Young Chesterfield defender closing in on first start for club and why the Spireites can’t keep relying on striker Scott Boden

Jay, 19, signed for the Spireites in pre-season after being released by Oldham Athletic.

He came on for the last 20 minutes in the 1-1 draw at Maidenhead United and for 25 minutes in Tuesday’s 2-1 home defeat to Woking.

Spireites assistant manager, Glynn Snodin, now believes Jay is close to making his first start of the season.

Snodin said: “I think he is. It is difficult when you have got a manager and a son at a football club but like we have said to Jay ‘when you are here, he’s your manager and you’re a player and you’ll get treated the same as everyone else’. When you are at home that’s when you have the father and son relationship. He has handled it well so far I think and when he has come in he has played his part and done well. He will be nearly there fighting for a place on Saturday. I think he has done well with his crosses and set-plays so yeah he has got a chance the lad.”

Although it has been a disappointing start for Chesterfield with no wins in four matches, one positive has been striker Scott Boden, who has bagged three goals in four games.

But the management team is keen for more players to start chipping in with goals and not just rely on Boden to find the net.

“We said after the game on Tuesday night that you can’t keep relying on Scott Boden,” Snodin said. “We need goals from everywhere. We need goals from set-plays, we need goals from the midfield players and hopefully that will come. If we can keep that back door closed then it does help and you can win games 1-0 but you do need goals from everywhere as well.”