OPINION: Chesterfield need more stability in 2018

It's Christmas time and everyone looks back at the year just gone, 2017 must have seen more ins and outs at Chesterfield FC than a game of The Hokey Cokey.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th Dec 2017, 07:05 BST
Updated 26th Dec 2017, 08:15 BST
Picture by Gareth Williams/AHPIX.com; Football; Sky Bet League Two; Stevenage FC v Chesterfield FC; 16/12/2017 KO 15.00; Lamex Stadium; copyright picture; Howard Roe/AHPIX.com; A bad day at the office for Jack Lester as his Chesterfield side were heavily beaten at StevenagePicture by Gareth Williams/AHPIX.com; Football; Sky Bet League Two; Stevenage FC v Chesterfield FC; 16/12/2017 KO 15.00; Lamex Stadium; copyright picture; Howard Roe/AHPIX.com; A bad day at the office for Jack Lester as his Chesterfield side were heavily beaten at Stevenage
Picture by Gareth Williams/AHPIX.com; Football; Sky Bet League Two; Stevenage FC v Chesterfield FC; 16/12/2017 KO 15.00; Lamex Stadium; copyright picture; Howard Roe/AHPIX.com; A bad day at the office for Jack Lester as his Chesterfield side were heavily beaten at Stevenage

here’s how the revolving door at the Proact Stadium has been turning this year

January 2017 saw Danny Wilson and Chris Morgan given the elbow on January the 8th after a loss at Bradford, which put us in the now heady heights of the League One relegation zone.

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Ritchie Humphreys took over as caretaker and we got beaten at Luton.

Nine days after Wilson’s departure Gary Caldwell was the new man in the hot seat, I for one was pleased, as he knew how to win League One and he certainly knows how to get a team out of that division. Just a pity we went out of the wrong end.

In came Steve Eyre as assistant. Ashley Carson was “buzzing” about new players that arrived in the transfer window. They were keeper Thorsten Stuckmann. Libyan Sadiq El Fitori. Plus loanees Rhys Brown from Birmingham, who wouldn’t head a ball in case it ruined his hairstyle. David Faupala came from Manchester City and isn’t there any more, Liam Grimshaw came from Preston and is no longer at Deepdale and Osman Kakay joined from QPR.

This team buzzed like a fly that had just been swatted with a rolled up newspaper.

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We also loaned out arguably our best midfielder Jay O’Shea to Sheffield United, just in case they needed any more help with getting promoted. Gary Liddle went to League Two Carlisle.

Liam O’Neil departed to Cambridge and finally wonder kid Gboly Ariyibi was sold for a reported £250k to Nottingham Forest, amazingly he managed to play so badly that the fee was less than Brentford had previously bid for him.

Transfer maestro Guy Branston and new assistant Graham Barrow arrived pre season, meaning that Steve Eyre’s card was marked.

In August and September came Anyon, Barry, Binnon-Williams, Brewster, O’Grady, Sinnott, Ugwu, Wiseman, Mc Court, Weir, Willock and Briggs. Also Flores, Kellet Reed, De Girolamo and Jules on loans

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Out went Allinson, Beesley, Ebanks-Blake, El Fitouri, Ched Evans for money! Dan Gardener, Liam Graham and his twin brother, Ritchie Humphreys, Dan Jones, Martinez, Morrison, Jon Nolan, O’Shea, Raglan, Stuckmann, Simons, Dion Donohue and McGinn.

By November Gary Caldwell was statistically Chesterfield’s worst manager ever and got the elbow, Graham Barrow didn’t stay either.

Guy Branston took over as caretaker and we got beaten at Luton.

Jack Lester, Tommy Wright, Nicky Eaden and SimonTracey now have the task of keeping us up.

Off the field let’s hope Michael Dunford and can turn things around financially.

Here’s hoping for more stability in 2018….