Football Season Review

The 2017/18 season was a disaster for Chesterfield as they lost their cherished Football League status after finishing bottom of the League Two table. The Spireites have endured two miserable years having also finished bottom of the League One table in 2016/17 and successive relegations mean they will be competing in the National League next season. The club has been in turmoil since majority shareholder Dave Allen announced his intention to sell the club in February 2017. Arguably his biggest mistake was the appointment of Gary Caldwell as manager a month earlier. He was given the opportunity to take the club back up following relegation but they made a dreadful start to the season. Caldwell was sacked in mid-September having won just three of his 27 league matches in charge. Jack Lester, a Spireites hero, was given the unenviable task of keeping the club in the Football League and it took him a while to get to grips with the job. He lost four of his first five matches before the side went on a six-match unbeaten run. He made several additions to the squad in January but they failed to have an impact and continued to struggle for results. They won just four league matches after the turn of the year and were relegated following a lamentable 4-1 defeat at Forest Green Rovers in April. Lester left the club less than 48 hours later with defender Ian Evatt taking caretaker charge for the final three games. Midfielder Louis Reed impressed on a season-long loan from Sheffield United whilst striker Kristian Dennis finished as leading goalscorer with 21 goals and was voted as player of the season. Neither will be at the club next season and Chesterfield face a very uncertain future in non-league football.

Player of the Season: Kristian Dennis