Striker loan agreement clarity as Chesterfield host Accrington Stanley
Paddy Madden will not be in a position to come back and haunt Chesterfield this weekend.
The striker is on a season loan at Accrington Stanley, who the Spireites host at the SMH Group Stadium on Saturday. Town go into the clash five games unbeaten in all competitions and a win, combined with other favourable results, would see them climb into the top three. Accrington are fourth from bottom, just one point above the relegation zone.
Madden joined the Spireites in summer 2024 and he was seen as a statement signing after scoring bundles of goals for Stockport County, who won promotion to League One that year. But the forward’s time at the Blues was stop-start with injuries and it never really worked out. In the end, a decision was made last summer to let him depart.
The 35-year-old needed time to get up to speed at Stanley but he netted a hat-trick against Swindon Town last month and he bagged in their 2-1 FA Cup win at Gainsborough Trinity last weekend.
However, as is normally the case in these sort of loan agreements, he will not be allowed to play against Chesterfield this Saturday. He will have to sit this one out before returning to the line-up the following week.
Accrington won 3-0 at the SMH a year ago so Chesterfield, who won 1-0 in the reverse fixture on the last day of last season, a result which secured them a play-off place, will be keen to put that right on Saturday and continue their good run.