Chesterfield set to be without captain for three key fixtures

The defender was shown a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident at the end of the 2-0 defeat to Solihull Moors on Boxing Day.

The centre-back, who has started every league game this season and in the last campaign, is likely to be handed a three-match ban which means he will miss the league fixtures against Solihull and Gateshead and the FA Cup third round tie at Watford.

Manager Paul Cook said: “The big disappointment for me is the sending off at the end. The game is gone at that point. Jamie has a profile which is absolutely exemplary so whatever has gone on I will always support Jamie. I am just disappointed that the likelihood is we now lose our captain for three games.”

Chesterfield are still in a strong position at the top of the league despite the defeat against Solihull. The Spireites are seven points clear and they still have two games in hand.

And they have an opportunity to get quick revenge on Solihull when they host them at the SMH Group Stadium on New Year’s Day.

"The pleasing thing is we are going to play them back at our place in a few days,” assistant manager Danny Webb told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"We are still top of the league, it is a great position to be in, but a sign of potential champions is to not do back-to-back defeats. We have got to turn up and win the reverse fixture.

"You are going to have blips, today is another speedbump, so that is why none of us here get carried away because we know there is a long way to go and a lot of things can happen against us.”