After reaching the play-off semi-finals last season, Chesterfield are hoping for automatic promotion in 2025/26, but can Paul Cook guide the club to a second promotion in three years?
The Spireites adjusted well to life back in the EFL after being promoted as National League champions in 2024, as they sneaked into League Two’s top seven on the final day of the season with a 1-0 win at Accrington Stanley.
After a busy transfer window, including the signings of several high-quality players, the Blues will be one of the favourites to finish in the top three and will be under pressure throughout the season.
How did the Spireites fare last season?
Heading into the 2024/25 campaign, many Chesterfield fans would have been happy with a steady mid-table finish after years of turmoil following Paul Cook’s initial departure from the club in 2015.
However, having led the club back into the fourth tier, the 58-year-old would have challenged his squad to reach the play-offs, and that is what they accomplished.
Despite an injury crisis so severe that it was barely believable at times, the Blues completed a miraculous end-of-season revival, which saw them claim 28 points from their final 13 games, to clinch seventh-place in the 46th game of the season.
A 5-0 hammering of Crewe Alexandra in their first away game, an 8-2 aggregate score over eventual league winners Doncaster Rovers and March’s 2-1 victory at Notts County all showed that the squad had the attacking potential as well as the ability to win big games that are key to title-winning sides.
However, they also fell apart in some games and came away looking like a team that could not maintain consistency, as seen in November’s 3-0 home defeat to Accrington and the 4-0 loss at Tranmere Rovers at the start of April, sides who both finished the season at the bottom end of the table.
At one stage of the season, they had 15 senior players out injured, leading to 16-year-old Gunner Elliott making an appearance off the bench in December’s 2-0 defeat at Fleetwood Town.
Key absences of experienced defender Chey Dunkley, clinical goalscorer Will Grigg and a long-running fitness battle for midfielder John Fleck all meant that the Derbyshire side were without their strongest team for much of the season and required others to step up.
Despite those issues, Cook’s side showed resilience to earn their place in the top seven before their two-legged play-off semi-final against Walsall proved to be a step too far, coming away with a 4-1 defeat on aggregate.
Summer activity
With the season over, the Spireites announced their retained list, which saw the likes of Vontae Daley-Campbell and Jamie Grimes surprisingly offered new deals.
The announcement also confirmed that National League title-winners Darren Oldaker and Michael Jacobs would be leaving the club, with the pair having since signed for Swindon Town and Northampton Town, as well as striker Kane Drummond and academy graduate Ali Mohiuddin.
In negotiations were Ryan Boot, Kyle McFadzean and John Fleck, who all extended their stays, Ollie Banks and Ash Palmer, who jointly moved to National League title contenders York City, and Janoi Donacien and Tyrone Williams, with the futures of the defensive pair yet to be confirmed.
Loanees Jenson Metcalfe, Bim Pepple, Harvey Araujo, Max Thompson, Jack Sparkes and Michael Olakigbe all returned to their parent clubs.
Onto the arrivals, former Blackburn Rovers winger Dilan Markanday was the key addition to the squad, having scored seven goals in 24 appearances on loan at the SMH Group Stadium last season.
Walsall midfielder Ryan Stirk and ADO Den Haag striker Lee Bonis have also joined and impressed in pre-season.
Joining them is Devan Tanton, who has re-joined on loan, his Fulham teammate Matt Dibley-Dias, goalkeeper Zach Hemming and left-back Adam Lewis, who have signed from Middlesbrough and Morecambe respectively, and former Everton youngster Luke Butterfield, who bolsters the central midfield options.
The only area of concern still for the club is a left-sided defender, with club captain Jamie Grimes not quite good enough to start regularly, and 38-year-old Kyle McFadzean almost certainly not able to play week-in, week-out.
Therefore, Cook will still be looking for a young, fast, left-footed centre-half, but apart from that, the squad looks excellently built to challenge for the title.
The current squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Zach Hemming, Ryan Boot, Ashton Rinaldo
Defenders: Devan Tanton, Vontae Daley-Campbell, Ryheem Sheckleford, Liam Jessop, Chey Dunkley, Kyle McFadzean, Jamie Grimes, Lewis Gordon, Adam Lewis
Midfielders: Ryan Stirk, John Fleck, Tom Naylor, Matt Dibley-Dias, Luke Butterfield, Connor Cook, Bailey Hobson, Liam Mandeville, Dilan Markanday, Armando Dobra, Dylan Duffy, Ryan Colclough
Forwards: Will Grigg, Lee Bonis, Paddy Madden, Gunner Elliott
Where will they finish?
10 years ago, having just taken the Spireites to the League One play-offs in their first season after winning League Two, Paul Cook left Chesterfield.
After a 4-0 aggregate defeat to Preston North End in their play-off semi-final, the inspiring, entertaining manager departed the club due to a lack of funds, despite having almost guided the club to the second tier for the first time in many fans’ lifetimes.
He moved down south to Portsmouth and subsequently won promotions with them and Wigan Athletic.
Now, a decade on from leaving, it feels for many Chesterfield fans that Cook is set to take them back to where he left them, after many seasons of despair, disappointment and worries over the club’s future.
The Spireites are now one of the favourites for automatic promotion, alongside MK Dons and Bristol Rovers, and have a squad and manager with more title-winning experience than almost anyone.
Although they will face pressure from the fanbase for any slip-ups, and have shown they can fall apart at times against weaker opponents, the Blues’ summer additions should be able to push them over the line and return the club to the third tier for the first time in nine years.
Finishing ahead of MK Dons, who have shown they have the money and pulling power to attract League One-level players, and have a manager in Paul Warne who is undoubtedly good enough for League Two, would be a challenge.
However, the Spireites would certainly fancy themselves to pip Bristol Rovers and any other challengers to second spot in the table.