Former Cobblers defender and Liverpool academy product trial with the Spireites

Former Northampton Town utility player Josh Lelan was one of three trialists in the starting line-up for Chesterfield reserves on Tuesday.
Northampton Town v Crawley Town
Josh Lelan
Sky Bet League 2
Sixfields Stadium, Northampton
19/04/16Northampton Town v Crawley Town
Josh Lelan
Sky Bet League 2
Sixfields Stadium, Northampton
19/04/16
Northampton Town v Crawley Town Josh Lelan Sky Bet League 2 Sixfields Stadium, Northampton 19/04/16

Ritchie Humphreys’ second string beat Rotherham United 3-0 at the Proact thanks to a Joe Rowley header and a brace from Ricky German, who was handed his first pro contract this week.

Lelan joined Shaun Okojie and Liverpool youngster Tom Brewitt in the side who started the game, while an unnamed trialist came off the bench early on.

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Lelan was brought in by Northampton last season as a cover player for defensive positions, but ended up starting the season at right-back due to injury to Brendan Moloney.

Despite a good start, the 21-year-old fell out of favour at Sixfields and was sidelined until April when another injury to Moloney gave him another opportunity and four more appearances.

According to a source close to the club, Lelan may well have stayed with the Cobblers had Chris Wilder remained in charge, but Rob Page released him after replacing Wilder.

Trials at Gillingham and Plymouth Argyle failed to earn Lelan a contract but he did make his international debut for Kenya in a match against Uganda in August.

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Brewitt, meanwhile, is a centre-half who was handed a new long term deal at Anfield in the summer.

The 19-year-old has been at Liverpool’s academy since the age of 11 and captained the Reds’ Under 18s.

Okojie, 20, has been plying his trade in non-league with Corinthian Casuals.

He also counts Hitchin Town among his former clubs.

Recent trialists who failed to ink deals with the Spireites include Gary Taylor-Fletcher, now at Accrington Stanley, and Paul Marshall who has signed for Alfreton in National League North.