Tributes paid to Chesterfield fan who saved Spireites from 'potential oblivion'

John Wilkinson, who was born in New Whittington but lived in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, has sadly passed away, aged 71.

In 2001, at the inaugural meeting of Chesterfield Football Supporters Society (CFSS) at the Winding Wheel, Mr Wilkinson generously pledged £50,000 to help rescue the club in the wake of Darren Brown’s disastrous ownership spell.

A tribute to him on the Spireites’ official club website read: “There was raucous laughter when one attendee stood and shouted, ‘we’re saved, we’ve got Jesus on our side!’ From then on, everyone knew who Jesus John was.

"His actions that day prompted other individuals and organisations to help CFSS and enable them to save the club from potential oblivion.

"Wilko stood up and was very much counted at a vital time in the club’s history and without his gesture and those that he inspired as a result, there may be no Chesterfield Football Club today."

But his fundraising efforts didn’t stop there, as he and six other fans visited all 92 clubs in the top four divisions over a three-day period to raise even more money.

In 2002, he was one of two supporters who donated £2,500 each in return for being registered as a player for the 2002/03 season, almost certainly making him the oldest player ever to be registered as a Spireite.

There will be a minute’s applause for John in the 71st minute of the match against Gateshead on Wednesday night and his image will be shown on the big screen.

Spireites chief executive, John Croot, said: “As well as being a proper decent bloke John was one of the people who stood up to be counted when we formed CFSS in the dark days following Darren Brown’s disastrous ownership of Chesterfield FC. Thank you John for everything you did for our football club. RIP John.”