'I won't be the manager if that happens' - Paul Cook angry at reaction from some Chesterfield fans after Harrogate Town draw
Paul Cook was angry at the reaction from some of Chesterfield’s fans after the full-time whistle following their 1-1 draw against Harrogate Town, saying he ‘won’t be the manager’ if that happens again.
The Spireites were leading 1-0 thanks to Lee Bonis’ volley on 12 minutes but the striker was sent off for two quick yellow cards, the second of which came in bizarre circumstances, on the hour.
Bonis, who was off the pitch at the time and already on a booking, flicked the ball away from a Harrogate player who was trying to take a throw-in and referee Aaron Farmer gave him his marching orders. The visitors applied the pressure after that and Tobias Brenan equalised with six minutes remaining.
There were some boos at full-time and Cook said initially he thought they were for the referee until he received some feedback from his players.
“I am really struggling with the reaction of our supporters, I really am,” Cook told the DT in a one question interview which lasted one minute.
"On 59-60 minutes, I am clearly bringing on (Will) Grigg, (James) Berry, (Armando) Dobra and (Ryan) Stirk. Unfortunately for us, for whatever reason, Lee Bonis gets sent off. We are then struggling to last the game with 10-men. Harrogate are having their moments.
"The reaction at the end of the game, I can’t get my head around. I thought they were booing the referee. I always come in to shake hands with the visiting players. I wait outside the away dressing room. The lads are coming in telling me they are getting abused. That won’t last long under me. The abuse might be towards me, again, no problem with that."
A hugely annoyed Cook continued: “(If) Chesterfield fans want different stuff they will get it. Where have we gone that arrogant that we can go from where we were to abusing our players? “(We were) playing with 10-men for 30 minutes.
"That is all I want to say on the game because I am massively disappointed we have not put our chances away which we clearly had to win the game. But that reaction is not on. It is not on. We can’t make this place where players fear to play. If that happens I won’t be the manager and the fans will get what they want.”