Gaffer's eyebrows raised by defender's athleticism
Jerome Binnom-Williams stood out in some brutally tough running drills at the end of Tuesday's two-hour training session and gave his manager a pleasant surprise.
The left-back defied the months he has spent recovering from ankle surgery and raised Jack Lester’s eyebrows with his athletic ability.
Chesterfield trained in front of fans at the Proact, the players engaging in a variety of sprints and small sided games with very little respite.
And right at the end of the session, fitness coach Jake Simpson had the players running to what looked like the point of exhaustion.
But Binnom-Williams coped admirably and led his group for many of the laps.
“Well he’s only trained a week, in full contact,” said Lester.
“I was surprised how well he did in the running because he’s had such a long time out.
“It was a real boost to see that.
“If he was up there in the running he could be a real natural athlete for us, getting up and down.”
Before fans get too excited, Lester has added a note of caution and highlighted how rusty the big defender is having not played a competitive game since last season.
“He’s still a little bit stiff in terms of getting his co-ordination back but in terms of how much football he’s done, to train like that was excellent,” added the manager.
Twenty-two-year-old Binnom-Williams signed in the summer following his departure from Peterborough United.
He impressed in pre-season before breaking his ankle on the club’s overseas tour.
A number of players have had to fill in at left-back, including Scott Wiseman, Andy Kellett and Matty Briggs.
The position has been a problematic one for Town in recent seasons, thanks to the injury nightmare endured by the now-departed Dan Jones.