Chesterfield aiming to 'box clever' in transfer market ahead of EFL return

The Spireites will be playing in the Football League for the first time in six years next season after winning the National League title.

But, unlike in the National League, clubs have to abide by financial fair play rules, known as Salary Cost Management Protocol (SMCP), which means teams can only spend a fixed percentage of the previous year’s turnover on player wages.

Clubs are also limited to 22 outfield players, plus goalkeepers and under-21 players, for their squads.

“We feel we are going to box clever and put the money where it is going to have the biggest impact on the team,” director Ashley Kirk said in a club interview.

“We have to operate within budget constraints. We are fortunate that we have had a great supporter-base this year and a fantastic following at home because we have to use this year’s season tickets and ticket sales to forecast the budget that we can actually have in the league and what we are allowed to spend.

"We will have a very competitive budget but it won’t be the biggest budget but it should be competitive. We will give what we can in the constraints that we are operating under.”

Last summer Paul Cook opted for a quality over quantity approach, bringing in the likes of Will Grigg, Tom Naylor and Michael Jacobs and that is likely to be the route they go down again.

Kirk said: “Paul Cook is a big advocate for year-on-year improvement and the team we turn out with next year, we are anticipating being better than the team this year, either through training, player development, bringing junior players in or sensible recruitment. There will be sensible recruitment - a few tweaks.

“Everyone knows our squad, everyone knows we are really strong, we might be looking at some recruits here and there but we are operating where we have got to have a squad of 22 (outfield players) plus goalkeepers and under-21 players and that is all you are allowed. That brings a discipline to how you approach recruitment which you don’t have in the National League.”