Chesterfield captain cant wait for another 'crack' at League Two

The 33-year-old started 43 of 46 league games for the Spireites as they sealed the National League title.

The centre-back sought the help of Loughborough University last summer in a bid to improve his speed and he plans on doing the same again this year.

The idea came about during lockdown when he used his time to watch YouTube videos and look at different studies about how he could increase his quickness across the grass.

"I will be working on speed, changing direction and coming back as sharp as I can,” he told the DT.

"I put a lot of importance on it, not just for speed across the ground, but for injury prevention. If you are moving better you are more stable, you are more equal when you are running, and that makes you more robust.

"I just do everything that I can to be the best I can be. I feel fit and strong and long may that continue. I still feel 25, I don’t feel aches and pains, I don’t feel tired, I am just going to keep squeezing every little bit out of myself as much as I can.”

When it comes to players prolonging their careers, Grimes says that team-mate Mike Jones, 36, is an inspiration to him.

“He is a great example for me, he is in the gym every day, he is one of the best trainers every day, and when he plays he is probably one of the best players on the pitch even at his age,” he said. “I will be taking some tips from him as well as Danny Webb, Gary Roberts and Kieron Dyer about what they did later in their careers.”

Grimes has played in League Two before with Cheltenham Town but he didn’t give the best account of himself, he admitted.

“I have always wanted another crack at League Two,” he said. “I had two really tough years mentally on and off the pitch. It will be good to have another crack at it now I am in a good place and at a good club. I just want to give the best I can and if that’s not good enough then that’s not good enough but I am going to give it the best I have got.”

When pre-season comes back round, ‘Grimesy’ is expecting it to be ‘tough’, and he knows there will be plenty to work on.

He said: "We just want to give the best account of ourselves. I know the gaffer will have us all fit and raring to go by the start of the season. We just need to keep getting better individually and as a unit. There are tactical things we need to work on, conceding goals, counter-attacks, things like that.”

But when he does come back, he hopes there will be a picture of this promotion-winning side up in the tunnel, just like others of years gone by.

He added: "Since I have been at this club I have just wanted the best for it. To be part of a small part of its history is a proud moment for me. When we walk down the tunnel there are pictures of all previous cup and promotion winners, the gaffer, and every morning I say to the lads ‘we are going to have our picture on there’ and hopefully now we are.”