Bukayo Saka’s former Arsenal coach still playing one month shy of 50th birthday

One of Bukayo Saka’s Arsenal academy coaches had scored more than 100 goals before the England international was born but is still going strong at the age of 49

When Bukayo Saka was a 16-year-old in Arsenal’s academy, he counted former Premier League striker Jamie Cureton among his coaches. Nearly a decade later, Saka is on the verge of making his 200th Premier League appearance – but Cureton hasn’t ended his own playing career.

Cureton, an England youth international, scored four times in 17 Premier League outings with Norwich City at the start of his career. By the time Saka was born in 2001, the striker already had more than 200 league outings – and more than 100 goals – under his belt.

Three decades on from his top-flight debut with Norwich, Cureton is still going strong. He is player-manager at eighth-tier Cambridge City, and has confirmed he is eligible to play beyond his 50th birthday in August.

“In terms of goals, in my head and from what people have told me, I’m either four or six away from 400,” Cureton told BBC Sport. “I’d like to finish on 400 or above.”

Cureton moved into coaching alongside a spell playing in non-league football back in 2017. His first taste came with the Gunners’ youth sides, with plenty of talented teenagers on the club’s books at the time – including Emile Smith Rowe, Flo Balogun and, yes, Saka.

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“It’s no surprise to see him doing what he’s doing to be honest,” Cureton said of the England international. “He’s a very nice guy, humble, no airs and graces about him. He just came in and worked hard. A clever boy as well, he was good at school.

“Working for a club like Arsenal was unbelievable,” added the 49-year-old, who has also held player-manager or player-coach roles with Bishop’s Stortford, Enfield and Maldon & Tiptree. “I learned so much and it was a wonderful opportunity for me.”

Cambridge City are among the sides taking part in the FA Cup extra-preliminary round, with the competition’s first matches held this weekend. The Isthmian League North side face an away match against Kirkley & Pakefield, who play one division below them in the Eastern Counties League Premier Diivision.

Cureton’s team won their fixture at the corresponding stage last season, beating Lakeheath 5-1 at home. However, they lost in the following round after conceding a last-minute winner against Great Yarmouth Town.

While he’s ready to keep playing, Cureton says he won’t play favourites – even when it comes to his own minutes. “I won’t ever put myself above players who I feel need the opportunity and need to be playing,” he said.

“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.”

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