Roche was No1 goalkeeper at Saltergate for three seasons until moving to Morecambe in June, and he is looking forward to playing against his old team-mates.

He made 126 first-team appearances for the Spireites until he was head-hunted by Christie Park manager Sammy McIlroy.

Roche said: "You always look forward to playing against your former teams.

"At Morecambe, we are unbeaten for five games, although four of them have been draws, and in a bit of a run. I have noticed that Chesterfield have lost their last three games and I will be working hard to help keep that run of defeats going."

Roche's comments are bound to fire up Blues manager Lee Richardson and his men who have been marooned on nine points for almost a month.

Roche (26) said his spell with Chesterfield ended in disappoinment – because the team missed out on reaching the play-offs in May and due to 'other factors'.

Roche suffered occasional verbal abuse from a minority of supporters, which could have played a part in his move.

"Things were said, but you are always going to get these things in football. That's how it is. But now that's in the past and I'm enjoying my football again," he said.

Richardson, meanwhile, was questioning his team's tactics after the 1-0 home defeat by Brentford.

"We have tried to play football that is pleasing on the eye, attacking, and produces wins. But maybe that is where we are falling down.

"There is no need to play much football away from home, teams look to turn you and play the balls down the channels.

"In the second half we had all the possession but at the moment teams do not have to do much against us to score. And if we do not sort it quickly we will end up a mid-table team," he said.

In addition, he also had harsh words for his players. He said: "They have to look at themselves. I cannot go on letting them hide behind me. It is time for players to start doing their jobs."

Front man Jamie Ward, who was suspended for the Brentford game, is available for the trip to the Lancashire coast while central defender Rob Page and midfielder Lloyd Kerry will be out, serving the third of three-match bans.

A question mark hangs over the availability of Jamie Lowry, who was stretchered off the pitch and taken to hospital for scans after an horrific challenge during the Brentford match.

Bees defender James Wilson received only a yellow card for the incident in which Lowry suffered severe bruising to his shoulder and arm and required several stitches in a head wound when he was bundled off the pitch and into the concrete base of the main stand.

"To see their lad getting only a booking is beyond me, as we have players sent off for not retreating quickly enough for a free-kick," said Richardson.

It is all pay-on-the-day at Morecambe, there are no tickets on sale in advance. The matchday admission prices for adults is £13.

There is official travel for True Blue Travel club members.