Chesterfield’s League Two campaign continues this weekend with what will be a poignant home fixture against Crawley Town, coming just five days after the passing of Spireites owner Phil Kirk.
Alongside his brother Ashley, he first invested in the club three years ago and their contributions have played a big part of the Blues’ rise back to the fourth tier.
Whilst Paul Cook’s side have started the season excellently with 12 points from five games, Saturday’s match will be all about paying tribute to the life and legacy of a club legend.
Last match
Last weekend’s trip to North Yorkshire was a joyous occasion for the travelling Blues as goals from Ronan Darcy and Chey Dunkley completed a 2-1 victory over Harrogate Town.
After their embarrassing midweek display at Gillingham, Cook and his team needed a positive outing to please the supporters and that is what they produced.
The visitors started brilliantly and took the lead after just six minutes as Darcy slotted home for his first goal since signing on loan from Wigan Athletic.
Kyle McFadzean’s long header was held up well by Lee Bonis before the Northern Irishman played in Darcy and the attacking midfielder twisted and turned past three defenders and the goalkeeper, sitting them all down, and finished with expert composure.
Dylan Duffy and Armando Dobra also went close before half-time, whilst Bryn Morris’ flashing 30-yard effort looked dangerous before flying wide.
However, just five minutes after the break, the hosts found themselves level through Stephen Duke-McKenna.
A throw-in on half-way saw Duffy dispossessed and led to Shawn McCoulsky playing Duke-McKenna in and the Guyana international finishing into Zach Hemming’s bottom-left corner.
The keeper possibly should have saved the effort but it was a deserved punishment for the Blues after sloppily losing the ball.
Dobra then had a golden opportunity to re-take the lead after Hemming’s long goal-kick found its way to the Albanian near the box, but the winger’s shot lacked the decisive power to beat James Belshaw.
As the game progressed into the final 10 minutes, many travelling fans would have been worrying if their side’s missed chances would come back to bite them, but captain Chey Dunkley stepped up when needed.
The centre-back found himself in the middle of the six-yard box from Liam Mandeville’s corner and met the ball perfectly to head into the net in front of the Spireites faithful.
The goal secured all three points for the Blues and their fourth win from five league games at the start of the 2025/26 season.
Spireites team news
The injury situation is looking more positive for Chesterfield this week with loanees James Berry and Devan Tanton both nearing their second debuts for the club.
The former is likely to be involved against Crawley on Saturday after recovering from a tight hamstring, whilst the latter has made good progress in his return from an ankle issue and could be back on the pitch in the next week.
Paddy Madden’s departure on loan to Accrington Stanley has limited Paul Cook’s striker options and youngster Gunner Elliott is also set to be sidelined for six to eight weeks, leaving just Bonis and Will Grigg to vie for the number nine spot.
Luke Butterfield is also ruled out following surgery on the broken metatarsal he suffered on debut against Mansfield Town but there are no other absentees.
With Tuesday night’s fixture against Crewe Alexandra in the EFL Trophy holding less importance, Cook will be under no pressure to rotate his first-choice side this weekend.
Opposition news
Crawley have had a busy summer of business from relegation from League One and have made 13 signings.
Attackers Dion Pereira and Harry McKirdy have joined from Luton Town and Bromley respectively, whilst promising non-league striker Danny Cashman secured a move from Worthing.
Midfielder Jay Williams has returned just five months after moving to MK Dons and former Notts County man Geraldo Bajrami sealed a loan move this week from Burton Albion.
The trio of Will Swan, Armando Quitirna and Liam Fraser all earned moves to League One sides and experienced midfielder Panutche Camará’s second spell at the club ended with a move to Dundee United.
After finishing one point from safety in the third-tier last year, the Red Devils have begun the new campaign in worrying fashion, picking up just one point in five games.
That point came in a 1-1 draw with MK Dons, with Scott Lindsey’s side being defeated by Grimsby Town, Newport County, Crewe and Tranmere Rovers.
Despite dominating possession and having 20 shots against Andy Crosby’s team last Saturday, just three of those efforts were on target and second-half goals from Nathan Smith and Omari Patrick sealed an away victory for Rovers.
Lindsey moved to the Broadfield Stadium in January 2023 after a spell at Swindon Town and, after guiding them to safety in his first season, led them to a play-off final victory against all the odds in 2024.
He left the club to join MK Dons last September but, after being sacked in March, made the move back to south London.
Across his two spells, he has managed 102 games and won 41.
Previous encounter
This weekend’s game will be the first meeting between the sides for over seven years, stretching back to February 2018.
That day, Chesterfield lost 2-1 after a last-minute winner from Lewis Young completed Crawley’s second-half comeback after Louis Reed’s opener.
The sides have only ever met four times, with the Spireites remaining unbeaten in the other three games, winning two.
Chesterfield 2-1 Crawley Town, 3 February 2018:
Spireites lineup: Aaron Ramsdale, Laurence Maguire, Alex Whitmore, Sid Nelson, Robbie Weir, Josh Kay (Zavon Hines), Jak McCourt, Robbie Weir, Dylan Mottley-Henry (Joe Rowley), Louis Dodds (Chris O’Grady), Kristian Dennis; Bench – Dylan Parkin, Bradley Barry, Jerome Binnom-Williams, Jacob Brown
Familiar faces
Two former Spireites will be returning to the SMH Group Stadium after enjoying differing levels of success in their spells at the club.
Ex-midfielder Reece Brown signed for Crawley this summer after spending a year out of the game, with his last team being Forest Green Rovers.
The 29-year-old joined Chesterfield on loan from Birmingham City in January 2017 but returned to his parent club after just two appearances following a series of incidents, including falling out with fans on Twitter.
He has played five games so far for the Red Devils, starting four.
A player who was much more loved by the fanbase, Kabongo Tshimanga, will also return tomorrow.
The striker was a fan favourite during his 18-month spell between 2021 and 2023, scoring 33 goals in 53 games.
He bagged 25 in just 33 matches in his first six months before a horrific injury away at Weymouth ended his season, in what was Paul Cook’s first game back in charge of the Blues.
He has scored one goal in six games so far this season.
Match details
Chesterfield v Crawley Town
League Two
Saturday 30 August
15:00 KO
SMH Group Stadium, Chesterfield
