John Pemberton's passion for Chesterfield is there for all to see as he answers fans' questions - what we made of Q&A event

The Spireites boss, who joked he had got his “tin hat on”, was honest and passionate as he spoke to supporters at the Technique Stadium for more than an hour at a socially-distanced Q&A event.

Anticipating that there would be questions about re-signing some of the players from the last two seasons, Pemberton was quick to take control of proceedings as he defended bringing back the likes of Haydn Hollis, Jonathan Smith and Tom Denton.

He revealed that Smith was now on a third of his previous wage and could have joined a club in the Football League for triple his money but he wanted to stay and said that “there aren’t many people worth losing your job for” but he “is one of them.”

In the same answer, Pemberton said that a Football League club had asked about young defender Jamie Sharman but said he was “going nowhere” and that him, Regan Hutchinson and Luke Rawson were the future of the club.

When asked about incomings, Pemberton said that he would like a couple more.

On that note, promising Liverpool defender, Rhys Williams, 19, who started the Reds’ Carabao Cup tie win against Lincoln City last week, is a player who Pemberton signed on loan while he was manager of Kidderminster Harriers and the Town boss mentioned him as someone of possible interest but also said he wanted to give the club some value by blooding their own youngsters.

Continuing on recruitment, Pemberton said that Mike Fondop was not re-signed because he wanted to keep his options open and he explained the financial difficulties of trying to lure players from National League North Level who have part-time jobs and want £2,000 a week.

The only slightly heated part of the night was when Pemberton felt two questions from the same person about the lack of goals in pre-season and defensive worries were “negative” and he seemed a little frustrated. He called for positivity and the matter was laughed about later in the evening.

On the coronavirus, Pemberton confirmed he tested positive and that it “floored” him. The situation “worries” him and he thinks it will be a stop-start season.

There was a question about how they can get the best out of Joe Rowley and Pemberton said the midfielder had got into a “rut” in the last couple of years but that he has impressed in pre-season, that he wants to do well and that he has “bulked” up over summer.

What will a Pemberton team look like in the future? Honest, hard to beat and vibrant, he added.

Overall it was a worthwhile evening and Pemberton finished with some passionate final comments: “I hope you realise I have got the club at heart. You can’t guarantee anything in football but I will work really hard to try and turn it around. We do need your support. You made a massive difference for us last year. We have got a big transition now. With these two (Mike Goodwin and John Croot) you are in safe hands. Thanks for your time and please get behind us because we are going to need you.”