Why Chesterfield defender missed out against Notts County - but is showing great leadership skills
Those who get into the ground early enough may have spotted a little detail in Chesterfield’s pre-match warm-ups.
When the Spireites players come out of the tunnel around 45 minutes before kick-off to be put through their paces, most people are probably making their way to the stadium, are enjoying a pint in the pub or are in the club shop. But there are also a healthy number of supporters who like to go through the turnstiles early to take up their seat and soak up the atmosphere.
And it will be those fans who may have spotted that despite not being selected in the matchday squad, Chey Dunkley has still come out and joined his team-mates in the warm-up. His appearance in the exercise drills and stretching initially left some media wondering whether there was an error on the team-sheet.
Just like against Shrewsbury Town, Dunkley was not selected for the win against Notts County but that has not stopped him from showing his leadership skills.
Danny Webb told the DT: "He wants to come out and do the warm-up with the players and that sums up Chey. He wants to do it. Fadz is the same when he has not been selected. They want to come out and be a part of it. The gaffer wants to keep everyone together and be a part of it. These are the characters we have got at the club so we are certainly doing it right off the pitch as people.”
Dunkley has not featured in the last two matches since the loss at Barnet but is not injured, with Kyle McFadzean currently preferred. The versatility of Janoi Donacien, who can play anywhere across the back four is proving useful, with the former Ipswich Town man coming on at half-time against Notts and his flexibility is freeing up a space on the bench for another midfielder or attacker on the bench.
On why Dunkley missed out, Webb explained: “We had defensive cover on the bench. We felt that if there were any problems with centre-halves we had enough players that could play there. I think you have seen that him and Fadz we have mixed it up quite a lot this season. There is another game on Tuesday so there could be changes there.”