Chesterfield chiefs not to blame if Paul Cook’s side miss the play-offs | OneFootball

After being tipped by many for promotion at the start of the season, Chesterfield's current injury crisis has left them a fair way off the pace.

Chesterfield were one of the favourites for promotion out of League Two at the start of the season but a collection of injury issues and sales leaves the Spireites with a mountain to climb to achieve their promotion dream this campaign.

Town are currently on their worst run of the season, having won just one of their last seven games, which leaves Paul Cook’s side 10th in the table, eight points behind Bradford City, who occupy the last play-off spot.

To counteract this recent run, Cook has been active in the transfer market, bringing in six players in January to try and turn his side’s fortunes around, with Blackburn’s Kyle McFadzean and former Ipswich defender Janoi Donacien the most notable acquisitions.

In terms of outgoings, Chesterfield were dealt with a killer blow when winger Dilan Markanday, who scored six goals and provided three assists, was recalled by Blackburn Rovers and sent to League One Leyton Orient, and the sale of in-form winger James Berry to Wycombe Wanderers, which will reportedly earn them six-figures now and potentially more in future, left the Spireites short in wide areas.

Chesterfield’s new signings may seem great deals on paper and help highlight the ambition of owners Phil and Ashley Kirk, but not even Cook’s new arrivals can escape Town’s injury curse.

Chesterfield’s ambitious window has already been halted by injury problems.

The most experienced player through the door was 37-year-old McFadzean, who has over 400 EFL appearances to his name, and despite an iffy five minutes on debut, looked comfortable, and added calmness to the Chesterfield defence, particularly impressing in Town’s 3-0 win over Bromley.

However, the former Blackburn man went down after an innocuous challenge with 10 minutes left on the clock, and had to be substituted, with Cook since confirming the defender would be ruled out for a "significant" period of time.

In his first league appearance since August 2023, right-back Donacien was forced off at half-time against Port Vale with a tight groin and has failed to make the squad for Town’s subsequent games against Bromley and Cheltenham Town.

Peterborough loanee and former Exeter City man Sparkes had picked up plaudits from supporters for his attacking intent and crossing ability from left-back in his first two appearances, but he became the latest signing to fall victim to Chesterfield’s injury curse, hobbling off against the Robins with a gashed leg.

When fully fit, it is unquestionable that the Spireites have one of the strongest squads in League Two, but injuries have plagued Cook’s men, with at times over 10 players being unavailable for selection in their first season back in the Football League.

Chey Dunkley, who formed a formidable defensive partnership with Tom Naylor in the early stages of the campaign, has had surgery on his neck, and there is no timeframe for his return.

Elsewhere in the back-line, Ash Palmer picked up a pre-season injury and is yet to feature, and Harvey Araujo, who impressed at left centre-back on loan from Fulham, is also set to be out for a long period of time.

At left-back Lewis Gordon, who started Chesterfield’s first 20 games of the campaign, has missed over a month of action and Colombian international Devan Tanton, who started the season as first choice right-back, had to be recalled by parent club Fulham after struggling to shake off consistent injuries.

Marquee midfield signing John Fleck has struggled with injuries since he signed for the club, and Everton loanee Jensen Metcalfe has only just returned after a month on the sidelines and top scorer Will Grigg will miss next month with an injury.

When it comes to Chesterfield’s injuries this season, when it rains, it pours.

Chesterfield’s squad players have had to step up amid the injury crisis.

Town’s injury issues have forced Cook to utilize his deep squad, with a number of squad players in last season's National League title win and academy players having to play week-in week-out, and it is starting to show with the Spireites’ recent results.

This has meant Cook has used 38 different players in League Two this season. Only Carlisle (41) have used more, with the constant chopping and changing due to injuries not allowing Cook to build a settled starting XI, which he had last season and was central to their promotion.

The Blues had to recall players from National League loans to combat the crisis.

Bailey Hobson, Tim Akinola and Kane Drummond, who were progressing nicely in the fifth tier, were thrust into a League Two promotion race, but the youngsters haven’t shown the levels required to be key members of a play-off push.

Since his return from Oldham Athletic in early December, Drummond has played 11 games in all competitions and has only a goal and an assist to show for it, and while the 24-year-old’s pace has caused problems, the downgrade from the injured Grigg to the former Macclesfield man is noticeable.

It’s a similar story for 22-year-old Hobson, who impressed on-loan at National League title-chasing Barnet, where he scored twice, but as an attacking midfielder at Chesterfield, he has rarely threatened to score or assist, despite possessing an incredible work-rate and engine.

The duo are still young and have bright futures in the game, potentially even in Cook’s squad in the coming years, but as of right now, they don’t look ready to be key players in a Town play-off push.

While there may be some discontent among the Spireites' faithful at their 10th-place position, you cannot question the ambition of the Kirk brothers, who have helped Cook bring in 18 first-team players this season, it’s just been a campaign to forget on the injury front.

No Chesterfield fan can question Cook’s recruitment since he returned to the club, so if a couple of Town’s new signings can catch fire, and key players can return from injury, there’s still no reason the Spireites can’t be challenging for the play-offs in May.