There is a feeling that change is in the air at Chesterfield, says Spireites’ fans writer

Just when you thought it was safe to watch Chesterfield again, a 4-0 battering at Sutton brings the whole thing back down to earth with a bump.
Picture Gareth Williams/AHPIX LTD, Football, National League, Sutton United v Chesterfield, Gander Green Lane, Sutton, UK, 21/09/19, K.O 3pm
Howard Roe>07973739229

A frustrated John Sheridan on the touchline at SuttonPicture Gareth Williams/AHPIX LTD, Football, National League, Sutton United v Chesterfield, Gander Green Lane, Sutton, UK, 21/09/19, K.O 3pm
Howard Roe>07973739229

A frustrated John Sheridan on the touchline at Sutton
Picture Gareth Williams/AHPIX LTD, Football, National League, Sutton United v Chesterfield, Gander Green Lane, Sutton, UK, 21/09/19, K.O 3pm Howard Roe>07973739229 A frustrated John Sheridan on the touchline at Sutton

The next few days, therefore, are vital to the survival of the club. John Sheridan sounded at the end of his tether in the post match interview and everyone knows results can’t go on like this for any longer. Whatever happens in the next two games there’s a feeling that change is in the air.

Online there’s a petition asking what fans think the club should do next. The most popular option is to pay up the contracts of the unwanted players and sign proven Conference players that we need.

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Frankly, whichever option the club, i.e. Dave Allen, chooses will be costly, but it has got to be better than lettings things go on the way they are.

In the home game against Torquay we seemed to have a midfield of sorts, away at Sutton no such thing existed for the majority of the match. We all know the management is frustrated with the quality, or lack of that, they have to work with; but John Sheridan, who is known as being a fairly aggressive manager, now seems to have the body language of a guy who has given up; no shouting or encouraging the team, just standing on the touchline or sitting down silently. So we can only hope funds are made available for at least one central midfielder, who doesn’t give the ball away time after time

I suppose it’s obvious that the management thought that bringing in Anthony Gerrard would sort out the defence and bring some leadership on the pitch after he’d worked well with Sheridan at Carlisle and Oldham.

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But that’s now blown up in the face of the club. Frankly Chesterfield missed out on a great opportunity to free up some wages by cancelling the player’s contract and letting him focus on internet-related activities instead of football.

Tuesday’s opponents, Hartlepool, now find themselves in hot water after some of their fans gave out racial abuse to Dover Athletic players on Saturday.

I can still recall when Andy Morris got this sort of abuse from the supporters at the Victoria Ground 25 years ago. Police are launching a formal criminal investigation into antics of some of the Hartlepool supporters.

Maybe it is time that the police did get involved in this sort of thing if that proves the only way to stamp it out.