Cureton escapes Norwich City nightmare

Norwich City outcast Jamie Cureton fired a parting shot at the Canaries yesterday - after finally escaping his Carrow Road hell.

Shrewsbury's new loan recruit told how he had been frozen out of Paul Lambert's plans as he prepares to make his debut for the League Two play-off hopefuls at Bury tonight.

The 34-year-old admitted there is no way back for him at his boyhood club having agreed an initial short term deal until the end of the season at New Meadow.

Cureton is now planning for life post-Norwich when his current contract expires in the summer after being restricted to just eight senior appearances under Lambert.

'It's probably the worst spell of my career to be honest,' he said yesterday. 'The new manager came in and I started playing for him but then all of a sudden he makes the decision he doesn't fancy you so you have to sit out and I've literally been sat out, training with youngsters - not playing in reserve games - and it's been really, really frustrating.

'So it's one of them - do you see the season out and go on a free and start afresh next year or do you try to get some games under your belt and start to get your career going again. I think it was the right thing to come out and get some games and get going again.'

The much-travelled striker insists he still has plenty to prove at the New Meadow.

'I'm more determined than ever,' he said. 'And after being out for so long maybe there are a few people I need to prove wrong.

'I tend to do my best work when people have doubted me and with not playing for a while maybe I have gone off the radar. I'm determined to come in and get as many goals as possible.

'I hope this can be a new lease of life because I haven't been doing much for the last couple of months and I'm grateful they have give me this opportunity to come here.'

Cureton sounded out Norwich skipper and former Shrews' hitman Grant Holt for the inside track on Paul Simpson's promotion hopefuls.

'I spoke to Holty and he was really impressed with the place and sang the club's praises,' said Cureton.

'Things are going well at the moment and hopefully I can be a part of it. He didn't really need to sell the place but he gave it good reviews and said it was a very good set up and the manager is very good.

'We had a chat about it and he enjoyed his time here and playing with someone like Dave Hibbert should also be a good foil for me. All my career I've been alongside big strikers and hopefully it'll work here too.'

Cureton has already opened his Shrewsbury goal account with a strike in the midweek 3-0 reserve win over Burton. The Bristolian was strongly linked with City's League One rivals Gillingham and League Two strugglers Cheltenham during the January transfer window - but Cureton believes Simpson can help revive his career.

'I just had a phone call from my agent saying there had been an interest from Shrewsbury so I went into training at Norwich and said they had come in and was asked if I would be interesting in going up there,' he said. 'I hadn't been playing, I had been out of the fold, and it just seemed like the right thing to do really.

'I'm sure the manager expects goals - like all my previous managers - so if I come here and help the team out and we can get promotion then great.

'I scored in the reserves and it was a long time since I'd had a run out so it was nice to be out there and get a goal straight away.'