 = Curtis Woodhouse = 
 
 Curtis Woodhouse ( born 17 April 1980 ) is an English former professional footballer turned professional boxer and football manager . Most recently manager of Hull 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 . 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 then joined Peterborough United on a free transfer in October 2003 . 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 . His only defeat was by Jay Morris in April 2009 , losing 37 – 36 on points . 
 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 . 
 
 = = Career = = 
 
 
 = = = York City and 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 . Woodhouse holds the record for being the club 's youngest ever captain , aged 19 . He 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 European Under @-@ 21 Championship qualifying group . 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 . 
 
 = = = Birmingham City = = = 
 
 He made his debut for Birmingham City on 3 February 2001 , in a 2 – 1 home victory against Norwich City . 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 . 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 . 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 shootout in the semi @-@ final , after the game was drawn 2 – 2 on aggregate . Woodhouse played in both semi @-@ final matches . The following season , 2001 – 02 , he made 28 appearances in the First Division . Birmingham reached the play @-@ offs again for the fourth consecutive season , this time gaining promotiton 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 . 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 . 
 
 = = = Peterborough United = = = 
 
 Woodhouse signed for Peterborough United on 14 October 2003 , the same day that he made his debut against Torquay United in a 3 – 2 victory in the Football League Trophy . However , he had been training with Peterborough a month prior to signing for them , whilst he " sorted out some problems at Birmingham City " . He went on to captain the side , and was later described as " Captain Marvel " by manager , Barry Fry . In 2003 – 04 , he made 27 appearances in the Second Division , scoring seven goals . Peterborough finished 18th in the Second Division , two points from relegation , with Woodhouse being named as Peterborough 's player of the season . In May 2004 , Hull City manager , Peter Taylor , made a failed £ 100 @,@ 000 bid to try and sign the midfielder . The following season , 2004 – 05 , he made 34 appearances in the newly named League One and scored four goals . Peterborough suffered relegation , after finishing 23rd in the league . 
 
 = = = Hull City = = = 
 
 He joined Hull City in May 2005 , the club he supported as a child , on a two @-@ year contract for a fee of £ 25 @,@ 000 , with the potential to rise to £ 150 @,@ 000 depending on appearances . His debut for Hull was as a late substitute in a 2 – 0 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion on 20 August 2005 . Though he lacked fitness at the start of the season , injuries to Keith Andrews and Ian Ashbee gave him the chance of a regular starting place , and manager Taylor also handed him the team captaincy . Despite consistent performances , by December 2005 he had lost his place and there was speculation that he had fallen out with Taylor and wanted to leave ; this was strongly denied by the player : " I 'm shocked that people are saying I want to go . I 'm very happy here . ... It 's taken me long enough to get to Hull so I 'm not going to walk out after a few months , or whatever . " In the following six weeks he made only two brief substitute appearances – in five months with the club he played 18 games in the Championship without scoring – and the strength of Hull 's squad was such that he could not be guaranteed regular first @-@ team football . 
 
 = = = Grimsby Town = = = 
 
 In the January 2006 transfer window , he joined Grimsby Town on a two @-@ year deal , three years after they first expressed an interest in signing him . He made his debut against former club Peterborough United in League Two , on 28 January 2006 in a 2 – 1 home defeat , and scored his first and what turned out to be only goal for the club against Mansfield on 14 February 2006 . On 26 April 2006 , Woodhouse said he planned to retire from football at the end of the 2005 – 06 season and embark on a career as a professional boxer . He made 16 appearances in League Two , helping them to finish fourth place , reaching the play @-@ offs . Woodhouse played in both of Grimsby 's play @-@ off semi @-@ final victories over Lincoln City , setting up the only goal of the game in the first leg . He played his last Football League game in the play @-@ off final at the Millennium Stadium on 28 May 2006 . Grimsby were defeated 1 – 0 in the final by Cheltenham Town . Woodhouse gave away a penalty in the 70th minute that was saved by goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall . 
 
 = = = Switch to boxing = = = 
 
 Woodhouse had a history of theft , robbery and affray , and said that he had " fallen out of love " with football . He admitted to have been involved in around 100 street fights . He said ; " Boxing has always been my first love , even as a kid " , and " I love fighting ... Rather than get locked up for it , I might as well get paid for it . " He also stated that he used to spar in the boxing gym after football training without his manager 's knowledge , saying " A few times at Sheffield United , Neil Warnock would drag me in and say ‘ I hear you ’ ve been boxing ’ . I ’ d be standing there with a big black eye and a fat lip and deny it . " He trained under former British featherweight champion , Gary De Roux , and made his boxing debut on 8 September 2006 at Grosvenor House Hotel , London , in a welterweight contest against Dean Marcantonio , despite not having any previous amateur experience . The former footballer had lost two stone in weight since his playing days with Grimsby Town . The fight was scheduled for four rounds of two minutes , Woodhouse knocked his opponent down twice in the final round and won on points . 
 
 = = = Return to football part @-@ time = = = 
 
 After only one professional fight , Woodhouse returned to football in November 2006 , signing for Rushden & Diamonds , who were playing in the Conference National , the highest @-@ tier of non @-@ league football . His boxing licence was suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control , following a conviction for assaulting a police officer whilst drunk and of using threatening , abusive or insulting words or behaviour in April 2006 , when he was still playing for Grimsby Town , and not under the BBBofC 's jurisdiction at the time of the incident . He was ordered to pay £ 100 compensation to PC Andrew Whitehead and £ 350 in costs . Woodhouse chose to play for Rushden & Diamonds to fulfil a promise he made to someone who was part of the consortium that took over the Irthlingborough based club . He made his debut against Aldershot Town on 25 November 2006 , in a 1 – 0 defeat . He made five appearances in the Conference National for Rushden , before deciding to leave to concentrate on his boxing career . 
 He then returned to Rushden on 1 March 2007 , and made a further 11 appearances in the Conference in the 2006 – 07 season , scoring three goals , including a 30 @-@ yard long range effort against Northwich Victoria on 23 April . After five months away from boxing , Woodhouse returned to the ring for his second fight on 15 April , defeating Duncan Cottier on points after four rounds . On 1 May , he signed a new two @-@ year deal with Rushden & Diamonds . He then defeated Peter Dunn in a bout on 3 June , again on points , in a contest of four three @-@ minute rounds . In his fourth fight on 5 December 2007 , he defeated Craig Tomes by way of knock @-@ out after just 1 minute and 57 seconds , landing a left hook that unsettled Tomes as the referee decided his opponent as unfit to continue . Matt Seawright was Woodhouse 's next boxing opponent on 16 March 208 , he defeated him after Seawright felt he was unable to continue after the third round . Woodhouse finished the 2007 – 08 football season having played in 29 Conference National matches , scoring once and receiving two red cards . On 17 May , Woodhouse achieved his sixth straight victory , maintaining his undefeated record against Dave Murray at Bramall Lane , defeating his opponent by knock @-@ out in the second round . Murray managed to beat the standing eight count , but the referee deemed him unable to continue after 1 minute and 23 seconds . 
 After defeating Wayne Downing in 57 seconds on 21 June 2008 , Woodhouse stated his intention to retire from football at the end of the 2008 – 09 season , to concentrate on his boxing career . He was later appointed as team captain for his final season at the club . Woodhouse scored a decisive penalty in Rushden 's opening game of the 2008 – 09 season , away on 9 August , against newly promoted Eastbourne Borough . He was sent off again in the home game against Histon on 25 August , after receiving two yellow cards . In his eighth boxing match , Woodhouse defeated Jimmy Beech on points on 20 September . He then proceeded to defeat Peter Dunn on 30 November , stopping him 23 seconds in the sixth and final round at Thurcroft 's Consort Hotel , Rotherham . 
 He signed for Mansfield Town on 5 January on a contract until the end of the 2008 – 09 season . Woodhouse made his debut for Mansfield Town on 24 January in a Conference National match against Lewes . Mansfield won 1 – 0 . Matt Scriven was Woodhouse 's next opponent in the ring on 29 March at Bramall Lane . The fight went the distance of six rounds and Woodhouse was given the decision over Scriven . His first professional loss as a boxer was on 25 April at Ulster Hall , in Belfast at the hands of Jay Morris . The fight went the distance , but Woodhouse lost 37 – 36 on points over six rounds . Mansfield manager David Holdsworth hoped Woodhouse would stay at the club , but on 18 June , he joined Conference North team Harrogate Town . On 27 November , he defeated Dean Hickman by TKO in round 6 . This was Woodhouse 's first fight in the light @-@ welterweight division , having dropped down from welterweight . 
 On 13 January 2010 , in an interview to the Grimsby Telegraph , Woodhouse commented he would definitely consider a move back to former club Grimsby Town after expressing his dismay at The Mariners languishing near the bottom of the League Two , within danger of being relegated from the Football League . He commented " If they are looking for a central midfielder , though , they are welcome to give me a call " . Harrogate released him by mutual consent on 25 February . Three days later he avenged his defeat by Jay Morris by beating him with a TKO in round 3 . This gave Woodhouse the first title of his boxing career , the International Masters light @-@ welterweight title . On 25 April , Woodhouse defended the title with a 4th round knockout of Maurycy Gojko , who stepped in as a late replacement for Steve Saville . Next , on 2 July , Woodhouse knocked out veteran Stefy Bull in round 9 . His next fight was due to be against 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medallist and former world amateur champion Frankie Gavin on 18 September , but Woodhouse pulled out days after the bout was announced in July . He moved up the non @-@ League football ladder in June 2011 , after signing for Conference North side Eastwood Town . 
 
 = = Managerial career = = 
 
 It was announced on 2 May 2012 , that Woodhouse was the new manager of Northern Premier League Division One South club Sheffield . Woodhouse resigned in December 2012 after admitting having difficulty to managing a football team as well as being a professional boxer . 
 On 14 October 2013 , Woodhouse was announced as the assistant manager at Northern Premier League Division One South club Goole , with former team mate David Holdsworth being appointed manager . In January 2014 Woodhouse replaced Holdsworth as manager following Holdsworth 's resignation . Woodhouse then left Goole after some issues with the board , and took over at Hull United in January 2015 . 
 
 = = Personal life = = 
 
 Woodhouse was born in Beverley and raised in Driffield . His father , Bernard Woodhouse , died at the age of 51 after he had a fatal stroke . Unlike other boys who idolised footballers , Woodhouse stated his heroes were Nigel Benn and Mike Tyson . He admits to fighting at school and in the streets after being racially abused : " I went from scrapping in the street and at school to fighting in the boxing ring from the age of 12 . I was called a few names due to the colour of my skin , but with a quick smack in the mouth they soon backed off . " He used to visit Boothferry Park to support Hull City before pursuing his career in professional football . He has a wife , Charlotte , and two children : a son named Kyle and a daughter , Isla . 
 
 = = Career statistics = = 
 
 As of 29 January 2011 . 
 
 = = Professional boxing record = = 
 
 
 