WITH his long blond hair and habit of blowing kisses to the fans, he could have been the lead singer of a 1970s glam rock band.
With a football at his feet, he could stand shoulder to shoulder with the great entertainers like Rodney Marsh, Stan Bowles, George Best and Frank Worthington.
Tony Currie. The man twice knocked back as a kid, who went on to become one of the finest showmen in the game.
Not that you’d have put any money on that in his early teens, for all he was playing three years above his age group at school.
At 14 QPR gave him a trial and didn’t think he’d make it. Neither did Chelsea, who gave him a trial after spotting him in Sunday football for local side Kiwi United.
Back then his best chance of earning a crust was picking up a fiver a week at the building firm where he worked as a painter, decorator and plumber.
Dreams of following his hero Jimmy Greaves – he used to watch Chelsea as a kid – were a million miles away, and his football was confined to Hendon Boys.
But out of the blue Watford spotted the then-16-year-old who had something, and gave him a six week trial. That turned into a six-month deal and he was on the road.
Six goals in five reserve games, and the first team at the foot of Division Three brought a debut, and two goals.
A hat-trick in his third game, and another against Grimsby brought England youth honours – and interest from the top level.
Sheffield United were just one of many to watch him and bid £26,500 after six months, 18 games and nine goals.
Watford didn’t want him to go but needed money to renew the lease on the ground, and Currie was heading north at 18.
Once again he scored on his debut, in a 3-2 win over a Spurs side including Greaves.
Three days later he got his third England youth cap and three days after that missed the defeat at Leicester because he was marrying Linda.
Unlike the Bests, Worthingtons and the like, Currie was a family man to the core. It was a cup of tea and the telly rather than a nightclub and the latest Miss World.
He couldn’t stop the Blades being relegated, but inspired the promotion three seasons later and in all had nine years, 376 games and 66 goals at Bramall Lane.
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His sublime skills – whether picking a pass or curling in a stunning goal – became trademarks.
Yet arguably his most famous moment came in 1975, when he and Leicester’s Alan Birchenall crashed into each other, puckered up and kissed each other. It was a photo that went global and made the pair gay icons!
The Blades never truly matched his own abilities, and £240,000 took him to Leeds in 1976, where he was just as popular.
Three years down the line his missus was homesick for London and he was off to QPR for £450,000.
Currie helped them to 1982 FA Cup final, captaining them in the replay, but conceded the penalty from which Glenn Hoddle hit the only goal of the game.
On the international stage he won 17 full caps, and was as graceful as any who pulled on an England shirt.
For all he looked at home with the Three Lions, his critics claim he never did it in a major tournament. He’d have had a job – England had a run of not qualifying!
Maybe if they’d had a more open-minded national boss in those days, things could have been different, with so many great entertainers overlooked.
In the end, the only team honours he won were two runners up medals, for Division Two promotion in 1970-1 and the 1982 FA Cup.
Individually, though, he was always top dog. Especially at Sheffield United, where they voted him the greatest ever Blade in 2014.
They’ll be lucky to see his like again.
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