Chesterfield chairman wants to see smiles and support as the new season dawns

The club has made great strides on and off the pitch in recent years, with the owners putting investment into the stadium and the training ground and trying to improve the matchday experience.

Manager Paul Cook and his staff have been armed with competitive playing budgets that have helped the Spireites get back in the EFL and mix it at the top end of League Two.

Fans want more, and Mr Kirk says he understands that, but he says progress will be harder if team and crowd aren’t as one.

"The main thing is that everyone enjoys the football season and enjoys football. Otherwise what’s the point?” he said, speaking to the Derbyshire Times ahead of Saturday’s opener against Fleetwood Town.

"I’m just hoping everyone turns up with a smile on their face, has a good time supporting us and hopefully we can ride a wave and get promoted. Either way there will be some good football played and some great entertainment.

"It’s about supporting the town where you’re from. That’s what this season is about and it is dead easy for people to forget all that.

"Everyone gets caught up in the ‘we must do this and if we don’t finish in the top three then everyone is going to be sacked’. It’s all absolute nonsense.

"What it is about is enjoying supporting your team. Yes, we should do well and if the fans get behind us that will help. If they don’t it is just going to hinder."

If all goes to plan, there will be enough quality among the ten new signings to more than compensate for the loss of last season’s loan hits Sammy Braybrooke, Sil Swinkels and Sam Curtis, not to mention the departed Armando Dobra.

That aside, Mr Kirk wants to help lay foundations for gradual improvement for the team and the club rather than the boom and bust gone through by others.

"We have put together a good squad. I am really happy with where we are,” he added. “We would love to do a bit more business on both sides of the coin and that will only improve us over time but it might take us a little while to do all that. The season lasts until May.

"I think the club is in a great place internally. The squad is in a great place. The coaching team is in a great place. I’m hoping the fans are going to be in a great place.

"The most important thing is that every year we have a club to come and watch. Having said all that, we are setting the club up to succeed.

"There’s no point getting promoted and relegated and promoted and relegated. You’ve got to get it set up in the right way and advance at the right pace.

"If you have unlimited millions then you can advance a bit quicker. We’ve got a good budget and we feel we are advancing at a good pace.”

Mr Kirk cited this week’s open training session at the SMH Group Stadium as an example of football supporting at its best.

“There were loads of kids down, excited to meet the players and looking for autographs and having photographs,” he added.

"It was fantastic to see the excitement on the youngsters’ faces.”