Ward, who netted 12 goals for the Spireites last season, has been linked to a number of League One clubs but the chairman has scotched all the talk of Ward (22) leaving Satlergate.

''There have been no offers. Not one. As far as I am concerned there have been no enquiries.

''I have no intention of allowing Jamie Ward to leave Chesterfield FC. As far as I am concerned, Ward is stopping here,'' said the chairman.

Conjecture about Ward began late last week when it was alleged that four League One clubs – Northampton, MK Dons, Scunthorpe and Colchester – had designs on the pacy 22-year-old who has a season left on his Saltergate contract.

Blues manager Lee Richardson, quoted on the club's website, said: ''You have to ask where these stories come from. Players these days have agents who perhaps try and make stories up.''

That comment infuriated Ward's agent Gino Culbertson.

''We are not in the business of making up stories and I am extremely annoyed with what has been said. I will take this matter further,'' he said.

Culbertson, who represents Ward, added: ''Jamie is a Chesterfield FC player and he has always given 100 per cent.

''But he has advised the club that he would like to play at a higher level. He's a young man with a lot of ability and potential.

''He's an honest lad and he's played for Northern Ireland U21s and would like his international career to continue.

''Chesterfield indicated to him that if a club came in for him with an offer they would consider it.

''He has not submitted a written request for a transfer but if an opportunity came along for him to play at a higher level, he would like an opportunity to explore it.''

Ward was a trainee with Aston Villa before a move south to Torquay and he had a loan spell at Stockport before former manager Roy McFarland brought him to Saltergate for a fee of around £100,000 in January last year.

A hamstring problem kept him out of the team in the early part of last season but although the 2007/08 campaign ended in disappointment – with the team finishing nine points shy of a play-off slot – Ward ended up as the team's second highest scorer.

His enjoyed a purple patch in March and early April this year, netting six goals in four consecutive games.

Meanwhile, midfielder Peter Leven has agreed a 12-month contract with League Two champions MK Dons.

Leven (24), the former Glasgow Rangers player who joined Chesterfield last summer from Kilmarnock, captained the Spireites for the second half of last season. He made a total of 42 league starts and scored five goals.

The Blues have still to hear from Hungarian defender Janos Kovacs who has been offered a new contract.

The signing of central defender Kevin Austin, from Swansea, was completed last Thursday.


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