Chesterfield boss Paul Cook issues warning to players about futures

The Spireites led 1-0 at half-time but conceded three times in the second-half against the league leaders. Cook was far from happy with the two goals conceded from corners and his team’s decision-making after the break.

There are 15 players out of contract in the summer and Cook, who was the angriest he has ever been in his second spell in charge after the loss, made it clear that some will need to improve if they want to extend their stay.

"I just said to them in there, we will go forward as a club at some point,” he told 1866 Sport. “And if you want to be a part of it, you have got to have moments in the game when it is on you. Whatever part of the pitch, whether a goal opportunity, a cross, a defensive tackle or anything.”

Cook has spoken honestly and openly recently about wanting to win promotion this season and putting the injury woes to one side. The defeat at the Bescot Stadium leaves them seven points off the play-offs albeit with one or two games in hand on those above them. But with them showing no signs of being able to put a run together yet, having only won back-to-back league games once, Cook has admitted their chances of going up are getting more difficult.

He explained: “When you come away and you are a successful team, the moments in the game that presents themselves, you defend, you see things out, you score your second goal. We are just a team now probably in hope that we could still go up. Could we put a run together? Course, on our day we are really good but our Achilles heel is the soft goals we give away. And you will never be successful while you give it away.”

Chesterfield return to league action this Saturday away at Swindon Town.