Paul Cook backs 'amazing' Chesterfield fans to make difference against FC Halifax Town

Paul Cook is backing Chesterfield’s ‘amazing’ big away following to make the difference against Halifax in the play-offs.
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The Blues will be backed by more than 2,000 fans at The Shay on Tuesday night and Cook wants to make them proud in the play-off eliminator.

Halifax have got the advantage of being at home but I feel our supporters will negate that advantage by turning up in large numbers with total belief in myself and the players that we are going to deliver for them and that is the biggest message for me,” Cook said.

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“We will be backed by such amazing support, I know what this support does for this club and for this town and my message to the players is that we have to deliver for them.

More than 2,000 Chesterfield fans will be at The Shay on Tuesday night.More than 2,000 Chesterfield fans will be at The Shay on Tuesday night.
More than 2,000 Chesterfield fans will be at The Shay on Tuesday night.

“One thing we know about our club is that our supporters will turn up. At the minute myself and the players have got to make them believe that we will turn up and that is the key message."

All play-off matches in the National League are one-legged and will go to extra-time and penalties if necessary.

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The winner at The Shay will face Solihull Moors away in the semi-finals on Sunday.

The final is at West Ham United’s London Stadium on June 5.

When asked by the DT if the Spireites had been practising penalties, Cook said: “Without a shadow of a doubt, I think it is very important. The problem for us, and again it is probably the same for Halifax, is probably knowing what 11 will be on the pitch after 120 minutes because that is a big challenge at the minute.”

The Shaymen beat Chesterfield 2-0 at The Shay in the league last month but Cook does not think that result will have any bearing on this upcoming game.

“I think the only relevance is that the two teams probably know a little bit about each other - that is the brutal truth of it,” he said.

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Although the result did not go the Spireites’ way last time out against Pete Wild’s men, they can take some encouragement from the fact they did create some good chances.

“It was a game that we were very strong in and we have got to make sure we let Halifax feel that again tomorrow night,” Cook added.