Sheffield United youngster Sam Curtis targeting EFL promotion after final day victory
Sam Curtis has flourished since swapping Sheffield United for Chesterfield on a temporary loan deal in January.
Sheffield United youngster Sam Curtis has earned a shot at adding a first promotion to his CV after helping loan club Chesterfield secure a League Two play-off place.
The Spireites, who signed Curtis on loan for the remainder of the season in January, sealed sixth spot on Saturday afternoon with a final day 2-1 victory over fellow play-off hopefuls Swindon Town at the County Ground.
Paul Cook’s men got the job done via goals from Lee Bonis and Dilan Markanday either side of a Swindon equaliser from Ben Middlemas. The two sides went into the final day contest separated by just a point, with Chesterfield sitting seventh and Swindon in eighth.
However, after Grimsby Town could only draw 1-1 with Tranmere Rovers, Chesterfield leapfrogged the Mariners to snatch sixth, setting up a play-off semi-final showdown with Notts County.
The Spireites will welcome the Magpies to the SMH Group Stadium for the first leg of their play-off semi-final tussle next Sunday, kicking off at 6pm, before making the short trip to Meadow Lane for the second leg the following Friday, kicking off at 8pm. The winner will face either Salford City or Grimsby at Wembley for a place in League One.
Chesterfield fell short of promotion at the play-off semi-final stage last season, losing 4-1 on aggregate to Walsall over two legs, meaning they will be determined to go one better this time around and put themselves on the cusp of a first League One appearance since 2016/17.
Regardless of what happens over the next few weeks, Curtis’ temporary switch to the other end of the Dronfield Bypass has been a roaring success. The 20-year-old has made 22 appearances for Chesterfield, chipping in with two goals and two assists.
He has frequently attracted praise and applause from Spireites supporters, who have been impressed by the way in which he has made the right-back berth his own.
Chesterfield coach Kieron Dyer said of Curtis earlier this year: “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.
"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."