Chesterfield ( or 'tahn' as the locals refer to them ) :no: also stopped a mini slump of 3 without victory when comprehensively overcoming an in-form Northampton side at the Proact Stadium last weekend. They lie in 11th place just hovering below the play off zone on 39 points from 28 games and perhaps the most encouraging stat for us Gulls is that they have only scored 11 times on their league travels this season. Torquay have the joint 2nd worse goal return from away games in the league and we have been generally shocking for much of the away campaign thus far so hope springs eternal that a goal MIGHT, i say MIGHT be enough to see off the men from the north midlands.
The Derbyshire club have a change of manager in Paul Cook since we played them last, a pretty cack 1-1 draw at the Proact ( formerly B2Net Stadium ) courtesy of a superb Howe effort, our only chance. The then manager was John Sheridan who as we all know took the reins a few weeks ago down the A38 at Plymouth. He was relieved of his duties after a stuttering start following their relegation from league 1 last term and the board headed by chairman Dave Allen ( not the 80's comedian! ) and chief executive ex Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Turner decided that Paul Cook was the answer.
The former chairman Barrie Hubbard, who left last summer may have stuck with Sheridan as he was a thoroughly decent bloke. I've chatted to him on a few occasions and what he has done for the football club of this small former coal mining town has been commendable and i expect the Spireites fans revere him for all the hard work he has done in overseeing the dark days and steering the club from the decaying shell of the old Saltergate ground and into the new purpose built stadium.
As a side issue i was chatting to the lady in our post office the other day as she clocked my TUFC coat and it got her talking about Aaron Downes as she was a season ticket holder at Chesterfield. She loved Downsey and i know in what high regard he was held in at the club. His missus even ran the club shop too! No doubt Aaron will be looking forward to meeting up with some old friends again down at Plainmoor. Also the bloke in my co-op thinks that Neal Trotman will have our strikers in his pocket. I'd say that was a distinct possibility. I also was in the queue behind Trotman the other week when i was purchasing some sundries and comestibles. Beer and crisps to you and me!
