Paul Cook on the prospect of team changes and his sympathy for Chesterfield's long-distance travelling fans

Paul Cook has promised to make changes for two upcoming cup tests as Chesterfield try to put their uneven form behind them.

The manager’s usual inclination to stick with the tried and tested came to an end when he made five changes for the recent match against Crewe and saw the refreshed line-up win 5-1.

All but one of the starting XI from that game got another chance at Newport County last Friday but the 4-1 defeat in South Wales, plus the break from league action, has prompted a re-think for Saturday’s FA Cup tussle with Yeovil and Tuesday’s EFL Trophy trip to Mansfield.

Although precious League Two points won’t be on the line, Cook wants to make changes without hampering the chances of getting good results.

“Kyle McFadzean is back (fully) fit. Joel Randall is fit. We are in a position now where we are good to go,” he said.

“We will probably tinker with the team for both games but will tinker in a way that we want to win more matches so our fans can be clear there is not going to be a weakened team.

“We are reaching a two-game period now where we’d like to win our trophy Group at Mansfield and be in the second round of the FA Cup.

“We will see a couple of changes this Saturday. When you have a talented group like ours it is important we try different combinations.”

Chesterfield need to make up for the dip at Newport, not least for the 470 die-hards who braved the long trek.

“I really felt for the supporters,” said Cook.

“It is tough supporting your team a long way away from home on a Friday night, especially the way things are financially, but that’s why you support your team, because good days will always well-overshadow the bad ones.

“This team threatens to give us so much, and I’ve got to make sure I try and deliver that for people.”

The manager will soon have another player available because Ruel Sotiriou is doing more work on the training ground after his injury troubles.

A League Two promotion winner with Leyton Orient, the forward hasn’t played since the double-header with Fleetwood Town back in August.

Added Cook: “We’ve seen most of the squad apart from probably Raf (Rafiq Lamptey), Kiano (Dyer) and maybe Junior (Eccleston).

“People will always have their own favourites. It’s football. But we are a collective. We are a group of people who want to be a good team.

“We have a big couple of games coming up now that we want to do well in and give us a platform to go forward to our next league match against Bristol Rovers.”