"We will do our damndest to get through this" - Chesterfield chief executive "gobsmacked" as plan for return of fans is "paused"

Mr Croot was speaking to the Derbyshire Times after cabinet office minister, Michael Gove, announced on Tuesday morning that plans for fans to return to watching live football from October 1 would not go ahead.

There are now doubts whether the National League season will start on October 3 and a decision is expected to be announced on Thursday.

“I was surprised and gobsmacked when I heard Michael Gove announce it in a television interview this morning,” he said. “I played it back to be honest just to make sure I had heard it correctly and then within a minute the chairman had called me to say ‘have you just seen what I’ve just seen’.

"It was a massive surprise to us all because we were two hours away from selling tickets to get fans back in the stadium.

“I tried to contact the National League straight away but all their phones were engaged, mobiles numbers, office numbers, so it seemed quite clear then that it must have been a bit of a surprise to them.”

Mr Croot, who was recently appointed chief executive following the takeover of the club by the community trust, said the current situation with no fans being allowed in stadiums is a “massive concern” for the club.

“It is always a worry, the finances at a football club,” he said. “That has not changed in the 34 years that I have been involved in the club. But we have got a great team of staff here, we have got a new board of directors and we are looking to keep it going, we are not looking at anything else, we will get through it.

“What I can say is that we have got people here that are committed to the football club and we will do our damndest to make sure we get through this.

"I have been in similar situations before where we have faced a lack of income where we have had serious issues so I am confident that with support, whether that is from the football pyramid or government, we can get through this.”

On how long the club could survive without fans, he added: “We are not just looking at a few weeks. It is not a concern within a few weeks.”

The community trust took over the club from Dave Allen in August and Mr Croot said “without a doubt” they could not have come in at a more challenging time.

“But we knew that was the case, there was no surprise there,” he explained. “But, having said, we have got a great team, great staff and we can get through this.”

The next step for Chesterfield is to get clarity as to where they go from here.

Mr Croot added that the government or football authorities will have to step in to help.

“Clearly we are going to need some other assistance, and that is from speaking to other chief executives and chairman as well across our league and in League Two and League One as well,” he said.