Why Chesterfield will receive six-figure sum if Leeds United are promoted to Premier League

Defender Liam Cooper moved from the Spireites to the Whites in August 2014 for a fee believed to be around £600,000 with add-ons.

The agreed terms of the transfer mean the Blues will be due an extra windfall if Leeds, who are currently leading the Championship at the time of writing, win promotion to the top flight and Cooper makes a certain amount of appearances.

We understand the figure Chesterfield will receive is around £150,000.

Spireites company secretary, Ashley Carson, joked that Town fans should “start cheering for them.”

“We do have a clause that pays us a significant bonus if they gain promotion to the Premier League,” he said. “As you can imagine, the contract is subject to confidentiality, no surprise, but it is a six-figure figure sum.”

Whites captain Cooper, 28, has played in 31 of Leeds’ 38 games this campaign so the appearance-based element of the transfer should be met.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side are aiming for a return to the Premier League for the first time since 2004.

Back in 2014, Leeds initially offered £500,000 for Cooper but Chesterfield told them to double their offer.

The West Yorkshire club came back with another offer of £600,000, to be paid in two installments, with a number of add-ons, but this was also turned down.

The third bid was £600,000 paid in full plus the add-ons, according to Graham Bean, who was Leeds’ club consultant at the time and who later became chief executive at Chesterfield in 2018 before leaving last year.

The funds would be a welcome boost for Chesterfield given the current uncertainty of the proposed takeover and not knowing when the new National League season will start.

In other news, Mr Carson has confirmed that Chesterfield’s players, boss John Pemberton and staff will remain furloughed until it becomes clearer when the new National League season will start.

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