Chesterfield set to make decision on which players will be offered new contracts

Chesterfield are set to make a decision on the players who will be offered new contracts.
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Caretaker manager John Pemberton is to be taken off furlough in around two weeks so he can start working again and planning for next season, the club confirmed.

This is despite him not knowing whether he will be in charge for the next campaign.

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The 55-year-old was brought in on a temporary rolling contract while the community trust tried to complete a takeover of the club but that has now been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Mike Fondop is one of the Spireites players who is out of contract at the end of the season.Mike Fondop is one of the Spireites players who is out of contract at the end of the season.
Mike Fondop is one of the Spireites players who is out of contract at the end of the season.

Goalkeeper Shwan Jalal, defender Haydn Hollis, midfielders Sam Wedgbury, Jonathan Smith, Robbie Weir and strikers Tom Denton, Mike Fondop and Lee Shaw are all out of contract at the end of June.

Jalal, Hollis, Smith, Denton and Fondop have all been regulars this season.

Youngsters Jamie Sharman, Luke Rawson, Charlie Wakefield, Levi Amantchi, Jay Sheridan, Jack Holmes and Regan Hutchinson are also out of contract at the end of June.

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Sharman and Hutchinson have both featured under Pemberton while Rawson, Holmes and Amantchi have been out on loan to gain first-team experience. Sheridan was a starter under his dad John before he was sacked in January.

The loan deals for goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons, defender Jordan Cropper and striker Nathan Tyson have all effectively ended given it is looking unlikely the National League season will be able to resume.

Revealing that the playing budget over ran this season by approximately £235,000, Spireites company secretary, Ashley Carson, said “We now have to start to prepare for next season player wise.

“I intend to take the manager off being furloughed after the three-week period and start discussing this with him.

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“The manager will no doubt have his targets for wanting to offer new contracts to and also the ones that he feels will not figure in his plans going forward.

“We will be announcing all of these once the players have been notified, but we are unable to do this until after the official end of the season.

“The manager will also be looking to add an assistant manager to his backroom staff.”

Meanwhile, Mr Carson also said that the community trust has made no progress in their bid to complete a takeover of the club.

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The trust’s last statement said the deal had been delayed due to the pandemic and that they hoped to resume the process again at the end of this month.

“The uncertainty of club ownership still continues,” Mr Carson said.

“Another ‘tyre kicker’ has also been and gone by the wayside this month, but we have made no secret that we will continue to talk to other interested parties and the trust are fully aware of this.

“As previously stated, we can’t just leave the club in limbo until a sale takes place.”

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The furlough of all club staff is likely to be extended by another three weeks and season ticket prices for the new season will be “broadly in line” with this campaign, Mr Carson said.

The Proact stadium sponsorship deal runs out on July 11 and then the new name will be announced.

The club also hopes to launch next season’s new kit “sooner rather than later.”

“I would once again like to thank the amazing staff of the football club for their continued 100% support and dedication to their club, to the players and coaching staff, especially to John Pemberton, who will be planning for next season, he still does not know 100 per cent if he will still be here, what his playing budget is or who will own the club,” Mr Carson added.

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