Why John Pemberton is not frightened to shake things up at Chesterfield

He took over from John Sheridan last week as caretaker boss and got off to a winning start on Saturday against Sutton United to move the Spireites two points from safety in the National League.

The 55-year-old has had previous stints as a caretaker manager at Bristol City in 2013 and 2016 and the Spireites in 2018.

And it is those experiences which he will use to give him every chance of landing the Chesterfield manager’s job on a permanent basis.

"I done it twice at Bristol City, I managed to turn that around when we were struggling,” Pemberton said.

"I went into Crystal Palace as first-team coach when Neil Warnock left and they went into administration, they got 10 points deducted and we managed to save them.

"I am not frightened of the situation, let's put it that way.”

One of his first jobs has been to try and lift the mood of the squad and he held individual chats with the players to find out how they were feeling.

"It can be a bit doom and gloom and me coming in with a face as long as a horse is not going to work,” he said.

“You have got to come in bubbly. I am quite a bubbly person anyway and I am a bit full on. When I am with the players I like to get involved with it.”

The former Crystal Palace and Sheffield United defender has already made a big impression on the players and he has made it clear he won’t stand for any nonsense.

“I know what dressing rooms look like, or should look like, I know the signs and I am not frightened to nip it in the bud and I am not frightened to change it if something is not right,” he added.

“If someone is not doing what they should be doing I will change them, I don't care who it is because to get out of it, everybody has to do their bit."