Welcome to the first blog on the new platform and it’s an interview that takes centre stage. Former Barnet boss and current Southend Utd assistant manager Darren Currie was good enough as always to give me some of his time a couple of weeks ago and this is part one of a three part blog over the coming days.
To read how Darren felt during the period when the pandemic played havoc with football and he was out of work hit the subscribe button and you will gain access to a minimum 8 blogs for your monthly outlay.
The content below was originally paywalled.
TK: Now the reason we’ve sat down again for the first interview under my new paid platform for blog is because you were the first piece that sent the figures flying when we got together in July 2019 when you were the manager of Barnet and those three blogs I did at that point set everything off in the direction and given it the success it’s had so far so I felt only right to go back and make you the first one again.
DC: Well let’s see if we can make you some money out of this one then!
TK: Finger crossed! So, as we said we met up that July and again in December just after we beat AFC Fylde on BT Sport, we talked regularly during that season and after you left the club, and during that period we were kind of in a ‘no man’s land’ situation at National League level with no fans allowed into games and with yourself and Junior (Lewis) only just out of the game how did you approach that time?
DC: If I’m being honest it’s the toughest time of my life outside of family issues, I came away from Barnet at possibly the worst time. When things first hit the country we were all in the same boat of not being able to go out etc, but when it came to that second one in November I couldn’t get out to watch games nor visit training grounds.
It was tough, having been in the game in some capacity since I left school at 15/16 and there I was at home scratching my head waiting for the phone to ring.
TK: Once football re-started for non-league of course I was able to get out to watch from Steps 3-6 but the National League’s three divisions was off limits, were you able to be invited to watch the top two levels?
DC: I spent some time going out to games at the levels you went to, just getting back to having that Saturday afternoon feeling for me was important again, went to Hendon a few times the manager there Lee Allinson is a friend of mine and a lot of my family history there, it’s important when you’re out of work to get your networking done.
TK: How difficult is it when you’re out of work to keep your name in the spotlight so people don’t forget you’re out there still ready to get back on the saddle?
DC: Very difficult to keep in people’s memories, one thing it did teach me was how easy it is to be forgotten and what I believed I’d done at Barnet had become a very distant memory very quickly.
While I wasn’t expecting to walk straight into another job the opportunities took a lot longer to come along than I expected. I’m not going to lie, it was a very hard period not having football in my life, it’s all I’ve ever had and ever wanted and continue to want.
TK: Then we had the football stopping again in November underneath the National League, did you manage to get out to watch the top two levels or took notice from afar?
DC: It was mostly from afar to be honest, trying different avenues of networking, doing a few podcasts etc and flicking through my phonebook to touch base with a few people I probably hadn’t been in contact with for a while, putting reminders out there I was looking to get back into the game and that’s pretty much how the opportunity at Sheffield Utd came about.
TK: Just before that chance came along, were you thinking there was little likelihood of clubs sacking managers with no income coming in and only three divisions of football still playing did you get to a point where you felt you might have to ‘suck it up’ as so to speak and just hope something would present itself?
DC: Yeah, as you said there was very little movement and clubs were promoting from within if they did make a change, my wife was getting a bit worried and concerned but I believed I would get back in I just couldn’t put a timescale on it.
It did cause a few rifts and arguments, not because they weren’t backing me but the time it was taking and now I’m back in the game and that stint at Sheffield Utd I do enjoy saying ‘I told you so’!
TK: And on that point looking at Neil Smith who you and I have spoken to and about a lot still hasn’t been able to get back in the game at the time of recording although I know he’s been taking his time for the right opportunity, he’s had offers and still not in a hot seat somewhere, Strevs (Ben Strevens) is now in the same situation after leaving Eastleigh, it shows it is hard to keep your name in people’s minds.
DC: The only difference Strevs and Smudger have to me is they can get out to games and show people they’re still around; I know from pacing the touchline at Barnet and now at Roots Hall you’ll see familiar faces in the crowd, people wanting your job, that’s the industry we’re in, waiting for someone to fail. Smudge and Strevs will get back in at some point, both did brilliant jobs at their clubs you just can’t put a timeframe on it.
*(Smith has since been named at the new manager at Cray Wanderers)
TK: Do you start to doubt yourself a bit, despite you know you have the ability to do the job? Do the little niggles start to fester inside the longer you’re out of work?
DC: I don’t no, I’m confident within myself that the man inside you who wants to worry doesn’t win for me. My wife kept saying ‘you shouldn’t have walked away’, spoken to Junior (Lewis) many times about it and my principles kicked in, still to this day I know I made the right decision.
I didn’t do an amazing job but I felt I did a good enough job to get another crack somewhere and whilst success is measured in promotion we had some achievements in that 18 months like reaching the play-offs and producing players that brought in a transfer fee or two but yeah that small voice inside did try and produce some doubt.
Parts 2 and 3 will follow in the coming days.
