CFC

from S41 Local - 38 March 2023

MARCH GARDEN TIPS

Keeping the Wolves at bay

Welcome back by fellow Spireites.

Right. I start with acknowledging the elephant in the last magazine. I'd like to hold my Spireite blue hands up and apologise. After I'd sent the last article to print I noticed, and others pointed out to me, that I'd made quite a big error. Unforgivable. On the second page, right at the top I called Jeff King, "Geoff" King. Jeff starts with a J and not a G and for that I sincerely apologise… I might have also accidentally mentioned Paul Cook played for West Brom too prior to their FA Cup 3rd round game. He didn't. He played for Wolverhampton Wanderers. Anyway… (I think I may have got away with that!)

"But Michael I've been in a cave since Christmas, how DID the West Brom tie turn out?" I hear you ask. Well, I'll fill you in. We drew 3-3 as West Bromwich Albion forced a last minute replay. In front of a sell out crowd and one of the best atmospheres I've witnessed at the stadium in quite some time, we matched the Championship side pound for pound. Yes we went a goal down after just two minutes but we didn't back off and lick our wounds. No, we stepped up, pushed forwards and equalised just five minutes later with a Williams goal. And boy did the stadium erupt, silencing the West Bromwich fans. They definitely weren't expecting that as our reply. They, like us, didn't ease off either as 10 minutes later we conceded again to go 2-1 down. But then, Amando Dobra happened! Dobra netted two before half-time and sent every single Spireite in the ground and possibly the world, (except for our man in the cave) into sheer ecstasy! Five minutes apart Dobra equalised for the blues on the 36th minute and then on the 41st minute he blasted us into the lead which held until the end of the first half. (I'll add that all this was achieved without Tshimanga who was on the bench again. I'll return to this later).

As the second half kicked off I like all Spireites thought we'd score more goals. But that wasn't to be. There was only one and it took 48 minutes to come. Three minutes into added on time the Spireite's luck ran out, as it has done soooo many times in the past and West Brom equalised. It ended three a piece. The replay took place 10 days later at The Hawthorns but ended 4-0 to West Brom. Shame really as Dobra's goal run ended too. Up until then he'd scored in every round in the FA Cup. Now touching on what I mentioned earlier regarding Tshimanga. I had asked previously in an earlier article whether or not we need him in the squad and should we cash in and sell him. And as it turns out we didn't and we don't. As at the start of the month (February) Kabby moved out to Peterborough United on loan until the end of this season with an aim to a permanent transfer in the summer. Shame. But clearly didn't fit into Cookies formation and plans. Which ironically leaves the club in need of an out and out striker. Personally we do need a full on, quality 20+ goal a season forward. Sure it's always good to see goals being scored by other team members from across the park, but for me, we need a Jack Lester type player. Call me old fashioned but that's what we need to build on the squad we currently have. Unfortunately though we aren't Wrexham and have millionaire owners. Yes currently for whatever reason the form has dipped since the West Brom defeat losing three on the bounce but that for me is due partly to having Covolan back between the posts. Which isn't helping as we slip down the league currently 5th now from last night's 3-1 defeat against Woking.

Having said all that, let's stand back and remember where we are and where we came from. Let's not forget the dismissal years pre takeover. Yes, we are now technically a charity football club which has its own financial issues and restrictions. We are no Deadpool with deep pockets. We do however have owners who, like you and me, are fans of Chesterfield FC. That's got to be better than the previous regime? Remember Dean Saunders? Remember touching the relegation zone of the National League? Right here and right now seems a better use of the phrase "Keep the faith" but let's take a leap of faith in the club now. We're still in the playoffs aren’t we?