Chesterfield suffer big Will Grigg blow as Spireites consider 'false nine' option

The experienced striker, who has 10 goals in all competitions this season, has suffered a calf problem and is not expected to return for quite some time. It is an injury which has kept other players out for more than two months this season. He came off in the second-half against AFC Wimbledon last week and was not involved at all in the 2-0 defeat to Fleetwood Town.

It is another injury Town could have done without with the number of players unavailable well into double figures, which meant they had to call 16-year-old Gunner Ellliott off the bench on Boxing Day.

“It is not great news on Griggy, he is going to be out for a while with his calf,” assistant manager Danny Webb said. “When it rains it pours, but what is nice is that it pours when we are in the play-off positions."

However, there is some positive news in that Ryan Colclough, who was forced off against AFC Wimbledon with a calf problem, could be back much sooner than expected,

"It is actually quite good news,” Webb told BBC Radio Sheffield. “We are hoping he can be back for MK Dons (on January 1). That is a little crumb of comfort.”

Kane Drummond felt cramp in his calf late on against Fleetwood and Webb admitted they might have to explore the option of playing with a ‘false nine’ striker like Spain and Manchester City have done in the past.

Webb explained: "You start to look at lads who might be able to do that centre forward job. All those things are being discussed.”

The likes of John Fleck, Ash Palmer, Vontae Daley-Campbell and Michael Jacobs are the next players closest to being fit again in early January.

Manager Paul Cook has ‘challenged’ his players to pick up some points in the next couple of games away at Bradford City on Sunday and on New Year’s Day at home to MK Dons before they aim to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window.

The Spireites missed the chance to go second on Boxing Day but still remain nicely positioned in sixth, just two points off the automatic spots.