Eric had an outstanding schoolboy football career, representing his town and county and captaining his country. At Everton, he appeared with David Pearson in the 1964–65 F.A. Youth Cup-winning team. He realised that the signing of Sandy Brown would bar his way to first-team football, so he signed for Southport.Curwen developed into a fast-moving and competent full-back and played in the last 13 matches of the Fourth Division promotion season. He was one of six former Evertonians in the side that came within 10 minutes of forcing a replay with Everton in the 1967–68 F.A. Cup Third Round. After a dozen years in non-League football, he retired from the game to focus on teaching in the Blackpool area, where he still lives.