No access to Turner or Allen says editor, who defends Chesterfield FC PPP coverage

Liam Sutcliffe is a director of Chesterfield FC Player Progression Pathway along with Spireites CEO Chris Turner.

In an email to parents of youngsters involved in the PPP, former non-league footballer Mr Sutcliffe criticised several coaches who have recently departed the organisation.

He failed to address allegations from former staff that they went months without pay and told parents he had been misquoted in the press.

In the email, Mr Sutcliffe said: “It is clear given recent newspapers articles that some parents are concerned that we may close down or that we are in financial difficulties.

“I have refrained from commenting to date due to being mis-quoted a number of times in regional newspapers.”

But Derbyshire Times acting group editor Ashley Booker has responded to the claim, insisting the paper’s coverage of the issues surrounding the PPP has been accurate.

“We have had a meeting with Liam Sutcliffe and Chris Turner and have sent questions to Nick Johnson, Chesterfield FC’s press officer, asking for answers to the questions being posed by fans, as well as parents and former employees,” he said.

“The majority of these questions have not been answered and we have been denied requests to interview Chris Turner and Dave Allen.

“All comments from Mr Sutcliffe have come to us in the form of prepared statements from the club and we stand by their accuracy.”