Chesterfield look forward to brighter future after winning National League
In north Derbyshire, all four seasons took turns showing themselves in just one day. The rain turned into hail and thunder, but eventually the sun came out before it started snowing again. It was a fitting metaphor for the last decade, which included Paul Cook's first title-winning season at Chesterfield and the recent National League title that was secured with a 3-0 win over Boreham Wood.
Captain and centre-back Jamie Grimes netted two goals in front of 9,826 enthusiastic spectators - a record-breaking attendance at SMH Group Stadium after 14 years. In addition, Liam Mandeville scored within just half a minute of the second half commencing, solidifying Cook's team's championship win. The team's impressive performance, with 12 victories in 15 games, made their title victory inevitable and they've been 21 points ahead of Barnet, who still have six matches left. They've become the first senior football team to achieve this year's championship win.
When the teams walked onto the field, the song "Mr Blue Sky" was playing and there were blue and white balloons scattered about. The right-back for Boreham Wood, Cameron Coxe, tried to grab one of the balloons but ended up stepping on thin air instead. However, Chesterfield was not going to let anything ruin their special day.
The Spireites have made a remarkable comeback to League Two after achieving three playoff finishes - from first stage to the semi-final and finally, the final. This marks their return to the Football League after six years and a series of setbacks in the past. Although their accomplished former manager Cook has since left for other clubs, the supporters are now looking ahead to what's next. In the final stages of the game, they proudly sang "We've got our club back".
It has been 14 years since Chesterfield departed from their deteriorating home ground, Saltergate. Since then, the club has experienced three promotions, three relegations, and even protests where spectators invaded the pitch. This caused the original owner, Dave Allen, to be replaced by a community trust. In the span of seven permanent manager changes, Martin Allen drew nine consecutive league games and James Rowe resigned due to charges of sexual assault, which had been delayed for a very long time.
As a result, Cook came back two years ago and recently the Kirk brothers made progress towards owning 75% of the club. They have already put £2 million into it and with Ashley regularly involved and Phil reportedly worth £500 million, the support is there. It's somewhat comforting that the support is coming from a family in Chesterfield.
Drawing in about 7,700 spectators on a regular basis, which is even more than during the League One playoff season, proves that the matches are very entertaining. The sadness and disappointment of losing the playoff final in Wembley to Notts County due to penalties last year is now replaced by this victory.
Grimes played in every game under Cook from February 2022 until he got suspended due to a red card on Boxing Day against Solihull Moors. It was only fitting that he scored the first goal on this unforgettable day. Grimes' two goals were very close. Firstly, he headed home Mandeville's corner from very close range in the 28th minute. Then, in the second half, Armando Dobra, who was the most skillful player on the field, dribbled in along the left touchline and passed the ball to Grimes, who touched it over the line.
This marked the hundredth league goal for Chesterfield this season. However, their top scorer Will Grigg, who has bagged 25 of those goals, was unable to play due to a hamstring injury. Despite his absence, Chesterfield still played with great energy and domination.
Dobra used to play for Cook at Ipswich and seems ready to handle the challenges of the higher level. Last summer, the signing of Tom Naylor was highly praised by some experts who thought he was the best player below the EFL. Additionally, Michael Jacobs has already demonstrated his impressive skills. Harry Tyrer, who is on loan from Everton, has been a reliable goalkeeper throughout the season.
In rephrased language, Grimes explained how their team had invested a lot of effort throughout the year, and the players had made commendable sacrifices. Paul Cook's immense trust in the team boosted their confidence, making them feel invincible for every match. Grimes expressed his pride in being part of a club that's progressively improving.
"We are going to savor this victory and with a solid preparation period before the next season, there is potential for us to go even further. We have made significant concessions along the way, therefore tonight is going to be a memorable night."
