Chesterfield have got 'big' January transfer window ahead of them, says manager Paul Cook

The Spireites have been stretched massively by injuries recently which has led them to naming academy prospects on the bench and senior players who Cook had no intention of risking, he admitted.

Ahead of the transfer window, which opened today, the Town boss gave a message of caution, explaining that they can’t make short-sighted decisions which could impact the club negatively in the long-term.

He told the DT: “I just think it is a really big window. I have had a meeting with Ash and Phil (Kirk) this morning and they are so supportive. One of the reasons why I stayed at the club was because of them. That is the brutal truth, because of how supportive they are. But they are going to lean on me now to guide them. We have got a lot of contracted players at the club and we have got to make sure we tread through this window carefully and build the club to go forward strongly and not just by signing players and giving contracts out in pursuit of trying to be promoted. That is not how this club will go forward, this club will go forward off solid decisions and good signings.”

Cook, who said that he believes Chesterfield are nicely positioned going into the second-half of the season, continued: “We are 10th in the league and there is loads of football to play and our club is in a great place. Our fan-base is solid and away support is great and we have got two fantastic owners so let’s see what the season can bring.”

The Blues have got injuries running well into double-figures and even though the bench looked stronger in the 2-1 defeat to MK Dons on New Year’s Day, it was more of a psychological decision to have some of the names on there.

Cook explained: “We had lads on the bench today who weren’t going on. We went to Bradford and we have got young kids on the bench. Bradford look at that and think we are weak. Today we had James Berry, John Fleck and Harvey Araujo on the bench but they weren’t coming on. The injuries have been horrible. It has been horrific. No other club could sustain that. The lads have stepped up to the plate and unfortunately they haven’t got the results that they deserve.”

Chesterfield trailed 2-0 at half-time but they almost battled back to claim a point after Darren Oldaker’s brilliant curling free-kick gave them some momentum in the latter stages but they were denied by saves and one last-ditch goal-line clearance. Despite it being a third defeat on the bounce, Cook was proud of his players.

When asked if the Spireites deserved a point, Cook added: “I didn’t think we were great in spells in the game but I thought we finished really strong. I asked the players at half-time to show character and desire and they did that. I could not be any more prouder of those lads as a group of players. They kept taking the game to MK Dons and, in the end, it was only the width of a line, possibly, that stopped us equalising.”