GUTHRIE HAS GOT TO GO FOR GOLD!
Boro striker seeks to keep on terms with sister Serena
NOTHING quite satisfies Stevenage striker Kurtis Guthrie like the sensation of winning. From the pitches of Jersey to the battlegrounds of League Two, the 25-yearold has gorged on that
euphoric feel- ing from a young age.
It’s in his DNA and a trait he shares with his older sister Serena, who made history as a member of the England netball team that struck gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Now, the Boro striker is hoping to use her success as a springboard, aiming to net Dino Maamria’s side’s a return to League One.
“Promotion is what we want – I think that’s very clear,” he said.
“We’ve got a good changing room, we know how we want to play, where we want to go and what to expect from each other. We’ve got a good mix of youth and experience, and we just want to excel.
“The league has probably been more open over the last few seasons than ever before with the way the transfer market works with players just coming in at the start and middle.
Rebuild
“It’s going to be an interesting season and, hopefully, we will be there or thereabouts.”
Getting to League Two hasn’t been easy, Guthrie cast aside at Accrington Stanley as a youngster before taking the bold step of dropping down to NonLeague to join Bath City.
Fighting his way up the divisions after spells at Welling United and Forest Green, he finally returned to league football at Colchester.
“I had the choice whether to rebuild or to pack my bags and go home,” said Guthrie.
“Boys that are at a top level, some of them get caught in a false sense of security and they think this will be the life that they live forever.
“They have a lovely training ground, drive a nice car and have everything done for them, but if your club decides that you’re not good enough, you soon realise that you’re going to be training on a Tuesday or Thursday night and trying to rebuild your career.
“It’s important to get games under your belt because, nowadays, I think teams would rather take a player who has played 100 games in League Two or the National League than a lad who’s come from the Championship Under-23s and never played a senior game.”
Nobody’s played a more crucial role in his development than his own family, particularly sibling Serena, whose Commonwealth triumph has inspired his own game.
“My dad used to be a coach of the women’s team that my sister played for and I used to go along and train with them,” he said.
Determined
“She would come to my games and we would always try to outdo each other in terms of who would score more goals. “We are both determined people and we don’t like to be beaten by situations. “She’s a fantastic inspiration. She’s been doing so well for so many years and I think the sport of netball is finally getting the recognition that it deserves. “She’s paving the way for the younger girls to come through and in terms of the Commonwealths, she did amazingly to bring back the gold medal. “I was up at three or four o’clock in the morning cheering her on. “It’s a lovely thing to be able to watch your sibling do, to reach the very top of their career.”