Friendly games will allow Town players to retain match fitness

The Spireites have taken on non-league Handsworth Parramore and a Northampton Town side during the campaign, and it’s games like those that will not only allow players to get vital minutes but give staff a chance to coach them.

The Chesterfield boss said: “That’s always been the plan for me, to develop younger players we need to coach them, to train them but if they aren’t getting a game on Saturday or a regular game then they aren’t getting that development in matches, on the pitch.

“It’s probably the most important, they need the education and understanding on the training pitch but they need to apply it in games.

“When players are called upon they’re ready, they’ve had match minutes, they aren’t coming in cold and saying I haven’t had a game for three, four, five weeks.

“They’ll come in having played at the intensity we want.”

Chesterfield don’t have a reserve side in the Central League this season so friendly games will take the place of those fixtures.

He added: “Games like Handsworth, the attitude of everyone was first class and then we get something from the game, they learn something from the game.

“More games like that would be beneficial.”