Matt Maher: Curtis Tilt deserves his shot at big league football

In particular it was hard not to feel sorry for Tranmere, who will find themselves back in the fourth tier of English football next season having ended up in the relegation zone by 0.04 points under the points-per-game method used to determine the final tables.

But while the debate over its fairness will continue to rage, the manner in which the campaign was resolved was cause for celebration in parts of the Black Country, continuing as it did the remarkable ascent of Curtis Tilt.

In the space of just seven seasons, former quarry worker Tilt has climbed no fewer than eight rungs of the English football pyramid, from the Midland League with Gornal Athletic to the Championship where next season he will ply his trade with Rotherham, the Millers’ promotion from League One having been confirmed on Tuesday following curtailment.

The strange conclusion does not lessen the achievement. Neither does the fact Tilt, who joined Rotherham from Blackpool in January, had only made one appearance for his new club before football was halted by the pandemic.

Tilt’s fairytale rise has been testament to hard work and a reminder that anything is possible if you want it enough. There haven’t been many players plying their trade in the fifth-tier of non-league in their early 20s who have gone on to make it. Tilt’s journey has been gradual, taking in stops at Tipton Town, Halesowen, Hednesford, Telford and Wrexham before he broke into the league at the age of 25.

“Curt always wanted to be a footballer and when the opportunity started to open up for him, he grabbed them with both hands,” says close friend Tom Tonks.

“He never looked back. He just wanted it so much and I am so happy for him.”

There is perhaps no-one better qualified to talk about Tilt’s climb through the leagues than Tonks. The pair have been almost inseparable from their days playing together at Willenhall Sports College. Last year Tonks and a former Gornal team-mate, Kristian Green, were the best men at Tilt’s wedding.

Tonks can also take some of the credit for helping launch his friend’s career. Back in 2012, while playing Sunday football for Punjabi Wolves, he persuaded his manager to give Tilt a try-out at a tournament staged by Sporting Khalsa. It was there Tilt, who had largely stopped playing aside from the odd match, caught the eye of watching Gornal boss Ian Rowe. The rest, as they say, is history.

“Rowey took him to Gornal and things just went from there,” says Tonks, who would later line-up alongside his pal for Halesowen and Telford.

“The funny thing is back when we were kids Curt was actually a striker. He used to score for fun when we were youngsters at Pelsall Villa. But when he got taller he just blossomed into this brilliant defender. From there it’s all been about hard work and dedication.”

After a brief spell at Tipton, Tilt’s next stop was at Halesowen Town where he helped John Hill’s team win promotion from Division One of the Southern League in 2014.

“He was a big, strong defender but he was also quick, which meant he could get out of trouble,” says Hill.

“What has been really noticeable as he has moved up the levels has been how much his footballing ability has come on. We used to rib him at Halesowen about keeping the ball on the pitch!

“But in one-on-one situations, there was no-one better. He was brilliant for us.”

Though the clubs and the stages have continued to get bigger, Tilt has remained firmly grounded. Last season he invited Rowe and Hill to Blackpool to watch him play.

“He put us in an executive box and came to see us before and after the game,” says Hill.

“The best thing about it is he hasn’t changed. He actually text me last week to say his brother’s pub in Willenhall will be doing curried goat when they reopen, which is my favourite! That’s typical. Everyone is so happy for him.”

“He’s still the same person,” adds Tonks. “He has never got big-headed and is just a great family guy. He has got three kids now and they all think the world of him. He is just a nice guy.”

The question now is just how much higher Tilt could climb. He turns 29 in August but given the story so far, it would be a surprise if there weren’t at least a few more chapters to come.

“I guess I’m biased but I have always said he could play at the top level,” says Tonks.

“He is quick and he is strong but it is mental strength that is his biggest attribute. He has this ability to win personal battles with strikers. They can never get the better of him.

“It’s going to be great watching him in the Championship next season. It will be a step up from what he has experienced before but he will believe he can play at that level.”

Whatever happens next, Tilt can already reflect on a remarkable career. At a time when the football pyramid is coming under considerable strain due to the economic impact of the pandemic, his journey is also another reminder of the talent which exists at every level.