Cureton turns 50 on 28 August, two days before his team’s home game with Wroxham.
Will he gift himself an appearance in that game and achieve his target of playing at 50?
“I won’t ever put myself above players who I feel need the opportunity and need to be playing,” says Cureton, who scored four times in 17 Premier League appearances in his first season at Norwich in 1994-95.
“I won’t pick myself over them. I’ve registered for this season in case I’m needed, in case I need to rest players.
“Towards the end of last season we’d lost a few players and had a few injuries, and there was an opportunity where I felt I could play.”
Cambridge City, founded in 1908, finished 11th in 2024-25 and Cureton is targeting a top-five finish and a play-off place in his second season in charge.
These are exciting times for the Lilywhites, who moved to a brand new 3,000-capacity ground about seven miles south of Cambridge last November.
A crowd of 1,459 watched them play Tilbury in their first competitive game at the FWD-IP Community Stadium, after 10 years of ground-sharing.
Earlier this month, 2,640 turned out at the venue to watch a friendly against neighbours Cambridge United., external
“We’ve got a young squad and I’m older than most of their dads!” adds Cureton.
“If I can help any of them with their game, or even with their life, then I think I am doing my job.”
Cambridge City’s game at Lowestoft-based Kirkley & Pakefield is one of 222 FA Cup extra preliminary round ties scheduled for this weekend, 11 weeks after Crystal Palace beat Manchester City in the final at Wembley.
The Lilywhites reached the second round in 2004, their best run in the competition, when Cureton was playing in the Championship for QPR.
Cureton helped Bristol Rovers reach the last-16 in 1998-99 and would, if circumstances allow, like to make one final FA Cup appearance before he hangs up his boots for good.
“I never thought I would still be playing on the verge of 50,” he says. “I’m very grateful. The drive to keep on playing is what has pushed me to this point.
“Football has been good to me and hopefully I can stay in the game for another 10 or 15 years as a manager or a coach, and then go and play some golf or go fishing.”
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