Curier's Final Word

MAC said he thought he finally had found a club to settle down at, but his hopes were dashed as he was spotted out on the town the night before the Plymouth game and, as punishment, Mills docked him two weeks wages and told the Frenchman his month-to-month contract would not be extended.

But Curier insists the punishment was O.T.T and strongly protests his innocence.

"I have been sacked, but I don't think I deserve to have been," Antoine told the NEP.

"I thought this would be a fresh start for me, but now I have had that opportunity taken away.

"I am upset and devastated.

"I am appealing against my punishment because I have to maintain my reputation although I am not sure I want to play football in England any more."

The gangly Frenchman was spotted leaving a nightclub just before midnight, after earlier going for a meal to celebrate his 21st birthday.

Antoine-Curier with former strike partner- Paul Heffernan

"I should not have gone out for a meal, I accept that," he said.

"It was wrong for me to be out on the night before the match.

"But it was my 21st birthday and my girlfriend had surprised me by booking a table.

"During the meal, my former house-mate had been trying to phone me because he had lost his keys to the flat and he wanted a set I still had. I agreed to take the keys to him in a nearby bar.

"At no time did I have anything to drink. I don't touch alcohol.

"I know I shouldn't have been out and I deserved to be punished, but I believe this is too harsh."

For those of you who cry easily, you might be best advised to look away now.

Curier claimed he was playing the best football of his career at Notts, where he helped us to 10 points out of 12, but fans were often un-impressed by his individual performances.

"I was loving it, I really was. I was playing as well as I ever have done," he said.

"I didn't play that well against Brentford but I thought I was one of the best players on the pitch last Saturday.

"Since I was at Oldham last year I had a knee injury, but nobody was prepared to pay for the treatment, because I was always on a short-term contract. But, in November, I went back to France and had surgery on the knee, to repair a ruptured ligament, which cost me £10,000.

"Then I came to Notts and I thought it could be a fresh start for me.

"And we picked up ten points from 12 while I was here. I thought I had played my part in that.

"But now I have missed my chance. I am devastated.

"I don't know what I will do now, perhaps I will go back to France to play.

"But I hope Notts do not go down.

"It is a good club, with good players and the fans have been great to me."

But will MAC get yet another chance in English football? Only time will tell. In the meantime, Mills has already swooped for his replacement- bringing in Man U forward Matty Williams on a month's loan.