Paul Cook comments on possibility of new signings with Chesterfield's squad looking 'stretched'

The Spireites have had two players sent off and suffered three bad injuries in the last three games which has seen them drop seven points from winning positions.

On the possibility of any incomings, Cook, who brought back Tom Whelan from Eastleigh last week, said: “I will speak with John (Croot) this morning, as we do most days.

"The injury situation is not what anyone envisaged or anybody wants and it is something that we have to manage day-to-day.

"I am sure if there was an option available to bring in to help the squad I am sure the board would look at that very sympathetically but it is something that we must identify and have a target to bring in before we can speak about it.”

It has been a far from smooth start for Cook so far, including losing top goalscorer Kabongo Tshimanga to a long-term injury in his first match.

"It has been a baptism of fire but we will keep going,” he added.

"The reality for us is that at the minute we are very stretched, that is the brutal truth. We have lost strikers that others would have in their team in a heartbeat and we have lost other players.

"Everyone at Chesterfield wants the same outcome at the end of the season. At the minute the road looks very bumpy but hopefully we can make it a bit more stable as we go along.”