CFC

Did we make Wembley?

Welcome back my fellow Spireites. And first off, WOW! Can you believe it? At the time of writing (due to the magazine's printing deadline) I'm forced to leave the CFC promotion story hanging on a knife edge at the eleventh hour. So as you read this, having just played Bromley (22 April) you will ALL indeed know the playoff finalists. Hopefully the Spireites made it to Wembley?

The playoff final this year is played on May 13 and it'll be nearly ten years since Cookie last took the Spireites to Wembley in the Johnstone Paint Trophy. Ok we lost, but winning promotion back to the football league will surely heal the wounds for Paul Cook and restore CFC to where they belong, the football league.

The Playoffs

One thing is for certain though as I type this, the Spireites have confirmed their playoff place with recent wins, and the two home games v Eastleigh and Torquay were such a pleasure to witness. No, I'll be honest. The last 25 minutes of the Eastleigh game was a pleasure. The first half was not the best, it was awful to be fair, but that's the beauty of football I guess, and the reason we keep returning to it. Things can and did change on a sixpence when at 2-0 down at half time (with both goals ironically being scored by ex Spireites Mitchell and Carter) the team returned to the field for the second half with a more positive mindset which may have come from a right royal roasting from Paul Cook in the dressing room which surprisingly included a change in formation. And that plan B actually worked! The masterful Colclough netted two and Dallas became the supersub by winning the game from the bench in the 95th minute with a wondrous left footed strike 20 yards out, all with a good old fashioned 4-4-2 formation. That formation with two strikers starting up front continued at the following Torquay home tie 3 days later, with Dallas starting the game too. This ended with him bagging his first hatrick for the Spireites as the game concluded 5-1, the highest home goal scoring game of the season. The other two goals came from the boots of Banks and Mandeville. The atmosphere in those one and a half games was electric. Nearly on a par with the FA Cup 3rd round home game against West Brom. But then Bromley happened. I was going to gloss over that 2-0 away defeat, but I guess it's worth mentioning the fact that teams like Bromley who will probably end up in the playoffs too, need to be beaten. If we can't win against them then winning the playoff final is a tall order. Anyway, in other news.

I'm proud beyond words to announce "Ernie! Heartfelt

Recollections of the Footballing Legend Ernie Moss" a new book about club legend Ernie Moss has been produced and is set for release on 12 June. It's a book remembering Ernie written by Stephen Poxon which is a collection of memories by the footballing community who knew Ernie throughout his life, including; players, managers, fans, family and friends. The book includes a selection of my photography I took of Ernie and his family during his latter years at event's which include; The unveiling of Ernie Moss Way, Once Upon a Smile Charity matches and Ernie's 70th birthday celebrations. You can preorder the book now on Amazon so get it ordered! All money from the book goes to two charities. The Jeff Astle Trust and The Ernie Moss Memorial Foundation.

Another club legend Drew Talbot returns with his boots this year for his long overdue testimonial game the club has announced. The opponents have yet to be officially confirmed but any betting man would wager it's going to be Sheffield Wednesday, his other former club, so watch this space for more details!

Right, back to the now. Do you think Chesterfield FC will be playing League Two football next season? Or is ANOTHER season in the National League on the cards? Winning promotion at Wembley is a possibility and one we should hold on to. Reaching it will give the fans a great day out in the capital city at the very least. But winning it would be fantastic! So COYB's!

Words & Images: Michael South