£5m Chesterfield investment and Paul Cook's comments could trigger player exit | OneFootball

Chesterfield's ambitious owners have invested an extra £5m into the club and with a busy summer expected, it could mean the end for some club legends.

After five wins in six put Chesterfield right back into the play-off mix, a heavy defeat to Tranmere and a draw against Gillingham leaves the Spireites with a mountain to climb if they’re to finish in the top seven, but supporters are already looking forward to a busy summer in the transfer market.

Cook called last weekend’s 4-0 defeat to Tranmere ‘disgusting’ and the 58-year-old made wholesale changes for the Spireites’ midweek clash against Gillingham, which could help give an insight into a number of players’ futures.

With 16 senior players out-of-contract this summer, Cook has hinted at a clear-out in the off-season, and as fans saw last season with the departures of fan favourites Jeff King and Joe Quigley, Cook isn’t afraid of axing club icons despite their previous performances in a Chesterfield shirt.

“We have got a squad in general who have done ever so well for this football club,” Cook told The Derbyshire Times.

“We are going to have a difficult summer because we probably might say goodbye to one or two players who we really like.”

Of those players who could be set for an exit this summer is Chesterfield’s National League title-winning captain, who was dropped to the bench in midweek.

Captain Jamie Grimes is among multiple title winners that could leave this summer

Cook made five changes to the side that was humiliated at Tranmere on Saturday, and one of the men dropped was Jamie Grimes, who had started Town’s last 20 League Two matches.

Chesterfield had been suffering from a season-long injury crisis in defence, with Kyle McFadzean, Harvey Araujo, Chey Dunkley, Tyrone Williams and Ash Palmer all missing large chunks of the season, meaning at times Grimes was the only fit option at the back.

It looked as though the 34-year-old was starting to be phased out of the team at the start of the season, when Cook preferred the duo of Dunkley and an out-of-position Tom Naylor in defence, as Grimes only started two of Chesterfield’s first 14 games.

The former Hereford man was given his chance when Dunkley and Fulham loanee Araujo were hit with long-term injuries, and Grimes became a mainstay in Cook’s team, like he was last season, where he made 43 appearances on the way to lifting the National League.

Throughout different points this season, Grimes has been a scapegoat for small sections of supporters, with some fans quick to point out his flaws when attempting to play out from defence, which is required in Cook’s high-possession system, which sees an average of 61.5% possession, the second highest in League Two.

Grimes has never been the most technically gifted footballer, but got away with it at times last season due to Chesterfield’s total dominance of the National League, but this season, his mistakes have been more costly, and so far this campaign he’s made three errors leading to goals, often as a result of misplaced passes, or poor positioning.

It could be a telling sign that as soon as another central defender became available for selection, 38-year-old McFadzean, Grimes was quickly demoted to the subs' bench.

There’s no doubt about Grimes’ legendary status in Derbyshire, making 178 appearances, and helping guide the Blues out of the National League, but at 34-years-old, and lacking the ball-playing ability Cook desires in his defenders, this summer may be time for Grimes to move on when his contract expires.

The Chesterfield skipper isn’t the only title-winner out-of-contract this summer, with multiple fan favourites' contracts all set to expire.

Of the players out-of-contract in the summer, it is unlikely that Mike Jones, Bailey Hobson and Michael Jacobs will be offered contract extensions.

The 37-year-old Jones was deregistered from Chesterfield’s League Two squad after needing surgery in November, and having played just 27 minutes of League Two football it looks increasingly likely fans will never see the midfielder in a Town shirt again, but there is hope he can start his coaching career at the club.

As for Hobson and Jacobs, the two are fit, but are struggling to force their way into the team, with the pair being limited to mostly substitute appearances this season.

The likes of Boot, Banks, Oldaker, Colclough and Palmer are all currently featuring regularly for the first-team, and their futures will likely be decided by their performances in Chesterfield’s final five matches.

Further investments from the Chesterfield board would facilitate a busy summer window

The Blues currently only have eight senior players contracted for next season, and with Cook hinting at a mass exodus in the summer, the Spireites would once again be required to spend big, and thanks to their ambitious owners, Town will be able to do just that.

The Spireites’ majority shareholders are local businessmen Phil and Ashley Kirk, and they have recently pledged to invest another £5m into the club, which would take their total investment to over £10m.

The Kirks have overseen Chesterfield’s rise from National League to the EFL, making improvements on and off the pitch, such as a brand-new training complex, a new pre-game bar area, as well as other general maintenance.

Their love and support for the club has translated into on-field success too, giving Cook a larger playing budget, which no doubt will have played a role in enticing the likes of Will Grigg, Naylor, McFadzean and John Fleck to the club.

Despite the heartbreaking news that Phil Kirk has been diagnosed with inoperable cancer, the brothers remain fully committed to the club, and want to see the Spireites continue to thrive under their ownership, and these extra funds will certainly help that.

There will undoubtedly be new names through the door this summer, but the Spireites are looking to gain the upper hand on their rivals by utilising a new stats-based scouting system, which will target players across Europe.

According to The Derbyshire Times, members of Chesterfield’s scouting team have already reportedly taken trips to Holland, Belgium and Denmark to ‘get a feel for’ the different leagues as Town look to conduct shrewd business across the continent.

The Kirk brothers’ ambition is plain for all to see, so while Town may be getting ready to say goodbye to some cult heroes this summer, a window of heavy spending could be on the cards, and that would get all supporters excited.