Opinion: Chesterfield's FA Cup paperwork error was costly and avoidable - but new owners are still in credit

I am of course referring to the moment Chesterfield announced their FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie against Stockport County would have to be replayed because of an administrative error with Jordan Cropper’s registration for the competition.

There was a lot of anger and frustration directed at the club for this costly and easily avoidable mistake – and rightly so – because John Pemberton’s men had earned and deserved their win at Edgeley Park last month and they were looking forward to testing themselves against League One Rochdale on Saturday.

That opportunity has now gone up in flames after the midweek loss in the replayed game, as has the £15,000 prize money they would have received even if they had at lost at Spotland (£9,375 for fourth qualifying round winners and £5,657 for first round losers).

The trust will have to take the criticism on the chin, although I do think some of it has been a bit harsh. I know this is the latest ‘I can’t believe it’ moment at Sheffield Road, but the community trust can’t be blamed for what has happened in the past.

This is a fresh start and the new owners have had a lot to deal with since they took over – the pandemic for one – so I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

When they took over they said that mistakes would happen but that they would be honest mistakes and for me this falls into that category. It was not done on purpose and everybody behind the scenes is hurting. This was not a cooked-up plan to deliberately pull the wool over the fans’ eyes. It should not have happened but it was an honest mistake. We all make them.

There were genuine mitigating circumstances such as the club not having a football secretary three months prior to the takeover which left them with a backlog of paperwork and what has been described as a ‘technical issue’ with an email. It doesn’t make it any easier to accept but I don’t think they deserve a kicking over it.

Remember that they offered free viewing of the Woking game after problems with the live stream against Hartlepool United, remember that they donated food to a local housing project, remember just last week they made national news with the free school meals initiative as they made 500 lunches for hungry children. This week a Christmas Toy Appeal has been launched so that kids in poverty don’t wake up on December 25 with nothing to open.

On football matters, youngsters Jamie Sharman and Luke Rawson are showing a lot of promise, a much-needed scouting network is being put in place and Pemberton has got them playing for the shirt, even if the quality is lacking at times. My point is there are some decent things happening at the club and it is not all doom and gloom.

The community trust will have to work hard to earn some credibility back but as it stands, for me, they are still in credit.