Striker Steve Thompson is hoping the curse of the former player strikes again when AFC Telford United host Stafford Rangers in a big Boxing Day battle.

Thompson is desperate to bag his first goal for the Bucks, having so far drawn a blank in his five starts and nine substitute appearances since joining the club from Port Vale.

But he did get two goals while on loan at Stafford Rangers earlier in the season, and is now hoping he can come back to haunt them when the sides go head-to-head at the New Bucks Head on Saturday.

“It’s the same for all strikers,” he said. “If you get one goal everything can suddenly change and I just want that bit of luck.

“You always see players scoring against their old teams and hopefully it happens for me and I can get a few more after that.”

Thompson enjoyed his spell at Stafford, where he quickly established himself as a firm favourite with the Marston Road fans.

And he is warning that they prove anything but cannon fodder in the first meeting of what will be a quick-fire double over the festive period.

“I was there for a month and things went okay for me,” said Thompson. “I played a few games and scored a couple of goals.

“They are a decent side and always seem to manage to score goals, though they concede a few as well.

“Nick Wellecombe can be a handful, he’s got a big physical presence so we need to look out for him.

“With it being on Boxing Day, there will hopefully be more fans there and it should be a good atmosphere. If I get my chance I’d like to prove what I can do.”

Thompson moved back to his native north-east after he was released from Port Vale, and now faces a mammoth commute from Sunderland to play for Telford.

He makes that journey, which can take around 10 hours both ways, twice a week for training as well as on Saturdays for matches.

But he insists he is happy to keep up with that punishing schedule in order to establish himself at the New Bucks Head.

“When I come down for training I set off at about 2pm,” he revealed. “It is hard, and with the weather as it has been lately it can be a bit of a nightmare.

“But you have to do things like this if you want to play football at a decent level and I’ll just carry on and see how it goes.

“I’m really enjoying it at Telford, as well, and that’s the main thing,” he added.

“There’s a good spirit here, even though things have not been going so well lately. We all have to stick together and I’m sure we will turn it around.”

By CHRIS HUDSON