Chesterfield FC's in-house radio station 1866 Sport gets off to a flying start

Thousands of listeners tuned into 1866 Sport to hear Phil Tooley’s expert commentary on the Spireites’ 2-0 victory at Aldershot Town on the opening day of the National League season.

Available to listen to online, via a smart speaker or an app, 1866 Sport is 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing music, sports news/features and match coverage.

The radio station came in for lots of praise on social media after its first broadcast at the weekend.

@spireitelviv posted: “Great quality of commentary from Phil Tooley and Alex Whittle. Well done and thank you to everyone who works for 1866. Can't explain how important your job is for CFC fans around the world!

@kev4599 said: “Thanks for having the initiative to start this radio station we can call are own.”

@RobCFC88 added: “Amazing to have Town on the radio again.”

Spireites chief executive John Croot said the station will ‘create a vital source of revenue’ for the club and that a number of companies have already signed up for sponsorship.

“We are always looking at ways we can engage with our supporters and the launch of 1866 Sport will provide Spireites with free access to audio content,” Croot explained.

“A lot of work has been put in to develop this innovative concept and with two senior management figures at the club, Bridget Ball and Nick Johnson, who both have many years’ experience in radio and broadcasting, we believe 1866 Sport has great potential.”