No concrete offers on the table yet for Novak

Last season’s top scorer has been released by parent club Birmingham, in a move he saw coming.

And he admits there have been talks about becoming a permanent Spireite.

The lion’s share of the negotiating will be done by his representative, so for Novak it’s a waiting game.

“If I was wanted at Birmingham I probably wouldn’t have been at Chesterfield for the season,” he said.

“It was expected. But I had quite a good season so hopefully I’ve done enough to get a club, whoever it is going to be.

“I just wait for the phone to ring, if a club comes in we’ll speak.”

The 27-year-old is unlikely to be short of offers, after netting 15 times on loan with a struggling Chesterfield side.

He’s a proven goalscorer, certainly in League One, and has a nine-goal Championship season on his CV, but no one has put all their cards on the table just yet.

“I haven’t had anything concrete come up yet, I will have to wait and see,” said the man from Newcastle.

“Whether it’s Championship or League One, it’s got to be the right club.

“It was proved this season, playing at the right club made for quite a good season, personally speaking.”

What is known is that he’s open to an offer from Chesterfield and Danny Wilson is keen to retain the front man’s services.

“We’ve had a few conversations but nothing concrete in terms of an offer,” revealed Novak.

“I’ve spoken to the gaffer, my agent has spoken to Chris Turner. Hopefully we can talk more.”

It’s also abundantly clear that the Proact faithful want last season’s number 11 to spearhead the 2016/17 season attack.

The fondness is mutual: “If you can get the fans on your side I feel like I’ve done something right.

“Especially for a loan player, I wasn’t technically a Chesterfield player, but all season they’ve been brilliant.

“I appreciate all the support I’ve had and I’m getting. If I will be back it will be great to play for them.”

Novak still hasn’t got out of the habit of referring to the Spireites in the first person plural.

Looking ahead to what will be Wilson’s first full season in charge at the Proact he said: “Since the gaffer came in he got us a lot more organised, we had a good structure.

“Chesterfield will be there or thereabouts.

“We beat some of the big teams, we went to Barnsley and won and they’ve just shown what a good team they are beating Walsall 3-0, one of the best teams in the league.

“I think Chesterfield can expect to be up there.”

One man who is confirmed as part of the Chesterfield frontline next season is Kristian Dennis.

Novak knows exactly how the former Stockport player will be feeling, having himself been recruited for League One Huddersfield from Conference North Gateshead in 2008.

“I was the same, although I was 19 or 20 when I got signed from non-league,” he said.

“There are a lot of good players in non-league, it’s just about being in the right place at the right time.

“I’m sure he’ll be a good signing and I’m sure he’ll score some goals.”

Putting the ball in the net is far from Novak’s mind at the minute however, as he attempts to unwind after his eighth season in the Football League: “I have a couple of weeks off, spend time with my wife and baby.

“I just take time off from football, recharge the batteries and get ready to go again.”