[4] He rejected apprenticeships at Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in favour of training with the Leyton Orient first-team on the promise of a professional contract on his 17th-birthday.

[5] He made his senior début at Orient under Peter Eustace just three days after his 17th-birthday, in a defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion at the Goldstone Ground.

Purse established an effective centre-back partnership with Michael Johnson in the 1999–2000 season, making 41 starts in league and cup competitions for the "Blues".

[12] Francis was sacked just after Purse returned to full fitness, though the defender managed to keep his first-team place under new boss Steve Bruce, and started 40 matches in the 2001–02 season.

[13] Having been courted by Arsenal, Charlton Athletic and Everton, he had previously been stripped of the club captaincy after twice rejecting Birmingham's offer of a £10,000 per week five-year contract.

[14][15] The protracted negotiations were put down to his ambitions for top-flight football, which were secured with victory in the 2002 play-off final (Purse did not feature in the matchday squad).

He did, however, hit the headlines after elbowing Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu; the Romanian reportedly launched a "volley of expletives" at Purse in a post-match dressing room incident.

"[22] He spent a single season with Albion in the Premier League, making 24 appearances in all competitions, and was frozen out of the first-team from February onwards.

He had made "significant errors" on the pitch, and, as at Birmingham, was deemed surplus to requirement at The Hawthorns by new boss Bryan Robson.

[25] He was appointed team captain,[26] and forged a reputation for hard work and consistency as the foundation of the Cardiff defence, forming an effective partnership with Glenn Loovens.

He also scored several own goals, including a spectacular volleyed backpass that proved too powerful for Cardiff goalkeeper Peter Enckelman.

[32] Purse did not feature in City's FA Cup run to the final at Wembley, and was an unused substitute as Cardiff were beaten 1–0 by Portsmouth.

[33] Purse began the 2008–09 season on the bench until Glenn Loovens was sold to Celtic, and he returned to the starting line-up alongside Roger Johnson in September.

[34] He spent three months in the first-team before losing his place in the side again, this time to Hungary international Gábor Gyepes who was signed as a replacement for Loovens, after a 2–1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle on 22 November after which Cardiff manager Dave Jones slammed the defensive performance of the team.

[45] The day after his release from Sheffield Wednesday, 21 January 2011, Purse signed with Millwall – the club he supported as a boy – on a contract until the end of the 2010–11 season.

[50][51] He made five appearances during that time and "Glovers" manager Terry Skiverton stated that he would have liked to extend his stay at Huish Park.

[52] In November 2011, Purse moved to Plymouth Argyle on loan with a permanent 18-month contract to be signed when the transfer window opened the following January.

[53][54] He ended the 2011–12 campaign with 24 appearances for the "Pilgrims", as the team's "solid" defence helped to keep the club in the English Football League.

[65] Vale secured promotion with a third-place finish at the end of the 2012–13 season, with Purse providing experience at the back in his 17 games.

He was released as a free agent, with manager Micky Adams putting this decision down to the defender's age rather than as a reflection of his performances in the 17 games.

[66] Purse joined Northampton Town on trial in July 2013, with manager Aidy Boothroyd worried over the fitness of centre-half Kelvin Langmead.

[68][69] He joined Southern League Premier Division club Chesham United in January 2014, and helped the "Generals" to reach the play-off final at the end of the 2013–14 season, where they were denied promotion following a 3–1 defeat to St Albans City.

[78] In May 2017, he joined Isthmian League Premier Division club Enfield Town as both a player and as assistant manager to Andy Leese.