Curtis Woodhouse

Curtis Woodhouse (born 17 April 1980) is an English former professional footballer turned professional boxer and football manager, most recently in charge of Marske United.

Woodhouse played football as a central midfielder, and competed as a light-welterweight boxer.

He is the former British light-welterweight champion.

His career in the Football League spanned across nine seasons, earning four caps for the England under-21 football team.

Woodhouse's professional boxing record stands at 29 fights 22 wins, 13 of which are by knock-out, and 7 defeats.

He started his footballing career with York City's centre of excellence before joining Sheffield United.

Woodhouse began his football career at York City's centre of excellence in 1994, before being transferred to Sheffield United for an initial compensation fee of £2,200.

Sheffield United and York City later agreed on an additional £15,000 fee plus a five-percentage sell-on clause.

He made his debut for Sheffield United at the age of 17, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute in a 1–0 home win against Crewe Alexandra in the First Division on 29 November 1997.

He made a total of nine First Division appearances in the 1997–98 season.

He holds the record for being the club's youngest ever captain, aged 19.

Woodhouse earned a call-up to the England under-21 team, and made his debut in a 2–2 away draw against Hungary on 27 April 1999.

He went on to earn another three caps against Sweden, Bulgaria and Poland in England's 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying group.

He made 17 appearances for Birmingham during the 2000–01 season, scoring twice.

Both goals came in the final league match of the season, a 2–1 away win against Huddersfield Town, sealing their relegation fate.

Birmingham reached the League Cup final, however, Woodhouse was unable to play as he was cup-tied, having previously played in three League Cup games for Sheffield United that season.

In November 2001, he was transferred to Birmingham City for a fee of £1 million, before joining Rotherham United in January 2003, on loan for five months.

He made a total of 104 appearances in the Football League, scoring six goals, before being sold to Birmingham City for £1 million in February 2001.

He made his debut for Birmingham City on 3 February 2001, in a 2–1 home victory against Norwich City.

He was arrested after the final of the League Cup, on 25 February 2001, having been charged with affray along with two others after they "trashed" an Indian restaurant and he wielded a chair in a brawl with university students.

During the following season, 2001–02, Woodhouse made 28 appearances in the First Division.

Birmingham reached the play-offs again for the fourth consecutive season, this time gaining promotion after beating Millwall in the semi-final and Norwich City in the final.

This time, Woodhouse did not play in any of the play-off matches.

In July 2002, he was sentenced to 120 hours of community service and ordered to pay £250 costs.

Birmingham finished fifth in the First Division, and reached the play-offs, losing in a penalty shoot-out in the semi-final, after the game was drawn 2–2 on aggregate.

Woodhouse played in both semi-final matches.

He then joined Peterborough United on a free transfer in October 2003.

He made just three appearances for Birmingham City in the Premier League, before being loaned out to Rotherham United in January 2003.

Grimsby Town and Brighton & Hove Albion were also reportedly interested in signing the midfielder.

During his loan spell at Rotherham, he turned out 11 times in the First Division.

In May 2005, he joined Hull City for £25,000, before joining Grimsby Town just eight months later in January 2006.

He retired at the end of the 2006–07 season.

Woodhouse stated that he had "fallen out of love" with football and decided to turn to professional boxing, despite no previous experience.

In September 2006, he won his first professional boxing match, defeating Dean Marcantonio, on points, knocking him down twice in the final round.

He was convicted of assaulting a police officer and of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour in April 2006.

As a result, he had his boxing licence suspended for five months by the British Boxing Board of Control, despite the incident happening before he was under the BBBofC's jurisdiction.

Woodhouse returned to football in November 2006, joining Rushden & Diamonds in the Conference National before moving to Mansfield Town in January 2009.

After leaving them, he moved to Harrogate Town.

At the end of February 2010, he joined Sheffield in the Northern Premier League.

Before the start of the 2011–12 football season, he moved up two divisions in the football league system when he joined Conference North outfit Eastwood Town.