'Proper Sheffield United player' - Chesterfield coach lauds Blades' academy amid Sam Curtis impact
Sam Curtis has made an impressive impact since joining Chesterfield on loan from Sheffield United in January.
Chesterfield coach Kieron Dyer has admitted he is not surprised by the impact Sheffield United loanee Sam Curtis has had at the SMH Group Stadium since joining the club in January.
After making just one appearance for the Blades this season, starting their Carabao Cup defeat to Birmingham City in August, United sanctioned a deal that allowed the 20-year-old to join Chesterfield on loan for the remainder of the season.
The right-back has made an impressive start to life at the League Two play-off hopefuls, contributing two goals and two assists in his first eight appearances. He scored his second goal for the club in Tuesday night’s 1-0 triumph over Gillingham, lifting Paul Cook’s side into the play-off places.
The Republic of Ireland youth international, who has previously spent time on loan at the likes of Peterborough United and St Johnstone, joined the Blades in January 2024 after being identified as a player that had a good level of potential.
And having previously served as Ipswich Town’s Under-23s boss, Dyer had a good level of knowledge about the demands and expectations the Blades put on their youth players, meaning he is expected Curtis to join Chesterfield and make a telling contribution.
He has also revealed that Curtis, who only turned 20 in December, caught Spireites boss Cook’s attention when the Blades won 4-1 at the SMH Group Stadium in pre-season in July.
Dyer told BBC Radio Sheffield: "What I like about Sam Curtis is that when we played them in pre-season the gaffer was instantly on him because he was up against Dobs [Armando Dobra], and you know Dobs with his jinking, his low centre of gravity and his turns... Sam got Dobs a few times because he couldn't get away from him.
“He always stuck in the gaffer's mind, so in January we brought him in. I had no doubts about him because my background is that I came from academy football, I used to do the Under-21s at Ipswich, and we used to dominate the south league and Sheffield United would dominate the north league.
Dyer raves about United’s academy system
"What you got from Sheffield United were athletic, robust players, good on the ball, you could trust them and their running stats and data were through the roof. They just used to run over most Under-21s.
"I sometimes say academy football is kind of like make belief football; it is just like possession without a purpose. But Sheffield United were like a league club with the way they played.
"You see their track record with players that they've sold, players that have come through the academy and into the first-team, and it's like a conveyor belt.
"I know they got him from Ireland, but Sam is a player that has the physical profile of a proper Sheffield United player."
After scoring his second goal in Chesterfield colours against Gillingham in midweek, marking his fourth direct goal contribution from right-back since arriving on loan in Derbyshire, Dyer has revealed he has joked the Blades loanee might have played his way into contention to win the clubs end-of-season gongs.
"I was joking on the bench when he scored another goal, saying the way he's going, and I know he's only been at the club for six months, but he might win the Players’ Player of the Year or the Fans' Player of the Year with the way he's going,” Dyer added with a smile.
“That says it all about how great he's been for us."