No need for motivational talk before Blades clash

Assistant manager Chris Morgan believes that the magnitude of the fixture in terms of local rivalry, is enough to get players going.

Previewing the game against the club that employed him for almost 13 years, he said: “We said it last week, I don’t think there’s any need for motivation.

“The motivation is there, last week it was walking out and seeing 1,500 Chesterfield fans backing you, up the road.

“This week it’s walking out at a packed house.

“If players need motivating to play at Oakwell and play at the Proact against Sheffield United then they’re in the wrong game. The motivation is in the fixture.”

With an expected travelling support of 3,000 in a packed Proact, Morgan admits the atmosphere could impact some of the players.

But he still expects the Spireites side picked by manager Danny Wilson to go out and remain composed in a cauldron of noise.

“Often in derbies it comes down to who handles the game. It will be a packed house, a sell out, 3,000 coming down the road from Sheffield.

“When a team comes and brings a huge away following like Sheffield United are going to do, it certainly makes for a better atmosphere in the ground.

“Some players grow in the atmosphere, some players may struggle with it. All you can do is prepare for that.

“Our players when they get in the tunnel on Saturday will have their chest pushed out and will go out and try and put in a good performance.

“They have to make sure they’re in the right frame of mind. You have to compete in a controlled manner.

“Players will make decisions, they’re not robots, sometimes they make a wrong decision. You just hope they make more good decisions than bad decisions.”

Chesterfield will be out to claim another scalp of a side in the top 10 – Barnsley the latest to fall to a surprise defeat against Wilson’s men.

Morgan said: “Our players want to go and show that they’re good players as well and can take points off the better teams in the division.

“Since January they’ve proved that.

“We’re on a high from winning at Oakwell, it was a fantastic three points for us and a real good performance, the lads felt really good about themselves after the game.

“We want to build on last Saturday’s three points, we take the confidence and the work we’ve been doing since January, it’s a momentum thing.”

Chesterfield will be without the services of Declan John, recalled by parent club Cardiff to rehab a hamstring injury and Liam O’Neil, whose ankle injury hasn’t yet settled down.

But Dion Donohue came through another reserve game in midweek and is may be back in contention to start

Morgan added: “With Liam we’re going to give him this week and keep assessing him.

“He had a bit of swelling and bruising in the ankle.

“If it settles down in time for him to come in, whether it’s the last four games or the last game, we’ll monitor him.

“We have to do the right thing by him, if he’s not right then we leave him with the physio.

“We’ve now got Dion back from suspension and should be up to speed after a couple of reserve games.”