
to join in with first-team
training recently so, with injuryhit
Darlington struggling for
numbers, manager Dave Penney
included him Saturday's squad.
As Quakers travelled to Peterborough
on Friday they had to
seek permission from his school
to include him the squad.
Jarrow-born youngster Shaun
Reay, 18, was also in the squad
but Penney chose Main and says
he took more into account than
the youngsters' football ability.
"I told Curtis to enjoy it," said
Penney. "Before I picked the subs
I looked at his character and I
could see he wasn't worried, I
could see he could handle the
pressure.
"Nothing phases the kid so
that's the reason we went with
him on the bench instead of
Shaun Reay, even though
Shaun's a couple of years older.
"Curtis will be in the youth
team next season unless needs
must like today. It's nice to have
a kid available who's ready to
come in and do that job.
"We haven't had many kids
come through the system and be
part of the squad so hopefully the
kids in the youth team now will
give me that option in the future.
"Someone told me he's just become
the club's youngest player
which I didn't know when we
picked him. That's not the reason
why we put him on the pitch, we
put him on because we do not
have many strikers and we felt he
had the right character."
9:49am Monday 5th May 2008
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