Ex-Sunderland free agent talks David Beckham friendship and Kristjaan Speakman's classy gesture - exclusive

Ex-Sunderland and Middlesbrough man Mitchell Curry, 23, has experienced rather a lot in football as he sets out to prove his talent in England once more having recently returned from a spell in the United States.

Curry, a Newcastle United supporter growing up, started life as a youth team player for Boro before switching to Sunderland in 2020 following loans with Harrogate Town and Gateshead in the National League and Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish second tier.

The Houghton le Spring-born striker made his debut for Sunderland during Covid-19 as Lee Johnson saw his squad decimated by the virus ahead of a game against AFC Wimbledon at the Stadium of Light. Fearing a backlog of fixtures, Curry was rewarded for his scintillating under-23 form with a spot on the bench.

The Black Cats drew the game 1-1 thanks to a Bailey Wright equaliser with Curry given 25 minutes to impress, replacing big-money flop Will Grigg during the closing stages of the December 2020 fixture.

Just three months later, however, Sunderland's promising prospect departed for pastures new in a somewhat surprise move at the time. America and Major League Soccer was the destination, with David Beckham-owned Inter Miami, then managed by Phil Neville, signing Curry in March 2021.

Curry netted eight times in 23 games in Miami before joining Hartford Athletic but now he has returned home and is eager to reignite his promising career, a task his old club Sunderland have been helping their former player with.

“A lot of people won’t know this but when I came back from Miami, I reached out to Kristjaan Speakman and Proc (first-team coach Michael Proctor) asking if I could come in and train for a few weeks," Curry says exclusively to The Echo. "I was told that it was no problem and it ended up being for three months.

“They were unbelievable and when I came back from Hartford I asked again and Kristjaan agreed again, which he totally didn’t have to do and I ended up staying for even longer. I know I played for Sunderland for a short amount of time, but to let me roam around the building, train, use the gym and have food. I will always be so grateful for that because otherwise I would have just been out down the local park but they’ve given me a professional environment.

“Proc has been massive for me too. I speak to him most weeks and he texted me after every game in America to see how I was doing. I’m always thankful to him. Elliott Dickman (former Sunderland youth team manager) at the time too. They helped me get my career back on track after I finished at Middlesbrough and Miami wouldn’t have been possible without them."

It is often said that there has been a shift in culture at Sunderland under the ownership of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus compared to the days of Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven - does that presumption ring true at the Academy of Light today?

“I have seen the club under all different managers. I was a player under Phil Parkinson and Lee Johnson and then I’ve seen what the club has been like with Alex Neil, Mogga (Tony Mowbray) and Speakman.

“The way it is run now seems way better than it was, there seems to be so much clarity around everything. I would say honest and professional. The food has got better and all the little things add up to make a big difference. They are renovating the gym which is unbelievable and there’s more staff. It seems like it has got a lot better in a short space of time.

“Kristjaan gets a bit of stick from fans sometimes but I think he has done a really good job behind-the-scenes from what I have seen when I’ve dipped my toe in.”

Curry's stint in the United States following his Sunderland exit remains bitter-sweet... after being afforded a brilliant opportunity to play football abroad, the striker was exposed to the ruthless side of the game, where it seems there is little room for sentiment.

Despite Curry's friendship with then-head coach Neville and owner Beckham, he was told he was to leave Miami even though it had been strongly suggested the striker was set to stay following a string of good performances.

"I got told to put all of my stuff in storage in Miami and then three days before Christmas, Miami said there was a change of plan and they didn’t have an international spot for me. It was kind of late in the day and I ended up going to Hartford which was a bit of a disaster as we ended up with three different managers in a season!

"I was close to Phil Neville and he was the one that broke the news to me. It went really well for me there but for whatever reason, I wasn’t offered an international spot. I'd spent Thanksgiving with Phil’s family two days before I left Miami so that was tough."

Curry, though, still enjoys a good relationship with both Beckhams and Nevilles (having played with sons Romeo and Harvey) and remains hugely grateful for the part they have played in his development as well as their continued support.

“I went back to Miami recently for a couple of weeks and ended up being there for two-and-half-months. Again, they (Neville and Beckham) took me out for lunches and looked after me and we played some golf too.

“The whole thing was surreal... especially with David Beckham. For a lad from Sunderland to be going around his house. Last weekend, I went down to the family house and stayed there with them to watch Romeo at Brentford and David’s there making breakfast! They have been really good to me.

“He is exactly how he comes across in interviews,” Curry responds when asked what Beckham is like to be around in private. “When you’re having lunch or dinner, he’ll just sit and have normal conversations about footy or whatever. Like you would with one of your mates!

“That’s what always gets me… I’ve somehow ended up in their house, that in itself is surreal! He and Victoria live very busy lives but they’re both so genuine and to let me stay with them in their house means a lot and they are always there. Romeo has become a good friend."

Back to the here and now, though - what comes next for free agent Mitchell Curry and his fledgling football journey?

“I’m biding my time as I haven’t played regularly. People have short memories in football when you haven’t been playing, people forget you. I’d like to stay as northern as I could as I’ve lived away from home for a long time. I’d like to go to the Conference or around that level and play games.

"I need to go somewhere and play games, it has been a tough 18 months after leaving Miami and the Hartford experience, I have a point to prove," Curry concludes.