Preview by North Derbyshire Radio’s James Ede
Chesterfield v Barrow (League Two) – 2 August 2025
Paul Cook’s Chesterfield kick off their 2025/26 League Two campaign on Saturday when they welcome Barrow to the SMH Group Stadium.
After last season’s play-off semi-final disappointment, the Spireites will be aiming for automatic promotion this season and a home fixture in front of a packed-out crowd will be the best way to get going.
Cook has made eight signings this summer, with the marquee addition of Dilan Markanday being one of the club’s standout transfers in recent years.
Saturday’s game will be the first time that many fans see the new signings, but Barrow will certainly turn up to disrupt the Blues’ season opener.
Pre-season
Chesterfield’s summer friendlies have featured a 5-0 thrashing of League One side Burton Albion and a 0-0 draw against Europa League qualifiers Nottingham Forest, but also a loss and a draw to non-league sides Matlock Town and Alfreton Town.
Whilst the Blues’ pre-season fixtures are focused on getting players’ fitness up to Paul Cook’s high standards, the two-time title winner will have demanded more from his side after those results.
An 8-3 victory over Gibraltarian side Europa Point proved to be an entertaining overseas trip for fans, whilst their final pre-season run-out, last week’s 4-1 defeat to Sheffield United, gave the squad another chance to put themselves up against high-quality opposition.
Impressive showings from new signings Ryan Stirk and Lee Bonis will have excited supporters and hopes will be high for the new season, but Chesterfield will have to ensure they are on their A-game this weekend.
Spireites team news
Whilst this summer has not been as injury-ravaged as last, Chesterfield do still come into their first game of the season with a few absentees.
Fulham loanee Devan Tanton, who has returned for a second spell with the Blues after injuries disrupted his first, rolled his ankle against Alfreton and has subsequently been ruled out for at least eight weeks, as confirmed by assistant manager Danny Webb.
His injury is one of severe disappointment for both player and fans after last season’s issues, but the Colombian international will be hoping he can return in good time and get fit.
Two other fitness issues lie with Liam Mandeville, the club’s longest-serving player, and fellow Fulham loan signing Matt Dibley-Dias.
Mandeville underwent a minor knee operation during the summer and did not feature in any pre-season matches, whilst Dibley-Dias, who has Brazilian, Portuguese and New Zealand heritage, also rolled his ankle during the club’s week in Spain.
Although both players have returned to training ahead of the new campaign, it is unlikely that they will be risked on Saturday.
Opposition news
Barrow head into this weekend’s encounter off the back of last season’s 16th-place finish and with head coach Andy Whing’s first summer in charge under his belt after taking over from Stephen Clemence in January.
Under his guidance, the Bluebirds won eight and drew seven of his first 21 games of EFL management, and ended the season 11 points behind the Spireites.
A busy summer has seen 12 signings and 13 departures from Holker Street, with the likes of former Wigan Athletic man Scott Smith, Rekeem Harper, who played in the Premier League for West Bromwich Albion, and Gateshead midfielder Regan Booty leading the way through the door.
This week they also announced their biggest signing of the window with former Preston North End and Derby County attacker Tom Barkhuizen, who has accumulated almost 250 Championship appearances in his career, signing a two-year deal.
However, they have lost key midfield trio Kian Spence, Robbie Gotts and Dean Campbell, who have secured moves to League One sides Rotherham United, Doncaster Rovers and Northampton Town, respectively.
Their squad also contains the brother of a two-time Euros winner, with goalkeeper Wyll Stanway the sibling of England and Bayern Munich’s Georgia Stanway.
They will be led on Saturday by veteran defender Niall Canavan, whose past clubs include Scunthorpe United, Rochdale and Bradford City.
Previous encounter
The last meeting between the sides was at the end of March and saw Michael Jacobs score his only, and what turned out to be his last for the club, goal of the season with a late deflected effort into the net.
That win was the Spireites’ first fourth-tier victory at Barrow in 60 years and followed their 1-0 triumph in November, when Jamie Grimes also scored a late winner off the bench.
Barrow 0-1 Chesterfield, 29 March 2025:
Spireites lineup: Boot, Mandeville, Palmer, Grimes, Gordon, Naylor (Jacobs), Metcalfe, Banks (Fleck), Dobra (Duffy), Colclough (Olakigbe), Pepple (Grigg); Bench – Thompson, Madden
Familiar faces
Two former Spireites will be present on Saturday, one on the touchline and one in the squad.
The Bluebirds’ manager Andy Whing had a short loan spell with Chesterfield in the 2009/10 season after a lack of game time under manager Gus Poyet at then-League One club Brighton & Hove Albion.
The former defender went on to make 11 appearances for the Derbyshire side, failing to score, before returning to the south coast at the end of the season.
Another former Chesterfield defender, Charlie Raglan, could make his debut for Barrow on Saturday, having joined the Cumbrian side this summer after winning promotion to the fourth tier with Oldham Athletic last season.
The 32-year-old moved to 1866 Sheffield Road in April 2014 after signing from non-league outfit FC United of Manchester.
In three seasons with the Blues, he played 60 times and scored one goal before joining Oxford United on a permanent deal.
Match details
Chesterfield v Barrow
League Two
Saturday 2 August
15:00 KO
SMH Group Stadium, Chesterfield
