Will Grigg expects League Two to be a 'real challenge' for Chesterfield

The Spireites sealed their return to the Football League last month after six years in the National League.

Town will be playing in League Two for the first time since 2018 and it will also be Grigg’s first experience of the fourth tier having mostly played in League One during his career.

Grigg, who was speaking to the DT after the unveiling of Chesterfield’s new home and away kits, said: “I think it is going to be a tough season. There are still some big clubs in that league and the clubs who are coming down as well. We have got to be realistic in terms of it being a real challenge. Obviously we want to be positive, sign a few more players to make us even stronger, but there is not going to be 10 bodies through the door, that is not going to be the case. It will be important that we have a good start and see where it takes us but we are under no illusion that it is going to be a really tough year.”

Promotion with Chesterfield is Grigg’s sixth of his career and he feels it justifies his decision to drop down into non-league.

He explained: “They are all special. It was great to see what you have worked hard for over 9-12 months. It is a really proud moment. The conversation that we had nearly a year ago to come to the club and sign was to get this club promoted so for that to happen is a really special moment. It was not an easy decision to drop down and if there wasn’t that real motivation and drive to get promoted I definitely wouldn’t have signed. The short-term aim was to get promoted and then progress from there. I am really pleased because everything we spoke about came true.”

The Northern Irishman scored 25 goals this season to fire the Spireites to the title but sadly he won’t be able to add to that total and attempt to catch Eastleigh’s Paul McCallum, who has 30, because of a hamstring injury.

“Twenty goals every year is my aim so it was nice to get that,” he said. “I would have loved to have got the golden boot obviously. At the start of the Halifax game, I was genuinely confident of catching him with the quality behind me, but I am pleased with 25. I think I will settle for that and go again next year.”

On his injury, he continued: “Everything is progressing really nicely. Hopefully it will be another three or four weeks. It is nothing that is going to hamper me at all. If anything, it gives me an excuse to work even harder over the summer and make sure I am fully raring to go for next season. If I was to get injured then this is probably the time to do it, you never want to miss matches, but it could be worse.”

There was a fantastic turnout at a special family fun day for the unveiling of Chesterfield’s new home and away kits for next season.

As part of the unveiling there was live music from The Marsdens, food and drink, and an opportunity to meet some of the players with the likes of captain Jamie Grimes, Ash Palmer, Ryan Colclough, James Berry and Ollie Banks in attendance.

Grigg, Tom Naylor, Armando Dobra and Ryheem Sheckleford modelled the strips as they walked out of the tunnel and onto the SMH pitch to huge cheers.

On the new kits, Grigg added: “The away kit is something a little bit different. It has gone down really well. The players certainly like it. The home one has had a few nice touches to it as well. The fits are really nice. If I think back to my favourite kits (supporting Birmingham City) it is the blue home kit and black away one so it was a nice surprise for me to see these ones. I have done a few of these kit reveals throughout my career and I have probably not seen a turnout like this so we really appreciate the support.”

The kits can be pre-ordered online HERE