Liam Mandeville has a future at Chesterfield, says boss James Rowe

The 24-year-old, who is out of contract this summer, played a vital part in the win against Halifax on Saturday, scoring the first and assisting the second.

Rowe said: “We know he has got the work ethic, he has got the talent, he is 24, we have to remember that. People forget his age.

“He has done a lot in his career, he has won League Two as a young lad and he has played in League One as well.

“We have got a talent on our hands, we just need to nurture that with more goals and assists.

“He is certainly in my plans here. He has played big parts off the bench and started games, he has made goals as well but not enough for his position so if we can add more goals and assists we have got a real player on our hands.”

Rowe felt it was a deserved win against Halifax and that they were ‘superb’ in how they managed the occasion.

He said that he did not have any doubts in how they would cope given the experience they had out on the pitch.

Gavin (Gunning), Curtis (Weston) and Will Evans is a leader as well and we are nurturing Laurence (Maguire) into a leader as well so right through your spine you have got leaders and I think that helps your other ones such as Jack (Clarke) and Liam (Mandeville),” he told the DT.

“Knowing what was at stake I think it was a good away performance in general. I think if we go in at half-time 1-0 up we get two or three really in that game.

“Give them (Halifax) credit, they played their part in a good game.”

Danny Rowe was substituted before half-time and the boss revealed why after the game.

“He has been sick for the last two days, he has not trained,” Rowe said. “Tom Whelan has also had a sickness bug and has not trained for two days.”

And when asked why Joel Taylor was taken off at half-time, Rowe added: “It was a tactical one. I thought Alex (Whittle) did very well in pinning down (Neill) Byrne in the second-half. I thought he did very well defensively.”