Chesterfield F.C.

Chesterfield

Full name	Chesterfield Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Spireites
Founded	19 October 1867 [1]
Ground	B2net Stadium Chesterfield (Capacity: 10,338)
Chairman	Barrie Hubbard
Manager	John Sheridan
League	League Two
2009–10	League Two, 8th
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Chesterfield Football Club (pronounced /ˈtʃɛstərfiːld/) is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Despite being the 4th oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower divisions of the English league and have never played in the top flight. They first joined the Football League in the 1899-1900 season, but failed re-election in 1908/09. They were later founder members of Football League Third Division North in 1921-22 and have remained in the Football League since.

Chesterfield's most notable successes came in the 1990s, when they won the Division Three playoff final at Wembley in 1995 and reached the FA Cup semi-finals two years later. They were the first club from outside the top two divisions to reach this stage of the competition since 1984 (Plymouth Argyle).

Chesterfield play their home games at the 10,338 capacity B2net Stadium, having moved from their old home Saltergate, for the 2010-11 season.

John Sheridan is the current manager having been given a three year contract in June 2009, his assistant is Tommy Wright.

History

Chesterfield F.C. crest until 2010

• 1867 - Founded as Chesterfield Town F.C.^[1]
• 1884 - Moved to the Recreation Ground at Saltergate^[2]
• 1891 - Turned professional^[2]
• 1896-97 - Joined Midland League^[2]
• 1899-00 - Joined Football League Division Two^[2]
• 1909 - Failed to be re-elected to the Football League^[2]
• 1909-10 - Rejoined Midland League; Midland League Champions
• 1912-13 - Midland League runner-up
• 1919 - Changed name to Chesterfield F.C.^[2]
• 1919-20 - Midland League Champions (2nd time)
• 1921-22 - Founder member of Football League Division Three North
• 1930-31 - Football League Division Three North Champions; Promoted to Division Two
• 1933 - Relegated to Division Three North
• 1935-36 - Football League Division Three North; Promoted to Division Two
• 1939-40 - Football League programme abandoned due to outbreak of war
• 1951 - Relegated to Division Three North
• 1958-59 - Placed in Division Three upon re-organisation
• 1961 - Relegated to Division Four
• 1969-70 - Football League Division Four Champions; Promoted to Division Three
• 1980-1 - Anglo-Scottish Cup Winners
• 1983 - Relegated to Division Four
• 1984-85 - Football League Division Four Champions; Promoted to Division Three
• 1989 - Relegated to Division Four
• 1989-90 - Qualified for play-offs on goal difference, but not promoted
• 1992-93 - Division Four re-designated Division Three on formation of F.A. Premiership
• 1994-95 - Promoted to Division Two after play-offs
• 1996-97 - FA Cup Semi-Finalists
• 2000 - Relegated to Division Three
• 2000-01 - Nine points deducted for financial irregularities, denying them runner-up spot. Promoted to Division Two in third place.
• 2004-05 - Football League Division Two renamed "League One"
• 2007 - Relegated to Football League Two^[3]
• Best League position: 4th in Division 2 (level 2), 1946–47
• Best FA Cup performance: Semi-final replay, 1996–97
• Best Football League Cup performance: 4th round, 1964–65, 2006–07
• Best Football League Trophy performance: (regional semi-final, 2006–07)^[3]

Stadium

Chesterfield now play their home games at the new £13m b2net Stadium. The first match at the b2net stadium was v Derby in a pre season friendly in which Derby won 5-4 The first goalscorer at the B2net Stadium was Craig Davies The last game to take place at Saltergate was against AFC Bournemouth on Saturday 8 May 2010. Chesterfield were 1-0 down at half time, but second half goals from Lester 10 minutes from time and Niven in the sixth minute of injury time, saw supporters invade the pitch for the 1st time, meant Saltergate was sent off with an impressive 2-1 win over already promoted Bournemouth. Emotions spilled over at the final whistle as the capacity crowd invaded the pitch for a 2nd time in celebration, and to say goodbye. The club will move to the b2net Stadium in July 2010.^[4]

Honours

• Midland Football League Champions: 1909/10, 1919/20
• Third Division (North) Champions: 1930/31, 1935/36
• Third Division Play Off Winners: 1994/95
• Fourth Division Champions (Currently known as Football League Two): 1969/70, 1984/85
• Anglo-Scottish Cup winners: 1980/81.
• Derbyshire F.A. Centenary Cup winners: 1994/95, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2009/10

Minor Honours

• Bass Charity Vase Winners: 1900/01
• Derbyshire F.A. Senior Cup winners: 1898/99, 1920/21, 1921/22, 1924/25, 1932/33, 1936/37
• Banner Jones Middleton Cup winners: 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10

Youth Honours

• North & Midlands East Conference Winners: 2005/06, 2008/09
• FA Youth Cup Runners Up: 1955/56

Other Awards

• FA Cup Giantkillers Trophy: 1996/97

Player records

• Most League Appearances: 617 Dave Blakey (1948–1967)^[5]
• Most League Goals: 162 Ernie Moss (1968–1975, 1979-1981, 1984-1986)^[6]
• Youngest Player: Dennis Thompson - 16 Years 159 Days^[7]
• Oldest Player: Billy Kidd - 40 Years 232 Days^[8]

Club records

• Best League position: 4th in Division 2 (level 2), 1946–47
• Best FA Cup performance: Semi-final replay, 1996–97
• Highest Attendance: 30,561 v Tottenham Hotspur 12 February 1938 (previously quoted record figure of 30,968 (against Newcastle United Division Two, 7 April 1939) is now recorded as only having been 28,636)^[9]

Players

Current squad

As of 09 August 2010.

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Tommy Lee 3 DF Gregor Robertson 4 DF Jamie Lowry 5 DF Robert Page 6 DF Simon Ford 7 MF Mark Allott 8 MF Derek Niven 9 FW Craig Davies 10 MF Danny Whitaker 11 MF Dwayne Mattis 12 DF Scott Griffiths (on loan from Peterborough United) 13 GK Mark Crossley 14 FW Jack Lester 15 DF Aaron Downes

No. Position Player 16 DF Ian Breckin (captain) 17 MF Dean Morgan 18 MF Ian Morris (on loan from Scunthorpe United) 19 FW Scott Boden 20 MF Dan Gray 21 FW Jordan Bowery 23 DF Jack Hunt (on loan from Huddersfield Town) 24 DF Craig Clay 25 FW Drew Talbot 26 GK Shane Redmond 27 FW Tendayi Darwikwa 28 DF Ryan Granger 29 MF Jimmy Adcock 30 DF Chris Tingay

Notable former players

For a list of notable Chesterfield players in sortable-list format see List of Chesterfield F.C. players.

Managers

Notes

External links

• Official website