New contract for Gavin Gunning is 'best business I have done at Chesterfield,' says James Rowe

The captain has extended his stay at the Spireites until summer 2024.

The centre-back joined Town in January and he has played a massive part in their success since.

"He is the linchpin of what we are trying to do here, he represents a lot of the team values that we have got and he shows that on the pitch with his performances,” Rowe said.

"He is a great guy to have around.

"It is probably the best bit of business I have done here to tie him down for the future.

"I am only a custodian of this club, I need to make sure that this club is in a better position than what it was when I picked it up last year. I want to be here and finish out my contract, of course, but come the time that I part ways, people like Gavin Gunning still being in the building is massive to this club going forward and that is what we want to do.”

Gunning goes under the knife today on a broken nose and a fractured eye socket suffered in the win against Eastleigh last month and he will be out until the start of 2022 at the earliest.

Rowe told the DT: "There was a delay on the surgery because they were not sure on the eye socket, whether that was cracked or not and there was a problem with the nerve so there was a little bit of a complication on it. It is pretty crazy that a yellow card was not even given for it.”

Despite his absence there is no doubt Gunning will still have an influence in the dressing room and that is something Rowe has been keen to promote.

"It has been a case of trying to create an environment where the players who are perhaps not involved still realise their importance and have a positive influence on the others and on the result,” he added.

"Everyone is in it together, whether you are in the starting line-up, on the bench or in the stand.”