Door is open for Curley to return

Eeles told supporters that the EVO-STIK League South club's officials have retained the versatile player's registration after manager Neil Baker lost his services at the weekend before he made a scoring return to the Midland League Division One club.

Eeles said: "Curley has actually retained his registration with Blues so can help out if he is free. The club tried their very best to keep him but he wants to play at the moment and training midweek is difficult for him so Uttoxeter was his preferred option."

Curley originally joined the Blues in July 2015 as a forward before forming a very successful partnership in the center of defence with Darren Chadwick. Also a right-back when required, the former Stoke City, Uttoxeter and Kidsgrove Athletic player made 69 appearances and scored 10 goals for Leek Town.

Baker lost Mike Calveley last week after he was recalled by Port Vale half-way through his loan spell and he was without Curley on Saturday when the Blues lost a 4-3 Buildbase FA Trophy thriller at EVO-STIK League rivals Glossop North End.

Baker moved swiftly to cover the gap in his squad with the signing of 20-year-old midfielder Alfred Hammond from FC United of Manchester in time for him to fill a seat on the bench at Glossop.

Born in Ghana, he was brought up in Austria before moving to the UK with his parents and last season was a trialist at Dundee and Hearts. Hammond has also been on the books at Sandbach United, Burgess Hill, Three Bridges and Winsford United.

Baker was far from happy with his side's exit in the second qualifying round. “I’m sure the players will wake up in the morning and realise like me that this was an opportunity missed," he said. “We gifted them three goals but if the defence had performed we would have won the game."

Image courtesy of Leek Town

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