FA CUP THIRD ROUND

MARATHON man Ronan Curtis has pleaded with Portsmouth manager Kenny Jackett not to rest him when the 2008 FA Cup winners pitch up at Norwich tonight.

Republic of Ireland winger Curtis has played an incredible 58 games for club and country over the past 12 months.

Pompey’s top scorer, 22, a bargain £100,000 summer buy from Derry City, said: “My season at Derry started in January, so basically I’ve had a whole year of playing football.

“But I’m young, fit and ready for it. I really enjoy playing.

“That’s a good few games I have played, but I’m all right, to be fair. I’m a young lad and know what I want to do.

“I don’t want to be sat on the bench as a young player, I want to play and be in the squad, I’m a fit, young lad, so I can do it.

“I feel great at the moment, playing regularly just depends how far we go, especially with the Cup games.

“I don’t feel tired though. I am up for the task.

“I put everything into it. I am a hard-working player and still feel I can continue to do that.”

Livewire Curtis sees the trip to Carrow Road as a chance for the south coast side to parade their Championship credentials.

Pompey are five points clear at the top of League One, having lost only two of their last 19 games, and Curtis insisted: “This club should be in the Championship then the Premier League.

“I am ambitious and we all know where we want to be. We are playing well and hopefully we can get back to where we belong.

“This is a great game for us to test ourselves against one of the top Championship teams – and we want to win.”

Pompey’s assistant manager Joe Gallen has warned his men they could be in for a culture shock against the Canaries.

Only seven of the Fratton Park squad have experience of playing in the second tier.

Gallen said: “The standard of player you come up against at the top of the Championship is a big jump.

“The players are technically excellent, very powerful, very quick – and their size might surprise some of our players who haven’t played in the Championship.

“I think it’s just an exciting prospect for us to go and see if we can play well, put in a strong performance and get through.

“But going to Norwich and trying to win is very tough. Trying to beat Norwich on their own patch has proved elusive for a number of Championship teams this year.”