Jamie Cureton will not be severing all ties with Bishop’s Stortford after walking away from his player-manager post on Tuesday.
The 44-year-old striker, pictured, will continue working with the BetVictor Isthmian League club’s academy despite standing down in order to secure his future playing or managing next season.
The veteran hot-shot – the only player to have scored in all of England’s top nine leagues – had sought assurances over his future as player-manager.
According to a club statement, officials at Woodside Park were unable to give him any guarantees but had hoped he would see the season out.
The Blues said: “It is with regret that Jamie Cureton has left Bishop’s Stortford FC to join another club.
“An offer came in for Jamie last week and after sitting down with him he wanted assurances he would be with BSFC next season as a player or player/manager.
“We couldn’t guarantee that at this moment in time but said we were happy for him to stay as a player for the remainder of the season. After a lot of thought Jamie decided it would be his best interest to leave the club.
“He will not be severing all ties with the club as he will continue to work alongside Jim Duggan coaching our academy Under 19 side.”
Before racking up his 1,000th career appearance, Cureton took joint charge of the Blues in September 2018 with club owner Steve Smith following the resignation of Adam Flint after just four months in charge.
He had been in sole charge since October after guiding the Blues to a seventh-place finish in the Isthmian Premier last term with Smith and only narrowly missing out on the promotion play-offs.
Since kicking off his career at Norwich City in 1994 and later playing for the Canaries in the Premier League, Cureton has played for a host of clubs including Bournemouth, Bristol Rovers, Reading and Cheltenham Town in the pro game and Eastleigh, Farnborough and St Albans City in Non-League.
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