Chesterfield confirm appointment of new board member

Sharon Kirk, wife of majority owner Phil, has a background in charitable fundraising and executive recruitment.

She is appointed under the direction of the ‘A’ shareholders. Her appointment has been approved by the EFL and the FA.

Sharon said “I’m delighted to be joining the board and excited to be able to support both the club and the trust as we build a successful future together.”

Phil and his brother Ashley first invested in the club more than two years ago and they have steadily increased their stake to become the majority owners, with the community trust owning about 15%.

Last week it was announced that a new shares issue proposal would allow Phil to put another £2m into the club as a ‘contingency’ in case additional funds are needed for the playing squad, training ground or the stadium in future years. The method is in line with football finance regulation, the Spireites said.

Speaking back in March about their commitment to the club, Phil said: "Why would we do it? Because it’s Chesterfield. There is no other club, obviously, that we would have done this for. I promised my dad to never do this because I know it can be a bit of a rabbit hole but it is the right time, right place and right opportunity. We are so incredibly proud to be from Chesterfield and what a special time.”

And Ashley added: “The most important thing for any fan is to have a team to watch on a Saturday. What you don’t want is your team to disappear so I can understand the ultimate fear that Chesterfield fans would have because they have seen some tough times. We are not disappearing in the short-term. The first thing is to get the club in a sustainable and manageable state and push on from there and then realise how far the club can go, that will be an interesting journey to go on because you can get too close to the sun and come crashing down. Until that is over I can’t see an exit strategy being contemplated.”