It is hoped that Darren (33), the nephew of former England ace Tony Currie, will be the man to galvanise the engine room as the Spireites aim for promotion next season.

He has been on the books of 11 clubs – including West Ham, Ipswich, Coventry and Derby – and could add width to Lee Richardson's team.

Currie has the reputation of being a dead-ball expert, who can deliver free-kicks and corners with pin-point accuracy.

An attacking midfielder, he is noted for his crossing with either foot and Sheffield United legend Tony has compared his nephew to David Beckham.

''Darren is, without doubt, the best crosser of the ball, after Beckham, in the country,'' he said in 2001.

Currie was with strife-torn Luton Town last season but was given a free at the end of the season.

But he had a year left on his contract at the Kenilworth Road club, who have been relegated to League Two and look set to kick off next month with a daunting 30-point deduction, and Currie was keen to tie up that loose end before he moved on.

He visited north Derbyshire yesterday afternoon and agreed a deal after passing a medical examination at Saltergate.

League One side Brighton, one of Currie's former clubs, were in the chase, but the option of a longer contract is thought to have tipped the balance and lured him to Chesterfield.

The Spireites are set to kick off their pre-season programme of warm-up matches at Gainsborough Trinity on Saturday and the inclusion of Currie in the starting line-up, plus appearances by the club's five other summer signings, could result in a big crowd at Northolme, the home of the Conference North club.

If Currie does not make his bow this weekend he will be expected to play at Saltergate on Tuesday when Premiership new boys Hull City are the visitors.

London-born Currie was a trainee at the renowned West Ham youth academy but made his league debut on loan at Shrewsbury and after a brief stint at Leyton Orient left Upton Park for the Shropshire club for a £70,000 fee in 1996.

Two years at Gay Meadow were followed by seven games at Plymouth before a three-year spell at Barnet.

Wycombe were impressed with Currie's form and paid £200,000 for his services. After three years he moved to Brighton on a free but four months later, in December 2004, moved to Ipswich for £250,000.

Loan spells with Coventry and Derby followed before he switched to Luton a year ago.

In all, Currie has played in excess of 600 league games and scored more than 70 goals.

Meanwhile, teenage keeper Dan Whatsize could be in line for his first-team debut on Saturday.

The Spireites have been without an experienced custodian since former No1 Barry Roche joined League Two rivals Morecambe a month ago.

Blues boss Richardson has been busy, trying to plug the gap, and favours bringing in a keeper from a Premiership or Championship club on a long-term loan. But finalising such a deal is proving tricky and the manager may opt to give rookie Whatsize (17) his big chance at Gainsborough.

The youngster, who impressed as the youth team keeper last season, signed a professional contract this summer.

The highlight of his short career so far was in the second round of the Midlands Youth Cup last season when the match went to spot-kicks and Whatsize demonstrated his penalty-stopping pedigree as the Spireites won 4-2 in the shoot-out.

Richardson said it was likely that Whatsize would have been involved in the club's pre-season friendlies even if there was an experienced keeper on the books.

''I have a few irons in the fire but this is not going to be resolved quickly. I have spoken to many clubs about taking keepers on loan but at the moment most clubs want to keep their options open. However, that can change very quickly and it only takes one phone call.

''I think the long-term loan route is the premium option for us. It should give us the chance of having a better quality keeper but we may have to be patient on this,'' said the Blues manager.

After signing a pro contract, it is only right that Whatsize should experience first-team football and an away friendly at the Conference North club could be the right occasion to make his senior debut.