Jamie Cureton in sole control after Steve Smith steps down

Former Norwich City, Bristol Rovers and Reading striker Jamie Cureton has taken sole charge of Bishop’s Stortford after Steve Smith stepped down as joint-manager.

Smith resigned on Wednesday in the wake of the club’s fifth straight defeat in all competitions, Tuesday night’s 4-1 league reverse at home to Potters Bar Town.

The Blues slipped to 17^th spot in the Isthmian League’s Premier Division as a result with the 44-year-old Cureton set to take sole control for the first time for the visit of Horsham to the ProKit UK Stadium on Saturday 12 October.

A club statement read: “The club can announce that Steve Smith has decided to stand down from his position as joint-manager of Bishop’s Stortford Football Club.

“Effective immediately, Jamie Cureton will assume full responsibility for first-team matters, with his first game in charge being the visit of Horsham to the ProKit UK Stadium on Saturday, October 12.”

Blues owner Smith and Cureton, pictured playing for Farnborough before his arrival in Hertfordshire, teamed up in September 2018 following the resignation of Adam Flint, the successor to Kevin Watson who quit after just four months at the helm.

Together, they guided Stortford to a seventh-place finish in the Isthmian Premier last term and only narrowly missed out on booking a play-off berth.

As a player, Cureton racked up his 1,000th career appearance last season since kicking off his career at Norwich City back in 1996.

An England U18s international, he turned out for a host of clubs including Barnsley, Colchester United, Cheltenham, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Swindon Town and Queens Park Rangers. In Non-League, he has represented Eastleigh, St Albans City and Farnborough before switching to the Blues.

Tagged Bishop's Stortford, Bishop's Stortford FC, Isthmian League, Isthmian Premier League, Jamie Cureton