Chesterfield Football Club has healed - it's ready for promotion back to the EFL

When the Spireites lost their EFL status in 2018, meaning they would be playing in non-league for the first time in almost 100 years, the club was in disarray on and off the field, and that’s putting it kindly.

That disharmony continued for a couple more years, and almost ended in the club falling into the oblivion of regional football.

But along came the community trust, and then the Kirk brothers, and together they have instilled some pride, belief and hope. It is a very different club now.

Okay, it’s still in the National League, but I don’t think it will be for much longer. It feels like the club is now ready for promotion and a return to the EFL. In the last couple of years they have gone close to going up, but there were still a few things which made you think they weren’t quite ready yet. But now they are.

They have a true leader on the touchline in Paul Cook, there is depth in the backroom staff with Danny Webb, Gary Roberts, Dave O’Hare and the newly-appointed Kieron Dyer. The playing squad looks strong, with a nice blend of experience and youth, as well as having saleable assets. There’s a clear identity in how they play. There’s a strong connection between the players, the fans and the manager. Season tickets have almost hit the 4,000 mark, and attendances are higher than when the club was in the EFL. The training ground is being redeveloped, which will only help the current players improve and help attract better ones in the future. The academy is progressing, four lads being rewarded with pro deals.

Putting all those building blocks together, it just feels like the club has healed itself, and is ready to compete in the Football League once again. And not only just make up the numbers, but possibly even challenge for promotion again. But let’s not get carried away. As much as I am willing to put my neck on the line and say Chesterfield will go up as champions next season, I think it will be close, and there will be periods of adversity, moans and groans, injuries, defeats, highs and lows.

But everything just feels right this time. Chesterfield, as a club, is no longer on life support, no longer in A&E, no longer about to take its last breath. It’s standing tall, chest out, strong, fighting back. It’s healed.