New chapter as Page is landed
Central defender Robert Page looks set to play a major role as Chesterfield FC push for promotion next season.
Page (33), a former Wales international and the man Blues boss Lee Richardson chased unsucessfully last season, has signed a pre-contract agreement which will see him move to Saltergate when his contract with League One Huddersfield runs out.
Page has captained sides throughout his professional career and said he decided on a move to Chesterfield on a two-year deal after talking to the manager.
''I want promotion next season and would not have come here if I did not think the club had that ambition.
''I like to organise and do a lot of talking whether the lads like it or not and everywhere I have been fans say I have given 100 per cent
''I want to be part of a club that is going forward and we'll be aiming for automotic promotion,'' he said.
New signings are rarely revealed before July but Richardson made the unprecedented move of announcing the capture of Page at the player of the year dinner on Sunday, just a day after the final game of last season.
Richardson has admitted that his full first campaign as a manager had been a steep learning curve and that although mistakes were made, lessons have been learned.
After suffering relegation, it was thought that welding a proven goalscorer – Jack Lester – to the front of end a team that had not been quite good enough to avoid the drop from League One, would be sufficient to secure a promotion place, or a play-off berth at least, in League Two.
There is no doubt that Lester delivered, hitting 27 goals in all, but it was the defence that proved to be the weakest link as the team finished in eighth spot, nine points adrift of what was required.
It was hoped that the central pairing of Aaron Downes and Janos Kovacs, which had shown great promise, would continue to develop but after a good start individual mistakes began to creep in.
In the relegation season Chesterfield conceded 53 league goals but last season they leaked 56.
Although Richardson had drafted in veteran defender Kevin Gray, it became clear that he was not the answer and before the end of 2007 Richardson has identified Page as his man.
The Dore-based player began his career with Watford and moved to Sheffield United for 350,000 in 2001.
READ MORE
Main news index
Letters
Local sport
Music and gig scene Free moves to Cardiff and Coventry followed and the Chesterfield manager thought he had found the solution to his defensive problems at the end of January.
But wages proved to be a sticking point and Page switched from the Championship club to Huddersfield Town.
Chesterfield moved for another Coventry central defender, Colin Hawkins, to plug the gap.
Page’s influence on the Huddersfield team was immediate and he helped tighten up and gavlanise a leaky Terriers defence and in 18 games helped the West Yorkshire club climb into tenth spot.
A change of manager at the Galpharm Stadium – Stan Ternant taking over from Andy Richie – led to a change of priorities and with Page’s contract about to expire, Richardson made his move.
Page looks poised to be the foundation upon which Richardson builds his defence for the 2008/09 season and it is hoped that his experience and leadership will help rejuvenate Downes’ career.
Gray and Alan O’Hare, who can play central defence, were released, while Hungarian youngster Kovacs could be on the move although he has been offered a new Chesterfield contract.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Chesterfield
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
